IndyCar
IRL: Sears Point: Firestone preview
Race Distance: 180.8 miles/290.969 km (80 laps on the 2.26-mile/3.637-km permanent road course). Firehawk Race Tires Supplied: For the second permanent road-circuit race this season, Firestone delivered 692 dry-condition and 304 ...
Edited: Mar 27, 2008, 5:47 AM
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Race Distance: 180.8 miles/290.969 km (80 laps on the 2.26-mile/3.637-km permanent road course).
Firehawk Race Tires Supplied: For the second permanent road-circuit race this season, Firestone delivered 692 dry-condition and 304 wet-condition Firehawk race tires for use. All were produced at the Firestone Technical Center in Akron, Ohio.
Dry-condition tires ("slicks"): Each car receives eight sets of slicks (32 total tires) for the race weekend, to use as its team determines in the practice, qualifying and race sessions. Those cars that make the "Firestone Fast Six" final qualifying segment receive one additional set for that session only. Firestone Racing engineers are bringing an updated version of their highest-grip ("softest") road-course compound/construction tires to Infineon. While new in formula, the tire performance aspects should remain quite similar to those used here in 2005.
Wet-condition tires ("rains"): Firestone supplies each car up to four sets of grooved-tread rain tires (16 total tires) per race weekend on road and street courses, as needed. Teams can bring two additional sets of the same-spec rain tire that may have been distributed at an earlier event. The higher-grip ("softer") rain tire specification was selected for this weekend.
Quote from Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing: "It's nail-biting time again as we head into the last two races of the season with a heated points race. And while most know that the top four drivers are separated by 33 points, it's important to note that seventh through 13th place is separated by only 34 points. So you can be certain all the drivers will be pushing their cars to the limit this weekend on this demanding and technical road course; a circuit where they must have absolute confidence in their race tires to deliver certain grip and consistency on every lap. The IndyCar drivers place that trust in Firestone with good reason. They'll have a new 'soft' road-course Firehawk specification at their disposal this weekend, although the teams have gained valuable experience on this tire spec earlier this year in two open tests on the Homestead-Miami Speedway road course. We think the Firehawks will contribute to yet another exciting and closely fought race weekend."
Firestone Performance Award: During the 2006 season, Firestone Racing continues presenting the Firestone Performance Award at each IndyCar Series race. The $10,000 prize commemorates Firestone's status as the only tire manufacturer to have participated in every IRL race, and is traditionally given to the driver who, in each IndyCar Series event, leads the lap number corresponding to the cumulative number of races in series history. The Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma is the 133rd IndyCar Series race, but since the race is only 80 laps long, the Firestone Performance Award will go to the driver who leads lap number 59, when the 133rd race mile is completed.
-credit: firestone
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