NASCAR Meets With Michelin

SlicedBread22

SlicedBread22

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http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/what-is-behind-nascar-s-meeting-with-michelin/

Just days after several Sprint Cup champion contenders had issues with where the rubber meets the road in Richmond, NASCAR officials met with representatives from Michelin at the R&D Center in Concord, N.C.
The timing of the Tuesday meeting is coincidental considering the rash of failures experienced by competitors in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series last weekend.

According to a Michelin source, however, it was a "mid-level meeting" that was scheduled before the Richmond race.

"It was generally a get-acquainted and get-familiar with the tech center, and some relationship building," said the source. It likely also involved some regional and "grassroots" possibilities that could involve NASCAR and Michelin to partner.

NASCAR's Senior Director, Communications – Competition Kerry Tharp concurred.

"We meet with manufacturers and representatives from throughout the industry on a regular basis," Tharp said. "This meeting has been scheduled for quite some time and today's meeting was focused on our touring and regional series."

Michelin already supplies tires for the NASCAR Europe series, and also is a supplier for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship's GT-Le Mans class. The TUDOR Championship is the NASCAR-controlled sports car series that was formed by combining Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series.

The other three classes in the TUDOR Championship have Continental as the lone supplier. The GT-Le Mans series competitors can run whatever tire brand they choose. At the 24 Hours of Daytona, the tire of choice was Michelin. At the 12 Hours of Sebring, the only team that did not run Michelins was the Falken Tire-sponsored car.

The French-based company sponsored the Michelin 100 in Tours, where Ben Kennedy won his first NASCAR race in the Euro-Racecar Series in 2012 – the first NASCAR-sanctioned oval race in Europe. Michelin North America is based Greenville, S.C., about 100 miles south of NASCAR’s Research and Development Center.

Michelin reportedly is interested in bidding against Continental when the TUDOR Championship rights expire. Continental renegotiated its contract following the merger of the series and is in the first season of a multi-year deal. The exclusive Goodyear contract with NASCAR's top three touring series, including Sprint Cup, runs through 2017.
 
I don't think Goodyear has anything to worry about yet with the contract running through 2017. Sounds like mainly IMSA stuff with the ALMS merger.
 
This may get as annoying as that dang Digger character.....

MM.jpg
 
there is HUGE $ in this. Goodyear will pull up its socks if it knows whats good for it
 
Michelin tires are overpriced pieces o' sheeeeet... I guess a lot like Goodyear...


I think these two brands are going to coexist under the NASCAR banner but I don't expect anyone but Goodyear to run in any of NASCAR's top 3 series...
 
The Goodyears might be crap but as long as they all get the same crap whats not too like :biggrin:
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Goodyear's tires are PERFECT this year. About time real strategy returns to NASCAR racing.
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Perfect? No. Exciting? Yes.

I would prefer Goodyear goes to a larger tire to handle the speeds and weight better, allowing for softer compounds and tires that wear enough to make 4 new a real advantage, rather than simply shredding.
 
DUN24 said:
Michelin tires are overpriced pieces o' sheeeeet... I guess a lot like Goodyear...


I think these two brands are going to coexist under the NASCAR banner but I don't expect anyone but Goodyear to run in any of NASCAR's top 3 series...
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the best tires I have owned have been michilins.
 
A French tire manufacture and a dude with the last name of France that owns the whole enchilada isn't very comforting. Hell, you can still buy French WWII rifle's that have never been shot and have only dropped once, when they ran away.
 
SlicedBread22 said:
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/what-is-behind-nascar-s-meeting-with-michelin/

According to a Michelin source, however, it was a "mid-level meeting" that was scheduled before the Richmond race.
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This is probably true and the meeting was not scheduled specifically as a result of Richmond. It would be pretty difficult for 2 different business(es) to get all their key players together for a meeting within 2 business days unless it were something like a national emergency, etc.
 
hidesert cowboy said:
the best tires I have owned have been michilins.
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It's funny because I hear a lot of people say that... But as someone who's worked in tire shops, I've seen more tread separation in Michelin's than anything else that I can remember.. ALOT of people love them some Michelin's though..

They still make a good a 60,000 mile tire... Just heavily overpriced and consistent with the tread separation IMO.
 
DUN24 said:
It's funny because I hear a lot of people say that... But as someone who's worked in tire shops, I've seen more tread separation in Michelin's than anything else that I can remember.. ALOT of people love them some Michelin's though..

They still make a good a 60,000 mile tire... Just heavily overpriced and consistent with the tread separation IMO.
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We use em for steer tires on the dump trucks and they hold up better than any other tire I have used. Continental makes some good truck and trailer tires too
 
FenderBumper said:
Perfect? No. Exciting? Yes.

I would prefer Goodyear goes to a larger tire to handle the speeds and weight better, allowing for softer compounds and tires that wear enough to make 4 new a real advantage, rather than simply shredding.
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Larger tire means changing the car again to accomodate it, leave it be, tires wearing are a good thing. Seems just a little while ago many of you were complaining the tire doesn't wear out, you can't have it both ways.
 
Certain teams have had more struggles than others so far, so it seems like it's more of a setup issue than a tire issue. We all know how much Knaus likes to push the envelope and the #48 has, not coincidentally IMO, had the most issues with three incidents at Fontana, Bristol, and Richmond. The #15 is right up there too with a pair of incidents at Fontana and Richmond. Meanwhile, some entire organizations like JGR haven't had any trouble at all.
 
Goodyear has a really good knowledge base for NASCAR cars and tracks. A new vender will have growing pains. But NASCAR should be talking to tire suppliers - that's their job. I don't want to see another Hooser/Goodyear type competition again.
 
Mopardh9 said:
Larger tire means changing the car again to accomodate it, leave it be, tires wearing are a good thing. Seems just a little while ago many of you were complaining the tire doesn't wear out, you can't have it both ways.
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Seems to me nobody asked for tires that shredded and roasted cars.
 
FenderBumper said:
Seems to me nobody asked for tires that shredded and roasted cars.
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So it was a bad compound match or a bad a lot, for the most part haven't the tires been lasting? It seems not very long ago you were complaining that the tires weren't falling off enough towards the end of a fuel run. I think the bad tires at Richmond have been the exception rather than the rule and over agressive set ups are a lot to do with the failures.
 
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Mopardh9 said:
So it was a bad compound match or a bad a lot, for the most part haven't the tires been lasting? It seems not very long ago you were complaining that the tires weren't falling off enough towards the end of a fuel run. I think the bad tires at Richmond have been the exception rather than the rule and over agressive set ups are a lot to do with the failures.
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OK, I see the problem here. When I said tires weren't falling off enough, I didn't mean ACTUALLY falling off the cars. :p

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're just messing around, because you aren't making much sense.
 
Revman said:
Tires are fine. Set ups aren't. The sport has been screaming for tires that fall off during a fuel run. We get them and people bitch. SMDH.
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Again, tires that fall off during a fuel run shouldn't actually fall off the cars. At Richmond, they were doing exactly that.

lol How can real race fans want what we saw from the tires at Richmond and a couple of other tracks this year?
 
It was discussed when refining the previous versions of the COT about going to a larger rim and taller tire. That in itself would have helped to a certain extent air flow to the brakes and tire bead. But Goodyear balked about cost as did the team owners.
 
FenderBumper said:
Again, tires that fall off during a fuel run shouldn't actually fall off the cars. At Richmond, they were doing exactly that.

lol How can real race fans want what we saw from the tires at Richmond and a couple of other tracks this year?
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One race, for the most part the tires have been solid and last past a fule run. Does that make sense to you?;)
 
As long as teams push limits , there will always be tire issues . Goodyear has always been ready to help and have created countless new compounds etc , , but teams continue to find new ways to exceed the tire limits . That will never change . With Goodyear or any other manufacturer. Now a days , they have a new issue and that's listening to the silliness from the fans . Another manufacturer would be crazy to get involved .
 
Mopardh9 said:
One race, for the most part the tires have been solid and last past a fule run. Does that make sense to you?;)
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No, because there have been 3 or 4 races with serious tire issues. This is more exciting than the rock hard tires, si I'll take it for now. Just don't think this is what I asked for. I wonder how long Goodyear will allow their tires to look so bad, when it really isn't their fault. The car is too heavy and too fast in the corners for the tire size.
 
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