FenderBumper
The "good old days" ??
http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-ne...rint-cup-tire-tests-in-six-weeks?artid=142019
Even though the racing season has just gotten in gear tire testing has become an urgent assignment for Goodyear Tire engineers.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced an ambitious schedule of four tests in a six-week period. Twenty-one teams will participate.
Starting next week, at the newly repaved Michigan International Raceway, and the newly repaved Pocono Raceway, testing will also include Dover International Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Don’t be surprised if Bristol Motor Speedway is not added to that list in view of Wednesday’s announcement to start work on that half-mile.
"When a track gets resurfaced, our goal is to conduct a test as soon as the asphalt curing process and weather allows," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of race tires. "Michigan was finished just before last winter set in and Pocono will be completed within the next couple of weeks. Because both of those tracks will have brand new asphalt, it’s a sure bet we’ll return with a tire set-up that's different from what has been run recently at those tracks.
"As with all repaves, Michigan and Pocono will have smoother surfaces, thus giving the cars more grip, which leads to more heat build-up in the tire. That’s why tire testing is so important -- we need to get on the new surface and find the right balance between controlling heat providing an adequate grip level. Every facility has its unique characteristics. We'll work closely with track officials to get a gauge on the asphalt mix they’re using, and combine that with our knowledge of the track configuration. Neither of these tracks are planning any significant changes to the track layout."
Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, and Juan Pablo Montoya will test at MIS on April 3 and 4.
Dover, the Monster Mile which is paved with concrete, will see drivers Marcos Ambrose, A.J. Allmendinger, Kevin Harvick, Dave Blaney, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. on April 17 and 18.
Stucker explained, "while concrete surfaces are always tricky to take rubber, we feel like we have a good understanding of that process this point. Now we want to go back and see if we can strike a better balance of how much rubber gets put down while still providing the right level of grip and wear."
Pocono’s Tricky Triangle test on April 24 and 25 will see Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, A.J. Allmendinger and Aric Almirola.
The Magic Mile, a/k/a known as New Hampshire International Speedway will have drivers Paul Menard, Bobby Labonte, Regan Smith, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards testing on May 8 and 9.
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Maybe I'm being overly optomistic, but I hope Goodyear will try to go to a softer compound.
Even though the racing season has just gotten in gear tire testing has become an urgent assignment for Goodyear Tire engineers.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced an ambitious schedule of four tests in a six-week period. Twenty-one teams will participate.
Starting next week, at the newly repaved Michigan International Raceway, and the newly repaved Pocono Raceway, testing will also include Dover International Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Don’t be surprised if Bristol Motor Speedway is not added to that list in view of Wednesday’s announcement to start work on that half-mile.
"When a track gets resurfaced, our goal is to conduct a test as soon as the asphalt curing process and weather allows," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of race tires. "Michigan was finished just before last winter set in and Pocono will be completed within the next couple of weeks. Because both of those tracks will have brand new asphalt, it’s a sure bet we’ll return with a tire set-up that's different from what has been run recently at those tracks.
"As with all repaves, Michigan and Pocono will have smoother surfaces, thus giving the cars more grip, which leads to more heat build-up in the tire. That’s why tire testing is so important -- we need to get on the new surface and find the right balance between controlling heat providing an adequate grip level. Every facility has its unique characteristics. We'll work closely with track officials to get a gauge on the asphalt mix they’re using, and combine that with our knowledge of the track configuration. Neither of these tracks are planning any significant changes to the track layout."
Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, and Juan Pablo Montoya will test at MIS on April 3 and 4.
Dover, the Monster Mile which is paved with concrete, will see drivers Marcos Ambrose, A.J. Allmendinger, Kevin Harvick, Dave Blaney, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. on April 17 and 18.
Stucker explained, "while concrete surfaces are always tricky to take rubber, we feel like we have a good understanding of that process this point. Now we want to go back and see if we can strike a better balance of how much rubber gets put down while still providing the right level of grip and wear."
Pocono’s Tricky Triangle test on April 24 and 25 will see Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, A.J. Allmendinger and Aric Almirola.
The Magic Mile, a/k/a known as New Hampshire International Speedway will have drivers Paul Menard, Bobby Labonte, Regan Smith, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards testing on May 8 and 9.
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Maybe I'm being overly optomistic, but I hope Goodyear will try to go to a softer compound.