GOODYEAR and Nascar are going to take the heat for this BrickYard event but the track itself is as much the cause for yesterdays tire wear as the tires that were used. Knowing what happened at the tire test in April is of interest as well. They had to know there was a problem in April unless all the laps run were short stints.
Indianopolis Speedways racing surface is the real culprit being diamond grinded several years ago, the new car abusing the right rear more than the previous car adds to this condition. The speedway's asphalt was diamond grinded several years ago to smooth the surface, remember Charlotte's deal a few years ago ? It doesnt matter what tire you bring with this kind of surface, there is going to be a problem.
Rockingham and Darlington were tire eaters but nothing like a diamond grind. This kind of surface is like razor blades as it peels away the rubber. When they show a close up of the yard of bricks you can easily see these grooves. Indy needs to repave the track and they have the money to do it. Then they will have to slow down the IRL cars.
It is a shame that two of the biggest racing facilities in this country have done this in an effort to save money resulting in poor events. The fiasco at Charlotte was rediculous but now the track is in good shape. Now it is Indy's turn.
I was surprised that Lee Spencer did not mention the track surface in her post about this race and no mention of the track condition was noted by the first page of bloggers responding to her post. The track surfaced was mentioned on the television pre race show. Another problem for stock cars at Indy is that this track only has one groove. Years ago there was an apron at the bottom of the turns but track officials eliminated this run off are because the Indy cars were using to compensate for the push condition that happens with these cars, more than one driver has been killed because of the angle of incidence created when losing traction in the middle of a turn backing into the wall at 200 plus mph.
The apron has been replaced with a grass area then the pit lane run off. This lack of racing surface makes it difficult for stock cars to put on a better race, it also inhibits the Indy cars as well but understandable to safety reasons.
Nothing and no one is perfect but Indy needs to take a look at their racing track and repave it now.
The diamond grind wasn't an effort to save money - it was simply a technique to provide what IndyCar believed to be a desirable racing surface. They applied it to a brand new, exceptionally smooth repaving a couple years ago as a part of the surface preparation.
And for IndyCar - it has worked beautifully (and for F1 for that matter). And it worked o.k. for NASCAR last year too - although they did have more tire wear than they're used to.
Nope. Barking up the wrong tree here. Racers and their teams (and sanctioning bodies) need to adjust to the tracks, not vice versa.
Perhaps NASCAR also finds Turn One too shallow and would like the banking increased to 22 degrees?
Go with a harder compound and learn how to drive with it. Sheez ...
Sorry Dave but you are incorrect about the Diamond Grinding making a better racing surface, it was done to smooth out the surface but causes issues regardless of the venue.
Yes, it was the method chosen to smooth the surface, vs. a variety of other methods. And it was less expensive than some of the other methods, but was chosen as it was judged to create a better racing surface. It has since been proven to be an excellent racing surface for the IndyCars and F1 cars.
So NASCAR should be able to figure something out as well. The other formulas liked it as harder compounds were required, placing more emphasis on driver skill. I believe the Sprint Cup drivers would have liked it for the same reasons as well, had they been given tires that would have held up to the track conditions.
While the track surface certainly was a factor, the blame for yesterday's debacle at Indy belongs with NASCAR and Goodyear. The track surface did not change significantly from last year, NASCAR did not run an open test prior to this year's race with the new car, and the tire test in April foreshadowed these problems yet Goodyear brought the same tire as last year.
The softer Pocono tires that were on hand for backup never got used, and while the softer tire may have lasted even fewer laps, it also may have had the ability put rubber into the track so that the original tire would last longer. During a 400 mile tire test NASCAR and Goodyear could have at least given the Pocono tires a try.
I agree with JumpingPig and have commented a softer tire would have layed down rubber on the track to get better in time, It would have taken/used up tires even faster then the hard one. I have never seen big chunks of rubber like that in nascar before this race. Thats what you see at your local tracks using street tires for street stocks etc.
Now this is a 2.5 mile so around 10 laps is around 30 to 40 at Bristol when they need to pit for tires on a smoother surface.
I think every one is missing the issue. Goodyear brought shoddy tires to INDY. Doesn't matter whether it was soft or hard compounds, these tires were junk.
As Dave pointed out the INDY and F1 cars use different tire manufacturers with out problems at INDY. The Good year tires were manufactured with cost cutting factors in the production process. I would imagine it was the CEOs and the bean counters were over riding the engineers on this venture.
Indy cars and F1 machines weigh less than half of a Cup car. They can get by with it. The COT is putting more weight on the right rear so it is a combination of things. Track, car and tire. There is no comparison between the two types of cars.
All points are good and well taken but discounting the surface of Indianolpolis Speedway being part of the problem for the Cup cars is a mistake.
More than one person mentioned tire issues at Indy in recent years on television last weekend. Even with the old Cup cars there was a problem but after 30 or 40 laps the track came in.
Some people do not realise what grinding a track does. It removed bumps but leaves serated edges that will eat tires.
Photo, maybe a softer tire is the answer but Good Year has a tall task in recent years trying to keep every one happy. Not to say they are doing it right either but it has become very complicated in recent years.
Pocono has simillar banking and turns to Indy but we have not seen this kind of problem. I do not know all or have the complete answer but putting the blame soley on GOODYEAR is not going to fix it.
The Difference in cars ( Cup / Indy & F1) is not really the issue. Good year is not building a tire to withstand the added weight, stress factors, and heat generated in a 3200 lb car other wise, we would not experience what happened at INDY. They are producing junk and passing it off as a designed tire for such and such track.
If the true facts were ever found out, I would imagine the Indy tires were a low heat/speed rated tire. It was like putting an "H" rated tire on a car capable of speeds of 200 MPH that should have had "V" rated tires.Something eventually will blow.
Yes maybe grinding the track did play a part but highly unlikely it was the only factor. NAACAR and Goodyear saying the tire will last longer once rubber was laid down on the track is a bit far fetched. It didn't happen. Both knew of the tire issues in April 2008.
RL Guido
Dave in Indy
The blame for this malaprop lie squarely on the shoulders of both Goodyear and NASCAR. It's nonesensical that Goodyear supplies the teams with a less than adequate product and then think that there's no one to blame for this debacle. And at the same time itself we've heard nothing of intent from the hierarchy of NASCAR that's even worth a damn. But yet the drivers act as if this is all part and parcel of a good day's racing . When infact nothing could be further from the truth.
Not going to disagree with you guys and as said before it is a combination of things going on. Need to brush up on the editing of a post
GOODYEAR and Nascar should be accountable since everyone knows what the track is. My self centered point of view doesnt like the track after being shaved. Dont like Dover or Bristol as concrete either, just my opinion.
For sure, GOODYEAR knew there was a problem in April they had plenty of time to to address the issue but they didnt, same goes for nascar. Both got caught with their pants down at one of the biggest races of the year.
Drivers arent allowed to complain much any more and I doubt they were happy to run a race like this. The new car is part of the equation as well with more right side weight but why was there no tire problem at Pocono which has similar charecteristics to Indy ? GOODYEAR knows the track surface is different at Indianopolis and blew it. What is not being said is that this problem has been there since the surface was grinded but the track would come in after 30 or 40 laps. A new heavier car, bad tire and bad management.
Tony George's remark that if they... being Nascar want to come back they need to fix it is true but not very diplomatic coming from a man worth hundreds of millions. Yes Tony you are correct but now are in the same category as Bruton Smith. Lets levigate the track and let em go.... The 600 at Charlotte several years ago was a complete joke because of track grinding.
I will back off on Indy's track surface but I still dont like it and never will until it is repaved plus it is a one g
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