It had been in the air for quite a while now but following weeks of negotiations Firestone has finally announced that it will be departing the IZOD IndyCar Series at the end of the 2011 season.
“We evaluated all sorts of options, some worked for us and didn’t for them (IndyCar) and vice versa, but we just couldn’t find a sweet spot,” said Al Speyer, the executive director of motorsports for Bridgestone/Firestone.
After dropping out in 1974, Firestone came back in 1995 and immediately challenged Goodyear. By the end of that decade, Firestone was the dominant tire and Goodyear left open wheel in 2000.
IndyCar series’ CEO Randy Bernard and Terry Angstadt, president of commercial division Terry Angstadt, have traveled to Nashville several times in the past two months to try and reach some kind of common ground so Firestone would be around for the debut of the new cars in 2012.
Bernard has been talking with Goodyear, Hoosier, Michelin and Avon about replacing Firestone in 2012.
“We evaluated all sorts of options, some worked for us and didn’t for them (IndyCar) and vice versa, but we just couldn’t find a sweet spot,” said Al Speyer, the executive director of motorsports for Bridgestone/Firestone.
After dropping out in 1974, Firestone came back in 1995 and immediately challenged Goodyear. By the end of that decade, Firestone was the dominant tire and Goodyear left open wheel in 2000.
IndyCar series’ CEO Randy Bernard and Terry Angstadt, president of commercial division Terry Angstadt, have traveled to Nashville several times in the past two months to try and reach some kind of common ground so Firestone would be around for the debut of the new cars in 2012.
Bernard has been talking with Goodyear, Hoosier, Michelin and Avon about replacing Firestone in 2012.