IRL: Goodyear Eagle Tires Enter Rarified Air at Pikes Peak, Aiming for Fifth-Straight IRL Win
24 June 1999
FOUNTAIN, Colo-- Air pressure inside the tire is one of the most important performance factors for Goodyear Racing Eagles at any track, but air pressure takes on a new meaning at this weekend's Indy Racing League Radisson 200 at Pikes Peak International Raceway.That's because the one-mile oval is situated at 5,357 feet above sea level and the thin air at PPIR robs the chassis of their aerodynamic advantage, saps horsepower from the engines and tests the limits of a driver's endurance. Every component of the car must work harder to achieve its optimum performance while searching for a win at Pikes Peak. That "thin air" factor pertains to the tires, as well, and Goodyear is well placed to take another win at Pikes Peak.
"Following wins at Orlando and Phoenix, Goodyear returns to the mile oval at Pikes Peak with a proven short track package," says Paul Lauritzen, Goodyear's operations manager for the IRL. "The short tracks, with the lower banking, slower overall speeds and the mandated engine rpm reduction, require more mechanical grip from the tires than at the high-banked speedways. The ability of the tire to help the chassis stick to the race track is vital at a track like Pikes Peak, where the 5,300-foot elevation means the car is unable to produce as much downforce as at other tracks.
"One of the key results to come out of the short track program is the consistency of the Goodyear Racing Eagles during a long fuel run," Lauritzen adds. "Consistency over the life of the tire is one of several features Goodyear has worked to improve. The combination of speed and consistency is a key feature we have engineered into every Goodyear Eagle IRL Racing Radial." It's a combination that Panther Racing's Scott Goodyear likes. "I'm really looking forward to Pikes Peak," says Goodyear, the IRL points leader.
"Our tires in Texas performed flawlessly, and that dovetailed into our very successful Pikes Peak tire test where our Goodyear tires also performed at maximum ability. So we are looking for a very successful weekend at PPIR and I'm sure our engineer Andy Brown will have some excellent ideas on tire management."
Rival Eddie Cheever also believes Goodyear Eagles will play an important role in his success at Pikes Peak. "Tires play a very important part in a team's success here because the air is very rarified and there is not a lot of downforce," says the driver/owner for Team Cheever, who sits fifth in points. "The corners here are very long and you're in them for a long time, so with the right set up and the right tires it is possible to drive each lap flat."
Goodyear and Cheever will also face stiff competition from a strong contingent of Goodyear front-runners, including Pagan Racing's Jeff Ward, who sits second in the points chase; Kelley Racing's Mark Dismore (third) and Scott Sharp (sixth); A.J. Foyt stablemates Billy Boat (fourth) and defending race winner Brack (seventh); and Hemelgarn Racing's Buddy Lazier (ninth).
Also racing on Goodyear Eagles are Johnny Unser (Hemelgarn Racing), Raul Boesel (Brant Racing), Davey Hamilton (Galles Motorsports Spinal Victory), Jaques Lazier (Truscelli Team Racing), Steve Knapp (ISM Racing) and Ronnie Johncox (Tri Star Motorsports).
Goodyear is currently riding a four-race winning streak in the Indy Racing League, taking top honors in every race this season, including the Kenny Brack-led 1-2-3 finish in the Indianapolis 500. In January, Eddie Cheever won the TransWorld Diversified Services 200 in Orlando, Fla. Scott Goodyear has posted two wins, first at the MCI WorldCom 200 at Phoenix, Ariz., in March and then just two weeks ago at the Longhorn 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
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