Full Throttle

Other than a quick blurb by NASCAR in a news release noting the new testing policies not much has been said about the tire side of that equation. With the new tire leasing program to start concurrent with new testing policies questions need to be answered. Finally word is slowly leaking out but it’s from Goodyear and not from the suits in Daytona.

AKRON, Ohio, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ — Goodyear will start the 2006 racing season with a new tire leasing program for NASCAR’s top three series and racing’s first deployment of Radio Frequency Identification technology (RFID) in the form of an embedded computer chip in the tires to help manage the leased inventory.

The RFID technology will assist in the implementation of NASCAR’s new controlled testing procedures, which were developed by the sanctioning body to reduce private team testing next year in an effort to level the playing field for all teams.

The new tire lease program will get its own test run this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Craftsman Truck Series race, according to Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of race tire marketing.

“With RFID we will have the ability to ensure that every tire that comes to the racetrack with us leaves the track with us,” Stucker said. “While we will no longer sell tires to the teams for private testing, we will continue to supply Goodyear tires for NASCAR-scheduled testing in much the same way we do at race events.”

The RFID scanning equipment will quickly read the pertinent information embedded in the sidewall of the tire. Stucker said that tire ID is the first piece of data that will be available through the computer chip. “We are exploring several other data options that will further the technological capability of race tire manufacturing and performance,” Stucker added.

Well, OK, whoopty-do! So now they can track the RFID equipped tires and effectively administer the new leasing program. Nothing in this release, or from NASCAR as yet, soothes my skeptical heart and questions remain.

How does NASCAR intend to prevent teams from stock piling tires now to be used next year at non-NEXTEL Cup tracks?

How will NASCAR stop teams from purchasing ARCA style radial tries to test at the very same non-NEXTEL Cup tracks?

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Kevin Harvick, along with a few others, isn’t running the entire Busch Series schedule in ‘06, in addition to is normal Cup ride, because he wants to be the new-age Ken Schrader and race 100 plus events a year. It’s nothing more than a way around the new testing/tire rules.

And here’s another thought: Are the tires leased to the team or the owner? If the team “signs the receipt” and owns the tire for that event, what happens to the common practice of giving teammates unused or scuffed tires after they play kissy-face with the turn three SAFER Barrier and are out for the day?

So many questions and few answers as yet. For those concerned about my imminent demise, I won’t be holding my breath waiting for “HE, who shall be obeyed.” to resolve the questions I still have.

NASCAR, NEXTEL Cup, Auto Racing, Goodyear