Gordon guarantees tires are a dead issue at Indy

INDIANAPOLIS -- Sounding a little like the guy on television who promises you'll look good in one of his new suits, Jeff Gordon put his reputation on the line Tuesday in promising fans they'll get the kind of show they deserve at the July 26 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

When NASCAR's Sprint Cup cars return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Gordon says, the tire wear that made such a debacle of the 2008 event will be a dead issue.

"I will guarantee it," said Gordon, one of 12 drivers participating in the two-day confirmation tests of the tire Goodyear will bring to the Brickyard this year. "I'm 100 percent confident. I ran this tire as hard as I possibly could, put numerous laps on them. It's a dead issue.

"It might come down to fuel mileage. It might come down to a lot of different factors -- fastest car, not the fastest car, track position, a double-file restart with 10 to go -- but it's not going to come down to a 10-lap shootout on whose tires can last.

"I told Stu Grant [Goodyear's general manager of global race tires] earlier they've actually made it too good. It's that good. I can promise all the fans out there that, if they want to come to the Brickyard and see a great race and be confident that the tires are not going to be an issue, trust me. I hope that's enough for them. But they've got this solved, for sure." (Audio: Jeff Gordon)

Seven different tests, resulting in more than 13,000 miles of on-track testing featuring more than 30 different drivers. That’s the kind of commitment and effort Goodyear, NASCAR and the race teams have put forth in coming up with the right tire combination for this year’s running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

• NASCAR Says ...

The smiles on the faces of Grant and Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales, were welcome confirmation of Gordon's guarantee. Since last year's Allstate 400, where tires were worn to the cords after five laps of hard racing, Goodyear has conducted seven tests at Indy involving 31 drivers and covering 13,000 miles.

The key to preserving tires at the Brickyard lies in "rubbering in" the racetrack, a process in which tread debris from the tires adheres to the racing surface as the cars run on the track, thereby improving grip and diminishing wear. In 2008, tires spewed a fine powder on the abrasive, diamond-ground asphalt, and the speedway never rubbered in.

Tuesday provided a dramatic contrast with one look at the racing groove, which was black with rubber. Kasey Kahne used the word "sticky" to describe the feel of the new tire compound.

The breakthrough came before a four-driver tire test in early June. Goodyear had sections of its test track in Akron, Ohio, diamond-ground by the same company that had applied the process to the Brickyard in 2005 and supplemented the seven tests at the Brickyard with its own research. A reformulation of the compound produced tires that now shed debris in larger "marbles" as opposed to fine tire dust.

Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, applauded Goodyear on its efforts.

"The last two tests, Goodyear really honed in on different constructions, different tire compounds and things that would add life to the tire but also add a lot of grip," he said.

"It's tough to get both and I think they've done a great job in doing just that. It's amazing to see what's been accomplished in the last 10 months or so. There will be a lot of good information that comes out of these tests that we will be able to take to other race tracks, such as different compounds and constructions. Things that will help the grip and help make the racing better all the way around."

Kahne still had his doubts as late as last month, but the performance of the race tires (the same left-side tires used in the Cup race at Pocono on June 7 combined with new, softer right sides) in the two June tests has him convinced.

"I was actually concerned a month ago when we came here and went five laps, and that was it," Kahne said. "We had to change tires pretty much, and that was similar to last year, in that it was full of tire dust all over inside the car and on the racetrack.

"When you have all that tire dust, it's not sticking to the track. And then they hit on something, and the cars are clean and there's no tire dust, the rubber's sticking to the track, and the tires feel grippy and racy.

"What the fans came to watch last year, and what they ended up getting to see and the people watching on TV ... it was a disaster. And I think that where they've gone since then is awesome.

"I think it's the best tire that I've been on since I've been racing here, as far as testing goes -- we'll see how it is in the race -- but I feel like they've done everything that they could, and it's going to be great. It's going to turn out awesome, and I'm excited for the Allstate 400."

So is Gordon, to the extent of promising that tires won't be a concern this year.

Is that a money-back guarantee?

Gordon laughed.

"Yeah, I'll put my money where my mouth is," he shot back, on his way out of the IMS media center.