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Last updated on Tuesday, October 7, 2008
(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) - A three-day Goodyear tire test got underway Monday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
More than twelve NASCAR sprint cup cars are expected to participate in the private test.
Tire problems played a key role in last July's Allstate 400 At The Brickyard as abnormal tire wear led to a series of "competition caution periods" as the tires had a hard time lasting ten laps at speed. The longest period of green flag racing was 13 laps.
While no definitive reasons for the tire problems were ever disclosed, a combination of the speedway's abrasive "diamond-ground" surface and NASCAR's redesigned car were the primary targets.
Adding to the problems was that for the first time in the 15-year history of the Allstate 400, there was no open test in the weeks leading up to the race.
Tires were a concern again last weekend at Talladega where tire failures led to severe accidents including the one that left Denny Hamlin hospitalized Sunday night.
Last July's Allstate 400 marked the second time in four years that tire problems marred an event at the speedway. The 2005 United States Grand Prix saw 14 cars using Michelin tires pull off the grid following the formation lap due to concerns over the safety of their tires. Six cars, all using Bridgestone tires, competed in that race.
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