Iowa: Firestone Motorsport preview
Based on input and data from two separate tests at Iowa Speedway, Firestone engineers have elected to bring the same compound and construction as the 2007 Motegi/Indianapolis 500 tire for the left side of the cars, and the 2007 superspeedway specification (previously used at Homestead, Kansas and Texas) for the right side of the cars.
Quote from Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing: "After conducting extensive tire testing at Iowa Speedway in October of last year and this past April, Firestone Racing is prepared to tackle this brand-new challenge on the IndyCar Series schedule. After trying numerous different Firestone Firehawk compound and construction combinations, the best option turned out to be a pairing of our 1.5-mile oval spec and this year's Indy 500 tire. These tires have already proven themselves on track this season, and we expect that they will demonstrate the same grip, durability and consistency at this event. Off the track, with Firestone Agricultural Tire Company based in nearby Des Moines, and Bandag (recently acquired by our parent company, Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc.) headquartered down the road in Muscatine, we are looking forward to seeing extended members of the Firestone family enthusiastically supporting their local race."
Firestone Performance Award: This $10,000 prize commemorates Firestone's status as the only tire manufacturer to have participated in every IndyCar Series race, and it is given to the driver leading the lap number corresponding to the cumulative number of races in series history. The Iowa Corn Indy 250 presented by Ethanol is the 142nd IndyCar Series race, so the Firestone Performance Award will go to the driver who leads lap 142.
Race Distance: 218.750 miles/352.044 km (250 laps on the 0.875-mile/1.408-km oval).
Firestone Firehawk Race Tires Supplied: 860 dry-condition slicks. Firestone