Future Tire Shortage?

[partsman]

There are rumors about tire shortages in NASCAR for next season due to the Goodyear strike. NASCAR officials supposedly met with Hoosier this week to look at options. Anyone heard how this might affect supplies of drag tires?

 

[Angus]

I know myself as a Goodyear dealer (in Canada), it is creating a huge headache for me. I know that if I was Jeff Perley, I would have remained a crewchief for a while longer!

 

[The Counterfeiter]

Racing tire shortage?

I know myself as a Goodyear dealer (in Canada), it is creating a huge headache for me. I know that if I was Jeff Perley, I would have remained a crewchief for a while longer!

I'm really confused! The workers on strike are the United Steelworkers. Unless all Goodyear workers walk out in sympathy, plants that do not produce steel belted tires should remain open. I'm not sure about NASCAR tires, but I don't think drag slicks have steel belts. Also, I was under the impression that all Goodyear racing tires are pretty much handmade at a special facility. Jeremy, could you shed some light on this?

Now - Hoosier. IF they were stupid enough to take this on even with huge support from NHRA (yeah, right!), they would have to reverse engineer tire construction and rubber compounds. You can bet your a$$ that Goodyear has not provided NHRA with this information.
In addition, Hoosier would have to produce four VERY different front tires for the Pro classes to comply with NHRA rules that were created to eliminate competition for Goodyear. I seriously doubt Hoosier has the resources needed to pull this off.
And then . . . the L word! Hoosier would certainly want an ironclad document absolving them from any liability for damage, injury or death resulting from tire failure. IMHO - there is not a chance in Hell Hoosier tires will be on fuel cars next year.

 

[vegasnitro]

NASCAR is not interested in going to Daytona and beyond with a limited or non-existant supply of tires, so NASCAR was actually who facilitated the meeting with Hoosier as a contingency plan. The NHRA will probably keep their heads in the sand until it is too late. You mean the NHRA should have a plan in place for when their ONLY tire supplier goes on strike? [/sarcasm] Somebody wake up Tom Compton and get that man some coffee.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

Do slicks still have steel belts around the beads? I saw a Goodyear cut apart once and it did.

 

[sharkman]

All Goodyear workers are on strike, The steelworkers are the union which represents them, and lots of others too, That is our union too, and we build Air Conditioners.

 

[Angus]

What Kenny said. And yes, slicks have steel in the bead portion of the tire.

I also know that despite popular opinion, Goodyear would NEVER sacrifice safety or quality in order to hurry up production or increase fill rates.

 

[Triple Nickel II]

The union supporters tried to stir the pot before this past weekend's NASCAR race by saying the tires used at Homestead would be the first ones produced by the "scab" workers and might be dangerous.

This seemed to be defused by:

1) Responses from several sources reminding people that the "scab" workers were the management members who taught the striking workers how to build racing tires.

2) No unusual tire issues during the race weekend.

 

[BaldyLochs]

This is causing a stir in the aviation community a well. Hopefully it will pass with little effect on the end users.

 

[Nick Name]

There is no logical reason for Goodyear not to move all tire production off shore. They need to get plants going in China and india.

Jay

 

[Tony]

Bad news for the strikers

I was talking to one of the Goodyear engineers that travels with NHRA at the race in Vegas. He said the management types have taken over tire production in addition to their regular duties (overtime engineer's wages have got to be pretty good). He said that in their first week their production exceeded that of the regular workers and they're doing it after a full days work! I assume this refers to the racing tire manufacture only, no idea what the passenger tire status is.

 

[Nitrohelper]

They need to get plants going in China and India.
Jay

Drag race tires are also made at a Goodyear plant in Chile.

 

[Nick Name]

Drag race tires are also made at a Goodyear plant in Chile.

Not the fuel car tires. The quality of the tires from Chile is poor. My Mickey Thompson business pick up quite a bit when GY started bringing slicks in from Chile.

Jay

 

[Jake]

I was talking to one of the Goodyear engineers that travels with NHRA at the race in Vegas. He said the management types have taken over tire production in addition to their regular duties (overtime engineer's wages have got to be pretty good). He said that in their first week their production exceeded that of the regular workers and their doing it after a full days work! I assume this refers to the racing tire manufacture only, no idea what the passenger tire status is.

LOL, that is quite funny!! That's because the union workers get 15 minute breaks every 10 minutes and don't get a whole lot accomplished! All unions should be outlawed!

 

[stanman]

Drag race tires are also made at a Goodyear plant in Chile.

False... Goodyear moved all their drag tire production back to the states nearly three years ago!

 

[Ron]

False... Goodyear moved all their drag tire production back to the states nearly three years ago!

It's a good thing they did. I got a set from the early Chile production which destroyed the sidewalls in about 20 passes. The US made slicks got easily over 125 or so.

The end of the story is I have used Hoosiers ever since. I bet GY lost a bunch of customers from that fiasco.

While there is no inherent reason the tires cannot be produced anywhere, GY apparently dropped the ball on equipment and training of the employees in Chile.