Firestone tire specifications for the Detroit GP

FIRESTONE FIREHAWK FAST FACTS
IZOD IndyCar Series -Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix
Raceway at Belle Isle Park – Detroit, Mich.
June 1-3, 2012 – Round 6 of 16. Race Distance: 186.3 miles/299.82 kilometers (90 laps on the 2.07-mile/3.33-km temporary street circuit).

Firestone Firehawk Race Tires Supplied:

– Primary (black-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 610, each entry receives six sets (24 total tires);

– Alternate (red-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 366, each entry receives three sets (12 total tires);

– Wet-condition (rain) tires with grooved tread pattern: 468, each entry has five sets of Firestone's new rain tire available this weekend.

The Firestone primary and alternate tire specifications for Detroit remain the same as those used earlier this season on street circuits at St. Petersburg, Long Beach and Brazil. The specs feature updated tread compounds for 2012 applied to the same Firehawk street-course tire construction used throughout 2011. For the first time, Firestone Racing has available this weekend its new rain tire specification, whose tread design is inspired by the Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 passenger-car tire.

The alternate tire program, a staple of the IZOD IndyCar Series since 2009, mandates a second tire specification at a road- or street-course race weekend using the same tire construction as the primary specification, but with a softer tread compound to provide more grip and faster lap times while trading off compound durability in exchange for those shorter-term advantages. Firestone's alternate tires are easily identified by their bright red sidewalls.

Per series regulations, all cars must use at least one set of primary tires and one new alternate set during the race, each for a minimum of two green-flag laps. Otherwise, teams are free to use their tire allotment as they see fit, though each car is limited to one set of tires (team choice of primary or alternate) for each qualifying segment.

From Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing: "It is wonderful for the IndyCar Series to be returning to Detroit, and we cannot thank Roger Penske and his group enough for spearheading the effort to bring this event back to the heart of the American automotive industry. Our company does a great deal of business in this city and our original equipment manufacturer division will entertain some of its top teammates and customers on race day, so we're even more appreciative of the Penske group's efforts to revive the grand prix. As for the racing, the Firestone dry-tire specs slated for this weekend have been proven again and again on street circuits already this season, and we're confident they will rise to the occasion once more. We are also excited at the prospect of debuting the new Firestone rain tire specification should the need arise. Whatever the conditions, Firestone Racing is ready and we're looking forward to keeping the momentum rolling following that incredible Indianapolis 500 with another thrilling race."

Firestone Racing History of Note: Firestone has equipped some illustrious race winners on the Raceway at Belle Isle over the years, including Greg Moore (1997), Alex Zanardi (1998), Dario Franchitti (1999), Helio Castroneves (2000 and 2001), Tony Kanaan (2007) and Justin Wilson (2008). Castroneves' victory in 2000 was his first of now 26 career IndyCar wins.