Firestone Racing prepared for Sonoma weekend

FIRESTONE FIREHAWK FAST FACTS
IZOD IndyCar Series - Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma
Infineon Raceway - Sonoma, Calif.
August 26-28, 2011 - Round 13 of 17

Firestone Firehawk

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

Race Distance: 184.2 miles/296.44 kilometers (80 laps around the 2.303-mile/3.706-km 12-turn permanent road course).

Television/Radio Broadcast: Live - Sunday, August 28, at 4 p.m. ET on VERSUS, the IMS Radio Network and XM Radio 94 and Sirius Radio 212. The qualifying show airs at 6 p.m. ET Saturday, August 27 on VERSUS.

Firestone Firehawk Race Tires Supplied:
- Primary (black-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 804, each entry gets six sets (24 total tires);

- Alternate (red-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 370, each entry gets three sets (12 total tires);

- Wet-condition (rain) tires with grooved tread pattern: 468, each entry has five sets of the street-course rain tire available this weekend.

The alternate tire program, part of the IZOD IndyCar Series since 2009, calls for a second tire specification at a road- or street-course race weekend using the same 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.

The primary tires are the same spec used last month at Edmonton. The alternate is new for this year and will be making its debut at Infineon Raceway. The rain tire is also new for this year, and it is planned to be used at the remainder of the 2011 road and street course events, with the exception of Motegi road course.

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 a new rule for 2011 limits cars to one set of tires (team choice of primary or alternate) for each qualifying segment.

From Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing: "Firestone Racing, like the rest of the IZOD IndyCar Series paddock, enjoys our annual trek to California's beautiful wine country for the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway. The Speedway Motorsports, Inc. staff does a great job of promoting this event, and more and more fans seem to embrace it each year. Last year, we saw a significant discrepancy in the longevity of the primary versus alternate Firestone Firehawk race tires. Many teams tested here last week on our primary spec, but the performance characteristics of the alternates will remain a wildcard - likely until Saturday's qualifying. It will be something to watch!"

Firestone "Tire-ific" Move of the Race: Following each IZOD IndyCar Series race in 2011, Firestone Racing nominates three drivers who best utilized their Firestone tires to make a bold, dramatic move during the event. Fans can go to www.indycar.com in the days after the race and vote for the nominee they believe made the most "Tire-ific" move of the race, with the top vote-getter earning the honor. The $10,000 prize from the MoveThatBlock.com 225 in New Hampshire on August 14 goes to Tomas Scheckter for taking the high line to pass nine cars on the first lap. The check will be presented to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in pre-race ceremonies Sunday afternoon.