100 and Out: Firestone Brand Leaving IndyCar After Season

Bridgestone Americas has decided to end its long association with American open wheel racing, and is withdrawing the Firestone brand’s support and sponsorship following this season.

Announced after business hours last Friday, Bridgestone said it will also end its sponsorship of the second-tier Indy Lights series.

“The partnership between the Firestone brand and IndyCar has been one of the most successful in all of motorsports,” the company said in its statement. “And while this was a very difficult decision, it is in line with the company’s goal of ensuring the long-term growth of its business and its brands, including Firestone.”

“So now it’s time to set new goals – for ourselves and our brand,” long-time head of Bridgestone Americas motorsports program Al Speyer said. “Companies that strive to achieve the highest levels of brand loyalty and recognition must continue to find ever more effective ways to communicate their brand messages. This is part of our process to ensure that we are doing the best we can to support and further strengthen our brands. The Firestone brand has been, is now and will be an extremely important part of our business. We’re very excited about our future prospects to grow the Firestone brand.”

The possibility that Bridgestone could cut its IndyCar ties came to light when the tiremaker failed to renew its tire supply contract with the open wheel race series by the Dec. 31, 2010, deadline. The brand was the first to win the Indianapolis 500, with Ray Harroun in 1911, and then dropped IndyCar racing in 1974. Firestone returned to IndyCar in 1995 and has been the sole tire supplier since 2000.

“We evaluated all sorts of options, some worked for us and didn’t for them (IndyCar) and vice versa, but we just couldn’t find a sweet spot,” Speyer told Speed. “We tried, we really did, to get this resolved and we have the utmost respect for IndyCar and we know it’s on the uptick and we commend them. But the world has changed immensely in the last 20 years and we’re looking for new ways to promote the Firestone brand. And at the end of the day we’re simply going in different directions.”

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 race, and Bridgestone has promotion plans tied to the anniversary.

One obvious impact from the decision – though not mentioned by the company in its press release – is the fate of race tire development and production jobs in Akron. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, 46 hourly workers will lose their jobs after the last race tires for the 2011 season are produced, and 22 salaried staff attached to race tire production will also lose their jobs.

According to reports, since the start of the new year, IndyCar officials have had talks with a number of other tiremakers, including Goodyear, Cooper, Continental, Michelin and Hoosier. The 2012 season will bring all new engine and chassis set-ups for IndyCar, which will place added pressure to any new tire supplier.

The IndyCar departure is the third major race series Bridgestone Corp. has left in the last year; Bridgestone ended its supply and sponsorship deals with Formula One and with Moto GP after last season.

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