Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. will serve as the title sponsor of a race for the first time in North America on May 9.
As part of the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR, the May 9 race at Darlington Raceway will be named the Goodyear 400.
For the race the tiremaker says it will replace the yellow “Eagle” logo on the sidewalls of its racing tires with a vintage “Blue Streak” sidewall design. In keeping with the race weekend’s throwback theme, the Blue Streak tires will include white Goodyear lettering and a white logo that reflect the design of NASCAR tires used in the 1960s and 1970s.
“Goodyear is one of the most iconic brands in the history of motorsports, so we are proud to name our spring NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway the Goodyear 400,” says Darlington President Kerry Tharp. “Goodyear has been a part of many monumental moments in Darlington Raceway’s storied history. We look forward to writing a new chapter with Goodyear as part of the Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR.”
Goodyear's history at Darlington Raceway dates back to 1954 when the company conducted its first official NASCAR tire tests at the track. Goodyear earned its first NASCAR victory in the 1959 Southern 500 with driver Jim Reed.
“Goodyear is honored to be a part of the Official Throwback Weekend, a tradition that drivers and fans look forward to each year,” says Karen Maroli, Goodyear's vice president of marketing. “Goodyear and NASCAR have a shared legacy that spans six decades and multiple generations, and the throwback nature of the Goodyear 400 allows us to celebrate the accomplishments of the past while also showcasing the incredible talents of drivers today."
Goodyear is the exclusive tire supplier for NASCAR's top three series, producing more than 100,000 tires for those series every year in Akron, Ohio.
The Goodyear 400 will be broadcast at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 9 on FS1 and the Motor Racing Network.
