AKRON, Ohio, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As February Daytona Speedweeks marks the "official" beginning of the 2012 NASCAR season, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: GT) also celebrates being chosen as the exclusive tire supplier to the top three NASCAR racing series through 2017 while also reaching the 58th year of uninterrupted commitment to the sport, making it one of the longest-running supply program participants in sport history. 

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As the official tire supplier to the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series, Goodyear sets out in 2012 on a 'More Driven' mission to continue to build on the Company's more than 100-year racing history by learning, driving innovation and enhancing performance and quality in the sport…and beyond. 

"NASCAR continues its clear role as the expert in stock car racing and has chosen Goodyear as the sole supplier. The contract extension continues Goodyear's tradition of expertise and underscores the idea that racing just wouldn't be the same without the superior performance provided by Goodyear tires," said Kris Kienzl, Goodyear's NASCAR marketing manager. "Fans also continue to recognize the Goodyear name because it's become synonymous with great performance in auto racing."

Goodyear's racing division is using past experience, analytical testing and on-track runs in preparation for the three tracks scheduled for renovation in 2012 – Michigan International Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Kansas Speedway.

Ever-changing tire development for the nation's premier racing series translates into new innovative technologies and manufacturing processes. Key innovations are not kept inside the racing division; they're shared across the company, where many are adapted to make award-winning tires for street and highway usage.

"Our engineers learn a lot from Goodyear's involvement in racing because it's such a demanding environment," Kienzl said. "Applying their knowledge to Goodyear consumer tires makes perfect sense. Our tire performance on the track translates directly into our performance off the track in delivering tires to the everyday driver."

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports.  NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport – with more of the top 20 highest attended sporting events in the U.S. than any other sport, and is the No. 2-rated regular-season sport on television.  NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages.  NASCAR fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.

NASCAR consists of three major national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series.  Also part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars.  NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico.  Based in Daytona Beach (FL), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (NC), Concord (NC), Conover (NC), Bentonville (AR), Mexico City, and Toronto.

About Goodyear

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies.  It employs approximately 73,000 people and manufactures its products in 54 facilities in 22 countries around the world.  Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry.  For more information about Goodyear or its products, go to www.goodyear.com.

SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company