AKRON, Ohio, May 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the highly-anticipated return of the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday, May 17, the "Official Tire of NASCAR®," today announced the "Return to Racing Sweepstakes," giving fans the chance to win one of four Goodyear Eagle racing tires from the winner of the Darlington 400, aptly re-named "The Real Heroes 400" race.¹

From now through May 31, fans who use one of the entry methods in the Official Rules, which include using the hashtag #ReturnToRacingSweepstakes to share what they're most excited about for NASCAR's historic return to racing on Twitter will be automatically entered to win one of the four tires. The tires that raced on the winner's car will be validated by Goodyear's RFID chip technology, which tracks the entire life cycle of the tire, from the Goodyear associate who built it by hand in Akron, Ohio, to the driver who eventually raced on it.

"NASCAR's return to racing is a bright spot in these unprecedented times, and, for so many, this year's The Real Heroes 400 carries a special meaning and a sense of normalcy," said Karen Maroli, Goodyear's vice president of Marketing. "Goodyear wanted to mark this momentous race by giving fans a chance to own a piece of history that gets them closer to the sport that they currently can only experience at home."

To commemorate the return of the first major sport, Goodyear will debut a new :30 and :15 television advertisement during the FOX broadcast of The Real Heroes 400 on Sunday, May 17. Goodyear partnered with NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. to provide the voiceover in the commercial, his second time starring in this role for Goodyear.

The new commercial, " Long Way ," harkens back to Goodyear's entry into the sport, leveraging historical NASCAR footage and commentary from Earnhardt Jr., who describes the evolution of racing and heralds its return.

"We've had a strong partnership with Goodyear over the years, telling my family's story in racing," said Earnhardt Jr. "I was happy to be involved and to help welcome NASCAR back to the track with this spot.

Earnhardt Jr. has accomplished his significant racing achievements on Goodyear tires, including his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory in 2000 and Daytona 500 victories in 2004 and 2014. Fans can tune in to The Real Heroes 400 on FOX starting at 3:30 p.m. ET on May 17.

¹ NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN

The Return to Racing Sweepstakes is open to U.S. citizens and U.S. resident aliens who are physically located in and legal residents of one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are at least 18 years of age (19 in Alabama and Nebraska, 21 in Mississippi) at time of entry. Sweepstakes commences at 6:30 PM ET on May 13, 2020 and ends at 11:59 PM ET on May 31, 2020. Subject to Official Rules at https://woobox.com/27yqrb. For method of entry and prize descriptions see Official Rules.  Msg & Data rates may apply. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Total ARV of Prizes is $2,004. Sponsor: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 200 Innovation Way, Akron, Ohio 44316. VOID OUTSIDE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Goodyear (NASDAQ: GT) is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 63,000 people and manufactures its products in 46 facilities in 21 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 and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate. 

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/goodyear-welcomes-back-nascar-with-return-to-racing-sweepstakes-new-tv-ad-featuring-dale-earnhardt-jr-301059364.html

SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company