Goodyear's NASCAR race tires built in Akron
There is an enormous amount of pride, workmanship and know-how that goes into each of the 4,000-plus racing tires that are produced during peak weeks of the NASCAR season.
A look at the Goodyear Innovation Center Manufacturing.
A look at some of the materials that go into a Goodyear race tire.
Tire tread is extruded.
Skilled tire builders at Goodyear's Innovation Center Manufacturing facility in Akron hand- build each NASCAR tire to meet specications for each tire recommendation.
Goodyear race tires are cured.
Tires are x-rayed to check for abnormalities.
A worker looks over a tire.
A worker inspects a race tire.
Owen Cheyney is one of those who puts a stamp of workmanship on the Goodyear race tires.
Scott McWilliams is one of those who build Goodyear race tires.
A worker visually inspets the NASCAR tire.
The Goodyear logo stencil is applied to the sidewall of the race tires.
The Goodyear logo decal is applied to a tire.
A worker stacks race tires.
Workers preapre tires for a NASCAR race.
Goodyear embeds a radio frequency identication (RFID) chip in the sidewall of each NASCAR radial tire to track the tire throughout its life cycle.
A worker prepares tires for a race.
Nearly 400 Goodyear employees take part in the process, be it engineering the compound, constructing the rubber plies, stamping the tire, inspecting the final product repeatedly or delivering it to the desired race track.