Firestone, NTT IndyCar Series reach new supply deal

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—For the NTT IndyCar Series races, the rubber truly will meet the road with Firestone tires for at least another six seasons.

Bridgestone Americas and Penske Entertainment said Sept. 12 they had reached a five-year extension of Firestone's role as the exclusive tire supplier for all IndyCar-sanctioned races. That includes the NTT IndyCar Series, the Indy NXT by Firestone development series, and the annual Indianapolis 500.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The old agreement ran through 2025, and the extension brings that through the 2030 season

The two organizations made the announcement during a news conference at Bridgestone Americas headquarters in Nashville, where the NTT IndyCar Series is conducting its final race of the season Sept. 15, the Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway.

Penske Entertainment, a subsidiary of Penske Corp., owns the NTT IndyCar Series, along with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"At Bridgestone, motorsports are our passion—always have been and always will be," Paolo Ferrari, Bridgestone Americas executive chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "This is particularly true for our Firestone brand, which has been part of world-class racing since winning the first Indy 500 in 1911,

"We believe motorsports are the ultimate challenge for premium performance and a proving ground for advancing in our goals toward sustainable innovation."

Firestone currently is finishing its 25th consecutive season as the exclusive tire supplier for the series, and the firm said the extension reinforces Bridgestone's ongoing commitment to driving innovation through motorsports. The Firestone brand's history in open-wheel racing dates back more than a century.

And to bring some star power to the announcement, Bridgestone and Penske brought in racing stars past and present both on-site in Nashville, as well as at the Bridgestone Americas Technology Center (ATC) in Akron, where it had racing icon Mario Andretti talk with and greet a group of about 100 local employees watching a livestream of the news conference.

Bridgestone said the extension reinforces its investment and commitment to its work force in Northeast Ohio. All Firestone Firehawk race tires are designed and manufactured at the Bridgestone Advanced Tire Production Center, opened in 2022 across the street from the ATC.

In Nashville, Penske Corp. Chairman Roger Penske, a legend as both a driver and longtime team owner, said the relationship with Bridgestone sets an industry standard for success and innovation.

"Firestone has been a foundational partner for our sport, from the very first Indy 500 to now, playing an integral role in the development of the NTT IndyCar Series and its highly competitive racing," Penske said.

Josef Newgarden, winner of the Indianapolis 500 the past two years, said he has been racing on Firestone tires since joining the NXT series in 2011, and the biggest issue related to tires continues to be safety.

"As a race car driver in the IndyCar series, I think sometimes we take for granted we have such great safety at the forefront, and one of the most pivotal things for that is our tire," he said. "It's the one thing that's connecting us to the road. We have the greatest safety we can have in technology, reliability from a technical standpoint. You feel comfortable when you're on the track."

Newgarden said he's happy to see the relationship between Firestone and NTT IndyCar continue.

"The support from this great brand, trust me, it's very valued from all of us, including the drivers," he said. They do a great job for us every single weekend. Problem solving is one of the most difficult things they have to do, and to continue to deliver, it's very difficult. The challenge is always moving, and they just seem to rise to the occasion."

In Akron, Andretti told Bridgestone employees he was happy to hear the drivers talk about the safety of the tires and the confidence they have in Firestone.

"No other aspect in a race car is more important than tires," he said.

Andretti said most other parts of a race car can be swapped out without a problem. But not so with the tires.

"It's not like going from Coca-Cola to Pepsi," Andretti added. "I've honestly done my share of tire testing, and if there was a new contested brand, there is no way I would want to be the first one to test it. It's that important."

Bridgestone officials also emphasized that the work with its IndyCar partners has helped advance developments in more sustainable racing. The tire maker incorporated materials such as recycled plastics and palm oil residue in Indy 500 race tires in 2023 and 2024, and also has used guayule-derived natural rubber in the sidewall of alternate race tires the past two seasons.

The extension includes Firestone's role as presenting sponsor and sole tire supplier of the top-tier development series, Indy NXT by Firestone, as well as renewing its status as the official partner and tire supplier of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.