Goodyear ties up tire supply deal with historic racing series

AKRON—Goodyear has struck a long-term tire supply agreement with Masters Historic Racing (MHR), a leading promoter of historic motorsports around the world, building on MHR's long standing relationships with the Dunlop and Avon brands.

MHR was formed in 2004 and currently runs six race series in Europe and three in North America, encompassing a diverse range of races for historically significant cars from 1960s touring cars to 2010s sports cars.

"We are extremely pleased to have the long-term commitment of Goodyear across its range of brands," Ron Maydon, president and founder of Masters Historic Racing, said. "This new agreement gives confidence in tire supply to our Masters customers, as well as historic racing in general."

Neither financial terms nor the length of the contract were disclosed. MHR did not say how many cars potentially could be impacted by this agreement, but the business said it has 750 members.

Starting in 2024, Goodyear will supply Goodyear-branded race tires to the Masters Racing Legends series for 1966 to 1985 Formula 1 cars, along with the Masters Endurance Legends and Masters GT Trophy series for endurance prototype, GT, sports and sedan cars.

In the Masters Racing Legends series, Goodyear-branded tires gradually will replace the Avon brand that's used now in this category. Goodyear took over the Avon brand in its mid-2021 acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. and has owned rights to the Dunlop brand in Europe and North America since the late 1990s.

Goodyear will produce tires for these MHR series at its factory in Hanau, Germany, alongside tires it produces for the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series LMP2 and LMGT3 categories.

This will ensure that the prototypes and GT cars in the Masters portfolio benefit from the same consistency, performance and durability as the current cars, Goodyear said.

The existing range of Dunlop-brand bias-ply treaded tires for historic pre-1966 GT and touring cars will be expanded to support MHR's burgeoning grids, Goodyear said, highlighting the company's commitment to the sector. The Dunlop range gives "authentic" performance and aesthetics, complying with regulations proscribed by the Federation International de l'Automobile (FIA) for this type of racing.

"The historic racing market is becoming increasingly diverse, spanning vintage to very recent cars," David Joy, technical leader and sales account manager, historic, Goodyear EMEA, said.

"Across our Goodyear and Dunlop brands we have increased the size of our historic tire portfolio, with an investment in new tire sizes and specifications, to ensure entrants have the most appropriate and authentic period tires for their cars. It is a pleasure to commit to a long-term partnership with Masters, who take a forward-thinking approach to historic motorsport."