NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Bridgestone Americas Inc., the designated supplier of race tires to the NTT IndyCar series, will supply its guayule-based Firestone Firehawk race tire as the alternate tire on the series' five "street" races this year.
The first such race is the season opener March 5, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Fla.). The tires are marked with a green band on the sidewall.
While the news may be a footnote on the scorecard, it represents a genuine look into the future of how the tire industry may wean itself off natural rubber in favor of a more sustainable solution, Bridgestone said.