Catchfence

FIRESTONE FIREHAWK FAST FACTS
IndyCar Series – Honda Indy Toronto
Streets of Exhibition Place – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
July 16-18, 2010 – Round 10 of 17

Race Distance: 148.75 miles/239.390 km (85 laps on the 1.75-mile/2.816-km street circuit).

Television/Radio Broadcast: Live – Sunday, July 18, at 12:30 p.m. ET on ABC, IMS Radio Network, XM Radio 145 and SIRIUS Radio 211.

Firestone Firehawk Race Tires Supplied:
* Primary (black-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 750, each entry gets six sets (24 total tires);
* Alternate (red-sidewall) dry-condition slicks: 366, each entry gets three sets (12 total tires);
* Wet-condition (rain) tires with grooved tread pattern: 468, each entry has five sets available.

Per series regulations, all cars must use at least one primary set of tires and one new alternate set during the race, each for a minimum of two green-flag laps, unless rain tires are used – then teams are free to use their tire allotment as they see fit. The primary specification for Toronto is new in 2010, while the alternate spec is making an encore performance at the venue. The alternate spec was also used earlier this season at St. Petersburg and Long Beach. The primary spec features new compounds and a slight tire construction change from the ’09 Toronto spec, but is designed to mirror the performance of the Firestone primary spec used at the previous street-course races this season. The alternate tires are identical in construction to the primaries but contain a softer tread compound to provide more grip and faster lap times, yet will trade off compound durability in exchange for those shorter-term advantages. The Toronto wet-tire spec is the “softer” rain, and is the only rain tire Firestone is using for the 2010 season.

From Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone Racing: “We head to the last true temporary street course of the season this weekend for what is always an exciting and well-received event in Toronto. The fans there are knowledgeable and passionate, and they have seen great racing over the years at Exhibition Place. Tire development for this circuit can be challenging, with the bumps inherent on any public street course and the numerous surface changes throughout the lap – and each surface demanding varying grip levels. Firestone has done a very good job over the years designing tires to accept that challenge and we’re confident the new Firehawk primary spec for Toronto is up to the task. As we’ve seen in the past here and at other tracks this season, proper tire management is a key to success; particularly with the Firestone alternates that are speedier but designed not to last as long as the primary tires. It will be fascinating to see how that strategy plays out again this weekend.”

Firestone “Tire-ific” Move of the Race: Following each race, Firestone Racing nominates three drivers who best utilized their Firehawk tires to make a bold, dramatic move during the event. Fans can go to www.indycar.com and vote for the nominee they believe made the most “Tire-ific” move of the race. Dan Wheldon, who recovered from an early spin to finish sixth two weeks ago at Watkins Glen, was voted the “Tire-ific” winner for that race and will receive his $10,000 prize in Toronto pre-race activities on Sunday.