Firestone PR

Firestone Racing Pre-Race Notes for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey

Posted on by Patrick Stephan

The 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season finale takes place at California’s WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for this weekend’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on the newly repaved 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course that features the famous Corkscrew. 

INDY NXT by Firestone 2023 season also concludes this weekend with a doubleheader to determine their series champion. 

NTT INDYCAR SERIES 

Firestone is supplying more than 1,800 race tires to NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams and drivers for Thursday’s open test, Friday and Saturday practices, and qualifying, including the Firestone Fast Six, and Sunday’s 95-lap (212.61 miles) race. 

Each NTT INDYCAR SERIES entry will receive the following Firestone Firehawk race tire allocation:

  • Primary (black sidewall): 9 sets per entry 
  • Alternate (red sidewall): 4 sets per entry 
  • Rain (gray sidewall): 3 sets per entry  

Firestone Racing provides a real-time tire tracker at Livetiming.net/firestone for media and fans to follow INDYCAR qualifying, including Firestone Fast Six, and race at this weekend’s road course event. As per INDYCAR rules, each entry must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race. 

Notes from Cara Krstolic, Chief Engineer, on INDYCAR tires:
This year’s primary and alternate tires have the same construction as the 2022 Grand Prix of Monterey, while the compounds will be similar to what was provided for this year’s Mid-Ohio race.  

INDY NXT by Firestone  

Firestone is supplying more than 350 race tires to INDY NXT by Firestone teams and drivers for practices, qualifying, and two 35-lap (78.33 miles or 55-minute) races.  

Each INDY NXT by Firestone entry will receive the following Firestone Firehawk race tire allocation:

  • Primary: 3 sets per entry and one carry over set from Portland
  • Rain: 2 sets per entry

Notes from Cara Krstolic, Chief Engineer, on INDY NXT tires:   

INDY NXT tires for the two races at Laguna Seca are the same construction and compound produced for all road and street courses this season with the exception of Road America.