Firestone Brand

Firestone is known in the United States as “America’s Tire Since 1900,” & also, “Firestone -- the Legend,” referencing its successful return to Indy® racing in 1995 after a 21-year absence from the series it dominated throughout the series’ history. The company is strengthening research & development, quality control, production, advertising & marketing to support the revitalization of the Firestone brand. Since Bridgestone purchased Firestone in 1988, the br& has experienced great success with products that combine both quality & value. Firestone is used as original equipment on a wide range of models, from light trucks to performance cars, produced by General Motors, Toyota, & other leading auto manufacturers.

The Centennial of The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company in 2000 served as the launching pad for several new Firestone products. One of these products, the Firestone Firehawk SS20, was built upon the success of its open-wheel racing cousin, the Firestone Firehawk. This mass-market, all-season performance radial featured distinctive raised white lettering similar to that found on the sidewalls of the racing radials used at the Indianapolis 500 & other Indy Racing League (IRL). It was designed for responsive driving, particularly in wet conditions.

On May 5, 2002, the Firestone br& marked another significant milestone. Firestone & the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced that for the first time in the 90-year history of the Indianapolis 500, a tire for street & highway use would have the honor of wearing the Indy 500 name & official logo. The popular Firestone Firehawk SS20 was rebranded as the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tire. The tire, designed & manufactured by Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, earned the privilege of sporting the popular Indy® “winged logo” through a combination of Firestone’s history of contributions & success at the annual race & the trust of the Speedway in the company & its products.

In the ultra-high performance arena, Firestone introduced the Firestone Firehawk SZ50 EP with UNI-T AQ, which not only incorporates the technology that brings success on the racetrack, but also the UNI-T AQ components which ensure consistent performance throughout the life of the tire. A new entry into the Firestone br& was announced in March 2002. The Firestone Affinity LH30 is an H-rated tire with premium features without the premium price. As the industry's first premium mass-market tire, the Affinity LH30 is "everything you expect in a tire" -- the ride & mileage of a mass-market tire with excellent handling in wet & dry conditions. The Firestone Affinity LH30 is available in 20 sizes, & meets the growing dem& for this new class of tire by offering consumers new options in ride, handling, speed rating, & noise reduction at an exceptional value.

In the light truck tire market, the Destination LE debuted as the latest addition to the Firestone Destination family. The Destination LE, the highway luxury touring tire in the Firestone Destination family, joins the Destination M/T work truck & off-road tire to round out a line that provides consumers with a range of light truck tire options. From the smoothest highway ride to the toughest off-road conditions, Firestone offers a Destination tire to meet those varied needs.

Firestone tires have been on winning racecars since 1909. The first Indianapolis 500 Mile race in 1911 was won on Firestones, as was the first NASCAR race in 1949. Over most of the past century, Firestone tires have appeared & won in nearly every form of motorsports competition, including the top forms of open-wheel racing: Formula One, the IRL & CART competition. Firestone Firehawks are the exclusive tire of the Indy Racing League. In 2003, the br& marked its 54th victory at the legendary brickyard, winning more Indy 500 races than all other tire brands combined. Firestone is the official tire for the Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series which began competition in June 2002.

In 2003, the long & storied association between Firestone & the Indianapolis Motor Speedway continued to grow with the addition of a special edition Firestone Firehawk race tire which is set to debut during track activities surrounding the 88th running of the Indianapolis 500 in May of 2004. Specially designed for use at the Indianapolis 500, the tires will feature a new sidewall design with the Speedway’s distinctive “wing & wheel” official logo in full color, alongside the Firestone name & logo.