Apparently, you're not alone:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/2008-07-27-brickyard-tires_N.htm
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Cup drivers have no positive spin after tire fiasco
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By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY
INDIANAPOLIS — Because six of the past nine Allstate 400 at the Brickyard winners also went on to claim season championships, Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been a barometer of greatness in Sprint Cup. The 15th running of a race ranked second in stock car prestige to the Daytona 500 will be remembered as anything but great.
The 2.5-mile track known as NASCAR's Titletown turned into Tire Town on Sunday — and not because
Jimmie Johnson snatched the lead on a pit stop with nine laps remaining and held off
Carl Edwards to win his second Brickyard in three years.
Unable to run more than 13 consecutive green-flag laps because of excessive tire wear, frustrated drivers erupted in a chorus of criticism at the world's most famous racetrack.
"It's embarrassing; it's disappointing," said four-time winner
Jeff Gordon, who finished fifth. "I hate it happened at the Brickyard. It's such a big race."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. called it the "most bizarre race" he'd seen. "I am ashamed, but there wasn't much we could do," Earnhardt (12th) said. "I feel bad for NASCAR. They certainly don't deserve (the heat). That was the best show we could put on."
In the interest of safety to avoid blowouts, NASCAR threw six competition caution flags, intentionally halting action so teams could change tires that weren't durable enough to last more than 12 laps on an abrasive surface (a Goodyear prerace estimate had the pit window at 32-34 laps).
The result was a record 52 of 160 laps run under yellow and a race lacking any rhythm.
"That wasn't a race,"
Ryan Newman (13th) said. "It's ridiculous. That's a lack of preparation from NASCAR to Goodyear to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to put on a show like they did. It's disrespectful to the fans."
Goodyear held an Indy test with Earnhardt,
Brian Vickers and
Kurt Busch on April 22-23. Tony Eury Jr., Earnhardt's crew chief, said tires wore out after 15 laps, but Goodyear officials elected not to bring a new tire because the track surface historically had gained grip during the race to help lessen tire wear.
But the track never picked up enough rubber, and tire problems were exacerbated by the Indy debut of NASCAR's next-generation car, a heavier model that puts higher stress on right-side tires (third-place finisher
Denny Hamlin said, "There would have been no issues with the old car.").
"It's nobody's fault," said Goodyear spokesman Greg Stucker, whose company sent 800 extra tires (earmarked for next week's race at Pocono Raceway) to Indy that weren't needed Sunday. "It's the package, and that's what we need to understand.
"We need to know why the racetrack didn't take rubber like last year."
It's the second time this season Goodyear has come under fire.
Tony Stewart lambasted the supplier for its tire at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March, but many said Sunday was worse.
"At least at Atlanta we could run more than 10 laps,"
Jamie McMurray said. "I'm shocked they did a tire test and this is what they ended up with."
Said winning car owner Rick Hendrick: "A race this big, we can't test with two to three cars. We should have everyone."
Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, wouldn't commit to an open test in 2009 but said, "It's fair to say we won't do the same thing. We're 1-for-15 in the loss column here. We have to take what we learned and do a better job."
