Bidding farewell to a journey that started 45 years ago is not easy at all. Greg Stucker, the Goodyear director is finally settling his time ahead and wrapping up his career with Goodyear. It has been a career worth celebrating, albeit with its fair share of controversy. Especially when you give most of your life to racing, it is bound to attract some criticism. 

After all, who can forget the very infamous Bristol tire controversy right? His journey with NASCAR has been filled with ups and downs, just like any other field, and yet he does have a legacy that will be hard to replicate. As he wraps up his final chapter with Goodyear, Stucker leaves behind a career defined by resilience, innovation, and an unwavering dedication to the sport.

Stucker’s career trajectory over the years

It was in the year 1979 that Greg Stucker graced the organization as a mechanical engineer from Vanderbilt University. However, since then it seemed as though the functioning of Goodyear’s would come to a halt without the presence of Stucker. It was in 1980 that he finally decided to shift from the technical squad right to the racing division. However, his career seemed to reach an all-time high when he moved from short track and tire development to group leader for Indy Cars in 1983. He made another step forward when he was declared as the chief engineer in 1986 and he was given the ultimate task of supervision. 

After spending three years working in original equipment engineering for passenger tires, he transitioned back to the racing industry in October 1998, taking on the role of manager for race tire product development. In October 2000, Greg advanced to director of race tire sales and marketing, and by 2007, he had moved into the position of director of sales. Currently, he is retiring from Goodyear as the Director of Racing. Climbing up the ladder of such an esteemed organization is no small feat. Now, Goodyear is almost synonymous with Greg Stucker, and who would have thought that while hiring a mechanical engineer from Vanderbilt?

The official announcement from the team read, “Goodyear’s director of racing, Greg Stucker, has announced his retirement. Greg has been with Goodyear for 45 years, 42 of those in racing. He has been continuously involved with the NASCAR program since 1998. His Goodyear Racing team honored him at the track today.” Over the year, Greg Stucker had worked relentlessly with some of the best teams and ensured that NASCAR tires were constantly developed for the best. 

His career has been a mix of highs and lows with controversies, the most recent one being at Bristol Speedway. Controversies reached an all-time high when drivers who were at Bristol started to question the integrity of the tires given the amount of wear and tear that the tires were subjected to. However, reacting to the same, Greg Stucker rightfully pointed out that it is none other than resin that works as a major catalyst for high tire wear.

He even added, “I would agree [that] tire wear is always the goal. That’s what people wanted to see. It creates comers and goers and who manages tires the best. But we thought we were in a really good spot last year with the tire as we raced it in the fall and something is different now. So this is too drastic”. As Greg Stucker takes this move ahead and embraces retirement, one can only expect someone as deserving as him to come up and fill in the gap!

Greg Stucker on tire conditions at Phoenix 

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The Finale at Phoenix was one of the most pulsating finale’s of all time and it saw Joey Logano claim the title for the third time after 2018 and 2022. Reacting to the condition of the tires and how it might react at Phoenix Raceway, Greg Stucker said, “This is an important weekend for the Cup Series, being the championship race at Phoenix. Teams have a lot of experience on this tire set-up, having run it several times already this season. Even compared to what we ran at Phoenix earlier in the season–with the same tread compounds and just a construction update on the right-side–these teams know what to expect with this set-up. With everything that is at stake this Sunday, having that comfort level with the tire set-up will help teams focus on maximizing their performance.” Greg Stucker has always been a very well-known face on the tracks, and keeping in mind that he will soon be retiring, his presence has become all the more special. 

As Stucker steps away from a journey and role that has lasted for 45 years, one cannot help but reminisce about all the initiatives and contributions he has had till now. His dedication to the world of racing and NASCAR has shown how committed he is to the sport. His legacy will undoubtedly influence the future of racing as his retirement signifies the end of an era. It seems as though Greg Stucker’s name has kind of become synonymous with that of Goodyear.