When the tire loses air, the Lifeguard gives the driver more time to return to the pit area. Goodyear then shares this tire technology with Firestone. Even in the throes of a tire war, the two companies share technological developments in safety. Foyt averages 151.207 mph for his second Indy crown. For the next 24 years, every winner of the Indy 500 will ride on Goodyear tires.
Firestone withdraws from all forms of racing.
The tire war begins between Goodyear and Michelin in Formula One. Goodyear first provides Eagle racing tires at the 1980 Mosport CAN-AM race in Canada. Goodyear's high-performance passenger tires also adopt the Eagle name. Formula One race tire production moves to the Akron, Ohio, Technical Center from Goodyear's plant in Wolverhampton, England. Goodyear withdraws temporarily from Formula One racing from December 1980 to June 1981.