NASCAR award for Goodyear motorsport chief

US motorsport entity the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has bestowed Goodyear’s Stu Grant its 2021 Buddy Shuman Award. The general manager for global race tyres at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company gained this accolade at the organisation’s annual awards celebration on Saturday.

The Buddy Shuman Award is one of the most prestigious in the sport, and it recognises individuals whose efforts and contributions help advance the sport of stock-car racing. In its 65th year, it is named for pioneering driver Louis Grier ‘Buddy’ Shuman, who was a popular driver in the early days of NASCAR and an ardent promoter of the sport. He died tragically in a hotel fire in 1955 and was honoured by the creation of this award in 1957.

Grant has now led the Goodyear Racing programme for 25 years. He has overseen the company being named NASCAR’s official tyre supplier for its top three national series (NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck) since 1997. He is also leading the current project of moving the Cup Series to an 18-inch tyre from the 15-inch tyre it has run throughout its 60-plus year involvement in the sport.

Well-deserved recognition

“This prestigious award is well-deserved recognition for Stu. He has done Goodyear proud in the racing world throughout his long career,” says Rich Kramer, Goodyear’s chairman, chief executive officer and president. “Stu loves NASCAR, and his dedication to both the sport and our company is unequalled – he bleeds Goodyear blue and gold. The Shuman Award is an enormous honour for a remarkable person, and we’re thrilled that his contributions have been recognised with this award.”

Grant has also worked with the NASCAR Foundation, serving as a board member, which is a leading charity that works to improve the lives of children in NASCAR communities.

Grant graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in chemical engineering and joined Goodyear in 1972. After a year in aircraft tyre development, he moved to Goodyear’s racing division as a race tyre engineer in 1973. He was elevated to chief compounder in 1978 and then to manager of racing tyre development in 1983. After a stint with passenger and light truck tyres between 1991 and 1993, Grant returned to racing as Goodyear’s director of race tyre sales in 1994 before being promoted to his current position in 1996.