October 31st 2025

Al Speyer passes away at 73

The man who brought Firestone back to open-wheel racing has died.

Al Speyer, a native of Long Island, N.Y., passed on Monday at the age of 73. During a 39-year career with Firestone that continued into its acquisition by Bridgestone Americas, Speyer put his Baccalaureate of Science in mechanical engineering education from Syracuse University to work within the company and became synonymous with its racing activities in Formula 1, IMSA and its Firestone Firehawk Endurance Series, the SCCA, and Trans Am.

It was Firestone’s signing as the exclusive tire supplier to the Indy Lights series in 1990 where Speyer and his key colleague Joe Barbieri took the formative steps that would eventually lead to the company joining the CART IndyCar Series in 1995 and the new Indy Racing League the following year.

Goodyear, Firestone’s old IndyCar foe from the sport’s golden era, fought hard to maintain its leading position in the American open-wheel marketplace, but under Speyer’s leadership, Firestone won the CART championship in its second season back in 1996 and took every title afterward in the head-to-head battle. Its first IRL championship followed in 1999, and with Firestone’s dominance in both IndyCar series, Goodyear left and hasn’t returned.

As CART evolved into Champ Car, Speyer led its tire deployment under the Bridgestone banner as the company maintained its dual-front support and continued as the sole supplier with Firestone – a distinction that continues today – when IndyCar racing unified in 2008.

On the heels of Firestone’s peerless achievements, Speyer was promoted to the organization’s highest post as executive director of motorsports for Bridgestone Americas in 2001, a role he held until his retirement from the company.

“My career with Bridgestone Americas is filled with positive experiences, and my time in motorsports has been a dream come true,” Speyer said in the December 2012 announcement. “I will be forever grateful to the company for the opportunities I’ve enjoyed and thankful to all of the individuals that have counseled and supported me in so many ways. I have thought about retirement for some time, and that time has come. I still very much enjoy what I do; likewise, I will enjoy spending more time with my wife Jane, our son Erik and friends. I look forward to helping with the transition to my successor, who will undoubtedly bring new and innovative ideas to the program. I will deeply cherish the memories and will remain a fan for life.”

Speyer’s retirement was temporary, thanks to the late business mogul and race car constructor Don Panoz, who hired Speyer in 2013 to serve as COO of his DeltaWing sports car program which ran through 2016, but it was the bulk of his career with Firestone and Bridgestone where Speyer will be remembered for his enduring contributions to motor racing.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Al Speyer, a beloved member of the Bridgestone and Firestone Racing family for nearly four decades,” Firestone said in a statement. “Al guided Firestone Racing with passion, leadership, and played a key role in paving the way for Firestone’s return to IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500 in 1995. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Jane, his son Erik, and all who knew him. Al’s impact and dedication will forever be part of the Firestone Racing legacy.”

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