Al Speyer, who helped lead Firestone's return to open-wheel racing in the mid-1990s, passed away October 27 in Hendersonville, Tennessee, according to INDYCAR. He was 73.

Speyer joined Firestone in May 1974. He was part of the launch of the Firehawk Racing program in 1984 and the introduction of Firestone Indy Lights (now INDY NXT by Firestone) in 1990, which marked pivotal steps toward Firestone's re-entry into full-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition in 1995 and the brand's return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In 1996, Buddy Lazier gave Firestone its first Indianapolis 500 victory in 25 years.

Firestone became the exclusive tire supplier of the INDYCAR SERIES in 2000 with Speyer taking the role of executive director of Firestone Racing in 2001. He helped broker an extension of the deal with INDYCAR through 2018, confirming Firestone's participation in the historic 100th Running of the "500" in 2016. He retired from Firestone in 2013.

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Image courtesy of INDYCAR.