NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 to receive logistics support from AVs

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is partnering with Champion Tire & Wheel to deliver wheels, tires, and pit gear to NASCAR teams at the Brickyard 400 via autonomous trucks. According to the companies, this is the first-ever use of driverless trucking technology in motorsports logistics.

“Deploying automation in a fast-moving, time-critical logistics environment like NASCAR gave us a unique opportunity to show how seamlessly Kratos’ technology fits into real-world operations,” said Maynard Factor, VP of Business Development at Kratos. “Even outside of core industries, we demonstrated that commercial fleets can adopt Kratos’ autonomous systems without overhauling their workflows or disrupting day-to-day business proving how practical and scalable this technology is.”

The platoon with wheels, tires, and pit gear will include two tractor-trailers, each outfitted with premium Goodyear commercial truck tires. They’ll travel along the I-70 corridor between Ohio and Indiana with one human-driven lead truck paired to an automated follower. The trucks are equipped with vehicle-to-vehicle communications, onboard sensors, and automated control systems, with the automated follower truck maintaining speed, braking, and steering with the lead truck.

“This technology provides us options to better manage spikes in the schedule where distance and timing are a challenge,” said Kevin Mahl, president & CEO of Champion Tire & Wheel. “By pairing a human-driven lead truck with an autonomous follower, we can keep the fleet moving efficiently to the next race venue.”

The Brickyard 400 deployment builds on the I-70 Truck Automation Corridor (TAC) program, a multi-state effort to accelerate the safe integration of automated trucking along certain Midwest freight corridors. The program is led by DriveOhio (Ohio DOT), the Indiana Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and more.