09/28/12 It is with great sadness that Hoosier Tire reported Friday morning that Robert “Bob” Newton, the visionary behind Hoosier Racing Tire, has died. He was 85 years old.
Bob died peacefully at home, surrounded by family members. In recent years Bob has been dealing with the effects of a stroke suffered in 2011. His greatest love was for his wife, Joyce, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.
Bob co-founded Hoosier Racing Tire in 1957 along with his wife Joyce. They built the first and only manufacturing plant designed to exclusively make tires for motorsports applications. Industry experts called Bob a master innovator.
Bob and Joyce’s passion and energy are the source of the success of Hoosier Racing Tire. Their drive helped build a company that touched and enriched so many of our lives. Racers around the world are vastly better because of this husband and wife and their company’s ability to make safe, effective and affordable tires.
Hoosier has lost a visionary and one of our ingenious co-founders, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Bob have lost a dear friend and an inspirational mentor. Bob leaves behind a company that only he could have been instrumental in helping to build, and his soul will forever be the foundation of Hoosier Racing Tire as we continue to grow and prosper.
