This invention reveals a high performance polybutadiene rubber blend comprised of (a) a first polybutadiene rubber, (b) a second polybutadiene rubber, and (c) a third polybutadiene rubber; wherein the first polybutadiene rubber, the second polybutadiene rubber, and the third polybutadiene rubber are selected from the group of consisting of super-high vinyl polybutadiene rubbers having a vinyl content which is within the range of 80 percent to 100 percent, high vinyl polybutadiene rubbers having a vinyl content which is within the range of 60 percent to 79 percent, medium vinyl polybutadiene rubbers having a vinyl content which is within the range of 35 percent to 59 percent, and low vinyl polybutadiene rubbers having a vinyl content which is within the range of 8 percent to 34 percent; wherein at least three members selected from the group consisting of super-high vinyl polybutadiene rubbers, high vinyl polybutadiene rubbers, medium vinyl polybutadiene rubbers, and low vinyl polybutadiene rubbers are included in the blend, wherein at least one of the polybutadiene rubbers in the blend has a vinyl content which is within 35 percentage points of the vinyl content of at least one other polybutadiene rubber in the blend, wherein the blend as a whole has a vinyl content of at least 40 percent, and wherein the blend contains at least 10 parts of the first polybutadiene rubber, at least 10 parts of the second polybutadiene rubber and at least 10 parts of the third polybutadiene rubber, based upon a total of 100 parts of rubber in the blend.