Steve Hoult wrote:
>
> >>"Not when (expensive if they're only good for the track) track-only racing
> >>tires are allowed, but street tires are not competitive."
>
> >Have to agree somewhat, but there are now classes for cars with real
> >street tires.
>
> What classes are there at the regional, divisional or national level for
> Street Tires? I'm aware of these classes at a local level, but the true
> competition lies outside ones own small pool.
Street Touring in the Pro Solo Series beginning this year. Minimum wear
rating of 140.
> Maybe it would be good to keep
> the stock classes on street tires to help keep costs down. Let SP and above
> run stickies.
How will requiring street tires reduce costs? If anything, it will
increase the costs for those who want to be competitive and win.
Let's just take a look again at this little issue (beating a dead horse
in process). If you really want to compete for the top dog spot, you're
still going to go out and get the best and stickiest tires the rules
will allow. And chances are, you'll have 'em shaved. And you'll still
have a second set of wheels so those "race" tires are not unduly heat
cycled. And now let's look at costs, the super duper street tires are
generally more costly than the comparably sized DOT competition tires.
let's take an example sized tire from the Tire Rack: 225/50-15
First, the DOT competition tires:
BFG G-Force: $155
Hoosier A3S02: $159
Kumho V700: $115
Yokohama A032R: $137
Average price: $142
Now, the top o' the line super duper tires in this available size.
Dunlop SP Sport 9000: $150
Pirelli PZero: $161
Bridgestone RE010: $180
Michelin Pilot SX GT: $156
Average price: $162
And that's for a smaller tire that doesn't have the really super
expensive street tires available in that size. The cost differential
goes way up for the S-O2's, MXX3's and the like.
Yes, there are lot's of other tires available that are considerably
cheaper, but the fact is, these are likely the tires that will be bought
if someone really wants the faster tires. Yes, they're street tires, and
they're $20/tire more expensive than the Race tires. And when shaved,
they are not likely to last much longer than a DOT competition tire.
Yes, on some cars, they will last forever (like a miata or a 914). And
other cars, they will disintegrate in no time (like a DSM car or
Camaro-bird). How then will the costs have been reduced? Furthermore,
the tire manufacturers just might change their wear ratings on their
race tires to accommodate. There's no mandated standard for wear ratings
anyway, they're completely arbitrary and vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
I realize that this horse is well and truly dead, but I thought I'd give
it a whack to make sure...
-Josh2
--
Joshua Hadler '74 914 2.0 CSP/Bi - Hooligan Racing #29 - CONIVOR
'87 Quantum Syncro - aka stealth quattro
jhadler@rmi.net
http://rainbow.rmi.net/~jhadler/
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