Harold:
This brings up a very "touchy" subject here in the West. I can only speak
definitively for CSRG, where I am a member and can quote the rule book. But
CSRG's board is reconsidering the tire issue as we speak. In fact, I just
wrote an article for Victory Lane which should be in the next issue as a
sidebar to a report on the March event. I've provided a copy below.
But you're right....finding 60 series radials will become harder as time goes
on. New cars are using lower profile tires and many of the popular sizes we
use in vintage are going away.
Generally, CSRG accepts 60 series (minimum aspect ratio) DOT radials with a
treadwear rating of > 0. Acceptable tires include: Yoko 008R, Toyo, BFG T/A
R1 (but not G-Force), Bridgestone, and Kuhmo. Hoosier bias plies are
acceptable such as Street TDs or Vintage TDs. Tires that are NOT accepted
include Hoosier radials, BFG G-Force radials, or the equivalent Goodyears.
Other bias ply race tires such as Avons or Dunlops are also accepted.
HMSA generally requires bias ply race tires, but in some exceptions let
people run on Hoosiers or A008's.
SCCA vintage lets you run damn near anything.
VARA seems to let people run damn near anything... they certanily accept the
Hoosier 55 series radials and other comparable tires.
Other than some minor support from Hoosier, virtually all of the tire
manufacturers ignore the vintage market. I've spoken to them directly at the
Tire Industry trade show that takes place concurrently with SEMA, and non of
them have any marketing focus on vintage. What is needed, in my opinion, is
some consistent vintage tire rules so vintage racers can represent enough of
a market to attract the attention of tire manufacturers. Otherwise, we won't
be able to find economical, practical tire choices in the future.
I, for one, don't prefer to see a move to all bias ply racing tires (which is
the direction some groups are heading). I think leaving the choice to the
racer and the free market is a better alternative.
Regards,
Myles H. Kitchen
1965 Lotus Cortina Mk1 #128
Copy of tire article follows....
The TIRE Issue
by
Myles H. Kitchen
Vintage race competitors face an increasingly complex landscape when it comes
to selecting tires. Among the vintage race sanctioning bodies, there is a
wide disparity of requirements when it comes to tires. And, there are
numerous arguments given for why it is this way, including:
· Used as a way to limit engine and car development beyond what is period
proper
· Today's tires put dangerously higher loads on old suspension components
· Tire technology today is far more advanced than when our cars were
campaigned originally
· To make the cars appear more visually correct
· Used as a way to reduce race speeds for greater safety and fewer incidents
Recently, CSRG's board held a tire meeting at their Sears Point event to
solicit feedback and input from the membership regarding tire requirements.
CSRG, like a number of other organizations, encourage use of period-correct
tires, however in the interests of reasonable cost and practicality, also
accept a range of DOT-approved, street-type radials in addition to certain
vintage racing tires. At the meeting, representatives of CSRG's board
alleged that pressure from the Vintage Motorsports Council and the insurance
carriers suggest that a move toward "less sticky" tires would help reduce
track speeds, and have a corresponding reduction in "incidents". While there
is little argument that a reduction in incidents is desirable, the
correlation to the contribution from lap times and tire adhesion was viewed
as purely speculative. Thus far, no one, nor organization has presented any
conclusive evidence that this is the case.
Putting the speeds, incidents, and insurance aside for the moment, there are
also the issues of cost and availability. Vintage racing cars require tires
in a wide variety of sizes, many of which are periodically simply
unavailable, regardless of brand or type. Further, pure racing tires,
especially vintage racing tires, are often unacceptably expensive, and have a
very short useful life. Thus, many organizations have accepted the use of
DOT- style street radials in soft compounds. Tires like the Yokohama A008R,
B.F. Goodrich Comp T/A R1, and many others are in wide use, particularly on
production and sports cars. Others, like the Hoosier Radial and B.F.
Goodrich G-Force radial are deemed too sticky and modern for vintage
acceptability by some racing organizations. Still others, like SCCA, and
VARA, allow racers to use most anything that is available in a suitable size.
But, the writing is on the wall that these tires may soon also become hard
to find.
New street cars are using larger and lower profile tires every year. Even in
the most common sizes, like 185/60-13, or 205/60-13, the supplies are
starting to go away, being replaced by newer, lower profile sizes which are
not suitable for vintage cars.
What is sorely needed is a cohesive voice from the vintage racing community
with respect to tires. This will have several advantages. First, it means
that the tire manufacturers can look to a well-defined market if they want to
pursue supplying vintage race tires. Today, they virtually ignore vintage as
the requirements are so inconsistent. This will undoubtedly become more
important as the available suppliers of DOT acceptable radials dry up. It
will mean that many vintage racers will only have the option of buying
dedicated vintage race tires. Secondly, it means that racers wouldn't need
to have separate tires (and wheels, suspension set-ups, etc.) if they want to
race with different organizations. Consistency here would be most felt in
the vintage racer's wallet, which for many, is an issue.
The real question is who will lead this charge? The Vintage Motorsports
Council (VMC) could be a candidate, but thus far the VMC has demonstrated
limited impact on bringing consistency to other areas of vintage racing.
With a mix of sanctioning bodies, ranging from benevolent (?) dictators, to
membership democracies, good luck trying to get agreement. Anyone who's
attended a vintage race organization board meeting will know what I'm talking
about.
What this means though, is that you should choose your next tire purchase
very carefully. Whatever you use today, may not be eligible, or available
tomorrow. I would urge you to actively support any efforts aimed at bringing
reasonable solutions to this growing problem.
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