American Racer Tires

team-gpracing

team-gpracing

Well-known member
Has anyone used these? I tried a forum search, but apparently "American Racer Tires" is too vague. They seem to be much more friendly in the wallet department. Wondering how they measure up on the track.
 
Call Charlie Clark at KCRaceware.

He sells them and ran them on his EP RX7 at the runoffs a couple years ago.

http://www.kcraceware.com/
 
I think their 13' program is still working on improving on what they currently have ( Know someone doing base tests ) Here is their website , if it may help you.

http://www.americanraceronline.com/
 
I found their site and I've talked to their local rep. I'm going to try a set.

Still hoping to hear from anyone that has run them in comparison to the new Hoosiers. You know, someone that doesn't sell either.
 
I don't have any contact info, but I believe Roy Lopshire (GTL Tercel) did some testing for the SCCA. I remember him not saying much complimentary about them... but that was 3-4 years ago.
 
I am testing the AR tires.
*** So far the 13s will work with a sub 1600# car only ** The Lotus 7 likes them. Any car that can run a target pressure of 26 or less may like them . This means no FWD, no 500# on the front tire .

The tires have come a long way since the start but still lack the structure needed to run over 30psi. . I have lots of data VS the Hoosiers and my base line Hankook.
@ this point they do not work well on a 2000# sedan .
*** Please dont buy any for a car that races over 1600# at this time. ***
I will get back to the sales guys and hope to pass this along . I am waiting for the next test set of 13s, due any day.

I will test the 15s soon, they are from the late model tire and should be a lot closer out of the box.
I will update any info good or bad from this point. I do not sell the tires but the Race Tire America Company seems very aggressive for our little market. Great bunch of people also .
While the new tires are "Bias" Which I find a little sad, They point out that the new Goodyear is also and seems to go fast .
MM
 
Very soft compound and very soft sidewall. A qualifying tire or hand-grooved wet/intermediate. Because the sidewall is so soft, it will affect your choice of spring rate.

-M
 
Matt,
These last tires had a much stiffer sidewall construction and much thicker sidewall rubber., than the earlier tires. They hold air.
AR is making huge changes to get competitive and insist that the price will stay low.
 
Mike, can you expound on "do not work well on a 2000# sedan"? Are they dangerous? Do they wear too quickly? I run right at 2000# and my target pressure is 28.
 
The max static front end weight looks like about 900#. Both my Miata and the VW are over that. The Lotus well under that @ 360#per tire .
I have no data points in the 400-500# range .

I had trouble getting and keeping a good footprint on the ground on the 2000#sedans.
The 1450# Lotus likes them @ a target of 22# front and 21 rear pressures. .
If you can wait a bit the new tires are coming in about a month, the next tire is redesigned to accept more pressure /dynamic loading with a target pressure near 33# .
 
Has the crb given the different rules advantage to any tire they put that name on? Guess I assumed if there was a significant design change it would have to be requested and approved again.
 
Hey Mike, you must have some good relationships with those guys. I did extensive tire testing last summer in June prior to the Mid-Ohio majors. Tested American Racers and a variety of Hoosiers the week prior and during the major.

I spoke extensively with Tyler at A/R about what we were up to. Discussed how they had a bad rap in Prod land but I was going to give them a shot, that I thought their compound as listed was going to be too soft just from the published specs, but was willing to change the car around the tire if needed to see if we can find something that worked.

Basically got a "that's nice, what's your credit card number, good luck" response and have never heard from him since.

What we got was the equivalent of an R20 (hoosier) or between a 250 and old 110 Goodyear compound, with sidewalls softer than the Goodyear cantis.

They were hooked up for about 2 or 3 laps then grained / melted.

If they have new offerings in the pipe, that's great. How about they get proactive and start working with folks who express interst? They get a killer allowance from SCCA on wheel size and then act like they could care less when someone wants to try them out.

Not that I expect anything free, but a bit of interest would have been professional.

-M
 
I sent an e-mail to the local supplier in Sacramento, and haven't heard anything back from them.
 
Matt, As you know I am pretty aggressive.I simply said that I was looking for competitive tires . As much $ as we all spend to run top 25 in class the tire bill hurts, but we all will buy the fastest tires when it counts.
I can run most of the data in Circuit tools. Inputs are lateral G, steering wheel angle , lap time, coast down time.
Tyler and RTA in general have been a little slow in my opinion. But I get pretty obsessed and as a race service shop I only get paid for results. In other words" I make stuff happen."

The way I see it ,RTA can make a few dollars selling poor tires to a few guys and the bad press damns the long term outcome. Or they can come up with a good product for a good price and sell them many times over with good press and outcomes.

IMHo the ideal tire ; Goes as fast as any on the market ,last about 2 hrs and cost 100$. Most of us would be happy to buy for 4 each weekend with those parameters.
We''ll see how it plays out . I hope we have a valid tire option this year.
MM
 
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