Ummm Wow. Goodyear NLA for 13" though the Runoffs....

[JasonIsley99]

Ever wonder how the arrogance that these tire manufacturers routinely exhibit would change if there was a serious movement to ban slicks and require DOT radials in prod?

Every time I hear of shortages, price increases etc, I make it a point to email American Racing with an update.

I ran DOT classes for more than 15 years, and tire shortages were a regular occurrence. This season the Solo street touring guys have already had a shortage on one of the popular tires, and these are regular road going tires not competition tires.

 

[David Kicak]

I may have 2 new Goodyears 20 x 8x 13 if anyone can use them.

 

[Dayle Frame]

I may have 2 new Goodyears 20 x 8x 13 if anyone can use them.

When were they purchased? Have they been stored in a cool dark place?

Dayle

 

[davidb]

Ever wonder how the arrogance that these tire manufacturers routinely exhibit would change if there was a serious movement to ban slicks and require DOT radials in prod?

Every time I hear of shortages, price increases etc, I make it a point to email American Racing with an update.

I ran DOT classes for more than 15 years, and tire shortages were a regular occurrence.

This season the Solo street touring guys have already had a shortage on one of the popular tires, and these are regular road going tires not competition tires.

I ran DOT classes for approximately 15 years too; don't recall any significant shortages except in spec classes, but I'm perfectly willing to defer to your recollections. Maybe Solo has had problems.

So I'm thinkin': there's nothing that can be done in terms of cost containment except watch this prod concept fade away.

Sorry if this sounds a bit cynical;but no corporate sponsor and I just dropped close to $1500 (shipping, mount and balance) on a set of 15" Hoosiers, one of which won't hold air, and I've decided: "screw this; I'm done!"

I know of three other guys who have come to the same conclusion this year.

 

[Dick Barlow]

I have two new sticker 20/8.0/13's, several years old but stored in dark garage room ( unbagged) and three with 2-3 heat cycles likewise stored.

 

[JasonIsley99]

[

Sorry if this sounds a bit cynical;but no corporate sponsor and I just dropped close to $1500 (shipping, mount and balance) on a set of 15" Hoosiers, one of which won't hold air, and I've decided: "screw this; I'm done!"

Are you sure its the tire? We are running two cars with radials (one on 13"s and one on 15"s), and have had only one tire go down this year, it was due a bad valve core - we actually used the tire that went flat for two more sessions after fixing the wheel.

Has this been happening with a lot of the radials?

 

[JasonIsley99]

All I'm saying is, if you want to race long term in the SCCA better familiarize yourself with a spec class, or a ST or Touring class.

Keith Church

We have actually been considering double dipping with the 2012 Yaris, all it needs is Swiss-cheesed bumper beams and a tire change, could be a fun additional option. The problem with bringing most Prod cars in to ST is the bodywork rules, no flares and you need the stock dash pad. :|

 

[David Kicak]

I may have 2 new Goodyears 20 x 8x 13 if anyone can use them.

When were they purchased? Have they been stored in a cool dark place?

Dayle

bought 2 yrs ago, 430 compound, stored properly black bags, dry room, 58 degrees all year.

 

[Curtis]

The really fast Prod racers would be hurt the most if there were only one tire vendor because they for the most part don't buy tires. Sponsorship and contingency might be hard to justify without competition.

For years I have advocated for a "box rule" to replace wheel width restrictions. Basically there would be a Production "box" sortof like the one for your carry on bag at the airport. Anything that fits is legal.

The idea that SCCA Production and GT can support their own unique tire technology all by themselves seems crazy to me. The prod problem is the wheel width restriction and need for cantilevered tire wider than the rim. A box rule would open up all kinds of possibilities for a variety of manufacturers and for that matter already existing tires available for other series in other places, DOT, etc.

Being wedded to wheel size instead of tire size and the technology that spawned is the main reason we have flares and get track checked every time you roll through tech. Crazy.

 

[blamkin86]

The prod problem is the wheel width restriction and need for cantilevered tire wider than the rim.

Add in the oddball new specs where some cars get 8" rims, some 8.5" (boxster, s2000) - it's all anarchy now - and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to any of it.

At very least, if you're going to allow 8" rims, make a min wt cutoff - say 2500lbs cars and above can run 8s.

Or even better, make it like the transmission rule- everyone runs 7" rims. If you want 8" rims, fine that's 100lbs (or whatever).

 

[Larry Frankenstein]

Add in the oddball new specs where some cars get 8" rims, some 8.5" (boxster, s2000) - it's all anarchy now - and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to any of it.

At very least, if you're going to allow 8" rims, make a min wt cutoff - say 2500lbs cars and above can run 8s.

Or even better, make it like the transmission rule- everyone runs 7" rims. If you want 8" rims, fine that's 100lbs (or whatever).

This sounds reasonable but have an allowance, or starting point, at 6" rims for those already deeply invested in that size.

L

 

[Curtis]

See how ingrained this rim size thing is! :lol: It has been the way we think for so long it's hard to escape. You don't race on rims. You race on tires. Rim size means nothing. If you want tire options and tire competition make tire rules, not rim rules.

Example:

"All production mounted wheel tire combinations must fit in a 24" x 9.5" box when inflated to 25psi"

Less than 20 words, lots of options, lots of tires and manufacturers to compete for our business, and best of all Prod racers no longer tote the bill for a unique technology, only supported by one or two manufacturers, and not applicable elsewhere.

 

[JasonIsley99]

Add in the oddball new specs where some cars get 8" rims, some 8.5" (boxster, s2000) - it's all anarchy now - and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to any of it.

At very least, if you're going to allow 8" rims, make a min wt cutoff - say 2500lbs cars and above can run 8s.

Or even better, make it like the transmission rule- everyone runs 7" rims. If you want 8" rims, fine that's 100lbs (or whatever).

It doesn't seem odd to me, those are stock widths for those cars. How many Prod cars are forced to run skinnier than OE wheels?

 

[Frogeye]

I like the idaa of a box and again how ingrained. Stock on my car is 4.5"! might need towo boxes, one for 13" limits and one for 15", maybe even one for the old 10" on Mini (i don't know what they are allowed). This would allow for restrictions on overall size.

 

[RonInSD]

I like the idaa of a box and again how ingrained. Stock on my car is 4.5"! might need towo boxes, one for 13" limits and one for 15", maybe even one for the old 10" on Mini (i don't know what they are allowed). This would allow for restrictions on overall size.

Why not have the same box for 13" and 15" or even up to the 18" for that matter? If it fits in the box it is good.

 

[R. J. Sorensen]

Frogeye wrote:

"Stock on my car is 4.5"!

Correction; stock rim width on the Bug-Eye was 3.5 ". I still have the set of 5.2-13 Dunlap tires (bald) that I first raced on, now acting as garage tires.

RJS

 

[JasonIsley99]

See how ingrained this rim size thing is! :lol: It has been the way we think for so long it's hard to escape. You don't race on rims. You race on tires. Rim size means nothing. If you want tire options and tire competition make tire rules, not rim rules.

Example:

"All production mounted wheel tire combinations must fit in a 24" x 9.5" box when inflated to 25psi"

Less than 20 words, lots of options, lots of tires and manufacturers to compete for our business, and best of all Prod racers no longer tote the bill for a unique technology, only supported by one or two manufacturers, and not applicable elsewhere.

So now every Region has to buy/build/store/transport a box to every race? :roll: Not to mention a calibrated pressure gauge - if your going to do it, it better be done 100%. :lol: How does build-up get figured in? Do I get to clean my tires before they are checked? Are all of the boxes built by the same builder? Is there a tolerance for the boxes? You have a plan to address all of these issues with your easy new rule right?

 

[Curtis]

See how ingrained this rim size thing is! :lol: It has been the way we think for so long it's hard to escape. You don't race on rims. You race on tires. Rim size means nothing. If you want tire options and tire competition make tire rules, not rim rules.

Example:

"All production mounted wheel tire combinations must fit in a 24" x 9.5" box when inflated to 25psi"

Less than 20 words, lots of options, lots of tires and manufacturers to compete for our business, and best of all Prod racers no longer tote the bill for a unique technology, only supported by one or two manufacturers, and not applicable elsewhere.

So now every Region has to buy/build/store/transport a box to every race? :roll: Not to mention a calibrated pressure gauge - if your going to do it, it better be done 100%. :lol: How does build-up get figured in? Do I get to clean my tires before they are checked? Are all of the boxes built by the same builder? Is there a tolerance for the boxes? You have a plan to address all of these issues with your easy new rule right?

Do it just like we do now and measure only on protest. And... on the rare occasion there is a protest it will still be far easier to insure full compliance than with the current rule. After all accurate bead to bead width measure can only be done with the tire dismounted from the wheel. Only one box per division needed. So if we can keep Topeka out of it we may be able to avoid a compliance fee! :lol: Seriously at the worst still no worse than the current rule to enforce. NEXT!"................

 

[Larry Frankenstein]

See how ingrained this rim size thing is! :lol: It has been the way we think for so long it's hard to escape. You don't race on rims. You race on tires. Rim size means nothing. If you want tire options and tire competition make tire rules, not rim rules.

Example:
"All production mounted wheel tire combinations must fit in a 24" x 9.5" box when inflated to 25psi"

Less than 20 words, lots of options, lots of tires and manufacturers to compete for our business, and best of all Prod racers no longer tote the bill for a unique technology, only supported by one or two manufacturers, and not applicable elsewhere.

Hey Curtis,

I was specifically addressing blamkin86’s suggestion.

It’s not that I have rim size envy, it is that I have a significant investment in 6” rims, with an odd bolt pattern (Fiat). Also, running anything more than a 7” rim would not do me much good. I have been told that any bigger would possibly slow me down (as if I could be any slower

Your suggestion / example may be good way to go too.

L

 

[Frogeye]

Thanks RJS for correction. My first Sprite was a 1st gen 1098 (I now have it's sister car produced the same month) and it had 4.5" rims, I just assumed the Bugeys did also.