26 (edited by pinkshinyalan 2016-02-03 11:01 AM)

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

With this thread in mind, I think it's hilarious that so many spec racing series mandate a certain race tire (Toyo, Hoosier, Continental, Pirelli, Michelin, whatever) in the name of 'cost control.' It's really about the tire company's sponsorship money. If they really wanted to control costs, they'd spec these kinds of crap tires.

Tell me with a straight face that Spec Miata wouldn't be vastly more entertaining with drivers fighting for grip with squirming, howling tread blocks. Set a minimum tread depth of 5/32" for maximum no-grip hilarity and to reduce cheatitude. Hey, you wouldn't have to spend an extra grand just to have a set of rain tires sit in the trailer "just in case".

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

The sponsorship makes it cheaper.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

This is great. I think we have some old-ass Primewells sitting around — two I think, because we were some cheap bastards. Are half-points awarded if we run those on the rear, y'know, to balance out our way-too-grippy Direzza-equipped fronts?

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

This is an excellent idea. Maybe we can put the second car in D Spec...

Bernal Dads Racing

Current cars: #245 Volvo, #670 Coming Soon!
Former cars: #38 Alfa Romeo Milano Cookie, #243 Molvo—Judge's Choice Sears Pointless 2011 (You like us! You really like us!)

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Hmm... our $600 E30 came wearing these:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Falken-SINCER … T/43740331

The date code is 2013, so I think the PO bought them right before scuttling the car into his HS auto shop to do a (almost miserably failed) engine swap.

Similar speed rating (T vs S, a whopping 6 MPH difference) and higher treadwear, I think they qualify, no? I would uh... need to convince the teammates... of course, that assumes we can get the car ready for Vodden '16. Did I mention $600 E30? Ugh... you get what you pay for.

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

^^^ My friends are all stupid.  I love my friends. ^^^

-jt
Unionized Physicist
Tetanus Racing
1986 Porsche 944, #986

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Can we get partial credit for a mixed bag, say off brand on the back, very old on the front?

or just 4 different tires?

#44 VW Jetta "Le Mondrian"
Arsesweat '17 finished 10th in (B), 3 finishes in 7 races
#96 Silver Subaru Legacy Automatic w Orange Top (formerly)

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Falken Sinceras are definitely D-Spec legal. Really, anything that was sold as a budget all-season is legal.

Sure, you can mix tires. All of the tires should be all-seasons. However, since the sprit of the rules is cost-savings, you can run an old sport tire or two. B Class cars can have 1 old sport tire. C Class cars can have 2. Old means that the tire model is either (a) no longer being manufactured (b)
10 years old.

Jason, feel free to run 2 Direzzas if they are the Star Spec 1.

Race: 2012 Vodden; 2013 Pointless, EMP, Vodden, Freeze; 2014 Vodden, Freeze; 2015 Vodden, Loudon, Freeze; 2016 Pointless, Discomfort, Vodden, Sweat; 2017 Turrible
Staff: 2017 Pointless, Vodden, Freeze
http://yousuckatracing.wordpress.com

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

I've got to run out the spendy "real" tires my last drivers bought for the Mini 1st.

then the 2nd choice was a TW300 Yokohama A-539, and those will probably last two or three years at our wear rate...
...And Evil john says I can't run the extremely cracked over-15-year-old Sumitomo HTR's anymore.

But I've been saying this since day one. Hell YES.

I guess I'll have to wait, though. Damn.

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

How about running the tires off the trailer your car rode in on. Be funny to see a bunch of U-Haulers up on blocks for the weekend.

#44 VW Jetta "Le Mondrian"
Arsesweat '17 finished 10th in (B), 3 finishes in 7 races
#96 Silver Subaru Legacy Automatic w Orange Top (formerly)

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Hahahaha

Race: 2012 Vodden; 2013 Pointless, EMP, Vodden, Freeze; 2014 Vodden, Freeze; 2015 Vodden, Loudon, Freeze; 2016 Pointless, Discomfort, Vodden, Sweat; 2017 Turrible
Staff: 2017 Pointless, Vodden, Freeze
http://yousuckatracing.wordpress.com

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Mr. Vodden probably wouldn't appreciate studded snows on his beautiful asphalt, would he? Though I do have some non-studded snow tires up in the rafters...

Bert One - 1981 Volvo 262c Bertone | Ernie - 1990 Nissan 240SX

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

I'm going to be the Debbie Downer here, but as far as I know, a cracked or otherwise visibly damaged tire is dangerous and likely won't pass tech.  And tires more than 7 or so years old fall into this category.  Ever experience a blow out, particularly on the rear of the car, particularly at speed?  I have.  I saw a car flip because of one. 

Otherwise, I see no fail in this plan.

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

mechimike wrote:

I'm going to be the Debbie Downer here, but as far as I know, a cracked or otherwise visibly damaged tire is dangerous and likely won't pass tech.  And tires more than 7 or so years old fall into this category.  Ever experience a blow out, particularly on the rear of the car, particularly at speed?  I have.  I saw a car flip because of one. 

Otherwise, I see no fail in this plan.

Debbie have you ever seen a first generation Hyundai Excel 'at speed'?

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

rb92673 wrote:

Debbie have you ever seen a first generation Hyundai Excel 'at speed'?

Only the results

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Planet Express's first race, Fall South 2013, 9 races ago, was run on Nankang XR611's.
This happened:

http://i.imgur.com/F41mClD.gif

The trick is to get them heat cycled (which adds about $25/corner), get them shaved to 3/32nds, and run roughly 9,074,028,368,492 PSI of pressure. And maybe don't have a car that weighs 3,800 lbs.

Idle Clatter Racing: 1979 Mercedes 300SD Delivery Spaceship,  "Not all ideas are good."
Fall 2013 CMP I.O.E.
Shine Country Classic 2014 and Southern Discomfort: Showed Up; Didn't Blowed Up
Humidi TT: DOMINATION. Barber 2015: "Least Southern Pickup Truck"

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

mechimike wrote:

I'm going to be the Debbie Downer here, but as far as I know, a cracked or otherwise visibly damaged tire is dangerous and likely won't pass tech.  And tires more than 7 or so years old fall into this category.  Ever experience a blow out, particularly on the rear of the car, particularly at speed?  I have.  I saw a car flip because of one. 

Otherwise, I see no fail in this plan.

OK, rules changes are in order. Thanks for the input.

Race: 2012 Vodden; 2013 Pointless, EMP, Vodden, Freeze; 2014 Vodden, Freeze; 2015 Vodden, Loudon, Freeze; 2016 Pointless, Discomfort, Vodden, Sweat; 2017 Turrible
Staff: 2017 Pointless, Vodden, Freeze
http://yousuckatracing.wordpress.com

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

pinkshinyalan wrote:

With this thread in mind, I think it's hilarious that so many spec racing series mandate a certain race tire (Toyo, Hoosier, Continental, Pirelli, Michelin, whatever) in the name of 'cost control.' It's really about the tire company's sponsorship money. If they really wanted to control costs, they'd spec these kinds of crap tires.

Tell me with a straight face that Spec Miata wouldn't be vastly more entertaining with drivers fighting for grip with squirming, howling tread blocks. Set a minimum tread depth of 5/32" for maximum no-grip hilarity and to reduce cheatitude. Hey, you wouldn't have to spend an extra grand just to have a set of rain tires sit in the trailer "just in case".

I agree that sponsor money definitely has something to do with it, but they would never run these types of tires. If you've ever raced on tires like this (also applies to kragen spec brake pads) you would know that at full tilt they will not last a 20 minute race. The trick to winning this D-Class will be to control the heat and prevent them from falling apart. They are not designed for the heat you will inevitable put into them and I suspect most will delaminate or at minimum chunk very very badly. I've done one race on 600 TW A/S tires and the net cost of running much more expensive rubber would have been less considering we went through about 12 tires in 2 days.

5 time winner, many time loser
#920 Risky Whiskey Racing
www.facebook.com/RiskyWhiskeyRacing

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Yesterday, I took a set of Douglas Xtra Trac II tires to Thunderhill to determine if they would blister or chunk when driven hard. I can report very good news: they do not. I think they will last multiple races. The tires were 185/65/14 on 14x5.5 daisy rims. Compared to our typical 205/50/15 15x7 200 treadwear setup, they were about 5% off pace. Not bad. I find it more fun and more educational to drive a tire that slides so easily. It's like driving on a wet track.

Here's a little video of the day. It starts with some smoky left turns due to a PCV valve problem (I believe). Then a lap with Douglas Xtra Trac II followed by a lap with NT-01. The net was loose, I know.

https://youtu.be/qu8OuUkOJ5s

Race: 2012 Vodden; 2013 Pointless, EMP, Vodden, Freeze; 2014 Vodden, Freeze; 2015 Vodden, Loudon, Freeze; 2016 Pointless, Discomfort, Vodden, Sweat; 2017 Turrible
Staff: 2017 Pointless, Vodden, Freeze
http://yousuckatracing.wordpress.com

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

did you guys just crack the frigging magical code? Has the solution always been crappy wal-mart tires?

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

FWIW, the Excel is running Douglas snow tires this weekend

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

cheseroo wrote:

FWIW, the Excel is running Douglas snow tires this weekend

I'm sure they held up fine!
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xla1/v/t1.0-9/10365716_10207889951463142_3625310412793760393_n.jpg?oh=ccd4591df483e92f3b5cd703f820ede2&oe=578EC3B2

Fourteen time loser. You'd think I'd know better by now.

48 (edited by crazymike 2016-03-20 11:17 PM)

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Those look just like the Sumitomo HTR's I ran until Evil John told me I couldn't.
my TWI300 Yoko A-539's look about the same, but new.

Can we have a Dp-cup for TWI300-440?

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Maverick74 wrote:
cheseroo wrote:

FWIW, the Excel is running Douglas snow tires this weekend

I'm sure they held up fine!
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xla1/v/t1.0-9/10365716_10207889951463142_3625310412793760393_n.jpg?oh=ccd4591df483e92f3b5cd703f820ede2&oe=578EC3B2

We did get half a day out of that tire.  I think the date code was in the 90s.

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

Re: D-Spec Challenge at Vodden

Maverick74 wrote:
cheseroo wrote:

FWIW, the Excel is running Douglas snow tires this weekend

I'm sure they held up fine!
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xla1/v/t1.0-9/10365716_10207889951463142_3625310412793760393_n.jpg?oh=ccd4591df483e92f3b5cd703f820ede2&oe=578EC3B2

I don't mean to alarm you, but you have some tread showing over your cords there.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport