Tires (Rains)

[IPRESS]

Suggestions on best wet tires these days?

[joeg]

HOOSIER--Dirt Stockers or the new one.

[Andy Bettencourt]

I think the Dirt Stockers are still the best for cold track and heavy water. The new Rains take longer to warm up and, as you would guess, more resistant to excessive heat. They do a good job too.

[Doc Bro]

Anything comparable to the Dirt Sockers in a 16"? DT's max is 15. And they say a 16" rim is an advantage!!??


R

[nlevine]

Rob - We're "stuck" with the new Hoosier radial rains in 16".. I got a set last year, but I haven't had the chance to try them yet - likely because I spent money on rain tires, it didn't rain when I raced last year..

-noam

[Andy Bettencourt]

Rob,

The DOT Rain is a good tire. It was good enough for pole at the NARRC last year...RWD and all...and you know how wet it was...

[cmaclean]

Mac, to give some perspective on those Dirt Stockers. At a Road Atlanta race a couple of years back some guy ended up on pole who was 8 seconds faster than the next fastest car on RA1's. Turns out he was running on dirt stockers! Next rain race same guy on RA1's was 5 seconds off my pole time.

[lateapex911]

When it's biblical, dirt stockers are the tire. i ran a rain race and had as much as 9 seconds a lap on the field when it was ponding. I couldn't believe it when I went back and looked at the lap charts. I'm not sure what the rest had, but we knew rain was coming, so most were on rains of some form..

[Doc Bro]

I've got a set of the radial rains, but in my experience they're more dry to wet or wet to dry. At LRP at the NARRC I was on them for BOTH qualifying sessions (YES, Both!!!), my hunch is the DT's are better in that situation.

As an aside the next morning after the NARRC qualifying, in practice, I was black flagged for leaking fuel. The corner was convinced it was fuel. We got to paddock and found no fuel leaks but did find about 3 gallons of rainwater in the trunk. This was after we had already mopped up the trunk before practice. Talk about a monsoon!!


R

[RSTPerformance]

Last year at the NARRC Runoffs I out-qualified the entire ITB/ITS field by over 2 seconds a lap on the DirtStockers... This includes my brother (he qualified 3rd, just behind the fastes ITS car) whom was on the "New" Hoosier Rain.

1 51 Raymond Blethen IV 1:19.868
2 9 Wilson Wright, Jr. 1:22.189 Gap: 2.321
3 50 Stephen Blethen 1:22.635 Gap: 2.767
4 77 Mark Gregory 1:23.439 Gap: 3.571
5 18 David Maynard 1:24.878 Gap: 5.010
(Ref: http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.j...ShowPerClass=0) (http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=441470&highlight=1&ShowPerClass=0))

I think that my fast times were purely a result of the comfort level that the tires give you while you are actually in the turn. My experience is that the "new" hoosiers stop better and grip better under acceleration, however in the turn they don't hold as well or as comfortably I should say.

That is my personal experience, and Dirt Stockers are still available as they are used in Dirt Racing in a class that requires DOT legal tires. I think American Tire (maybe it is someone else) also provides a DOT legal "Dirt Racing" tire. I have always wanted to try them, but stay loyal to my Hooser favorite :smilie_pokal:

Raymond "Just my experience in a FWD car" Blethen

[gran racing]

Ya know, I was all set to go out and buy some new rain tires this year and this thread has just complicated my plans. Thanks guys.

O.k. So...

Heavy rain conditions with big puddles - dirt stockers

Moderate rain conditions; light rain but chance of more during the race; rain but chance of a dry track during the race - new Hoosier rains.

Sound right? If that's correct, I'm buying opposite of what Ray has and hoping conditions say towards the tires I've choosen. :P

[Doc Bro]

Dave,

The problem with DS's is that if conditions change, ie it dries out, you'll be looking for puddles to cool them and prevent them from being destroyed. The molded hoosiers won't do that. Think of the molded (radial wet Hoosiers) as normal race tires only thicker with grooves cut in them. When the track is cold and real wet the moldeds don't necessarily shine. The moldeds are probably the way to go from a cost point of view, IMHO, because they are more versatile.

R

[spdmonkey]

Several years back in a very wet start at mid-ohio I went from a horrible start of 37th in a rental RX7 to 6th in one lap as the whole field pretty much started on intermediates or went to slicks on the grid as the sun came fully out. I had only one crew helper so i stayed on the Dirt stockers and to me it was like i was on dry tires they gripped so well. First time I had them and i was shocked at the grip. Of course the track dries completely on lap 4 and I spent the rest of the race going very slowly as the tires were only purchased 30 minutes before the race and I did not want to kill them for the car owner. My fastest race lap was in the rain. enough said.
db

[IPRESS]

I think I will have to go with the wets. It seems to me nearly anytime I have used rain tires (RA1s) we were trying to decide IF we needed them or drys.

[shwah]

After watching the GP runoffs race this year, where all of the top finishers were on slicks, I am convinced that Dirt Stockers are the right solution. If you are wondering whether you need inters or drys, you should be on drys. A few laps in a dry, or less wet line will develop. If it is raining hard you want the DS anyhow.

Of course right now I have a set of full tread Kumhos that I drag around 'just in case', but I added DS to the mix this year.

[gran racing]

Oh, I don't know. When I walk around the paddock, I see many DS that have never been used but have dry rot.

[Jeremy Billiel]

Oh, I don't know. When I walk around the paddock, I see many DS that have never been used but have dry rot. [/b]



That's always my problem... I hate spending $800 on rain tires to have them sit and dry rot by the time you actually use them!

[CaptainWho]

Ours have been used, but they're still lasting long enough to dry rot. :-) And they're great in heavy wet.

[Marcus Miller]

How long will Dirt stockers last? We run 3-25 hour enduros.....


Marcus

[CaptainWho]

How long will Dirt stockers last? We run 3-25 hour enduros.....
[/b]

Couldn't tell you. We don't enduro in the monsoon season. :D

[charrbq]

Even in the most horrible of rain races, Dirt Stockers won't last for more than about 1-2 hrs. The compound is just too soft. I've had a set for several years, now. Ran them once, and they were majic. I haven't taken good care of them, so they have some bad dry rot. However, they will still do a race or qualifying session.

I've been told by the Appalachian guys that the dirt stockers were going away, but they had some fresh ones at the ARRC. I bought a set of the new style radials, just in case. According to those guys, if it's hard raining, the Dirt Stockers are the way to go. But if it starts to dry, they are done in no time. The new radials are more consistant. Not as good in deep water as the Dirt Stockers, but won't go away when it starts to dry. I'll take better care of them.

Rain tires are like insurance policies...if you have them, they cost a lot to just sit on the trailer. But when you need them they're there ready to go. Or you could take a chance on dry tires and tire bundles.

[IPRESS]

Chris,
Whats the rain forcast for Memphis? :D
Everytime I decide to go one way somebody suggests the other.

[Knestis]

After this past weekend, I can vouch for the new Hoosiers. I pretty much figured they'd be toasted after 3 hours of changing conditions (wet to REALLY wet, no actual dry line ever) but they looked GREAT after the race.

K

[gran racing]

How were they in the really wet?

[charrbq]

Chris,
Whats the rain forcast for Memphis? :D
Everytime I decide to go one way somebody suggests the other.
[/b]
Haven't heard. I won't be there to race, but may go to work a corner. Depends on a lot of variables. I've had pneumonia for about a month of critical car working on time, so it's in pieces in my garage. I would tell you that if you can go...do. They are some of the nicest guys in racing, and I always try to support them. They always bring out a pretty good amount of cars, too. As a warning, bring rain tires. The only times I've had no rains was the weekends that it flooded, and they really have a drainage problem.

[Knestis]

How were they in the really wet?
[/b]

http://www.nasaracing.net/VIR_Feb_07/Resul...20300_Race.html (http://www.nasaracing.net/VIR_Feb_07/Results/Sun_CG%20300_Race.html) :P

They were THAT good.

K

[gran racing]

Very nice!

(I'm also now fully sold on buying the new Hoosier wets vs. DS.)

[Andy Bettencourt]

Let me play!

Dave, they are real good. NARRC Runoffs - full rain qualifying. RWD!

http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.j...444&highlight=1 (http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=441444&highlight=1)

[dominojd]

Let me play!

Dave, they are real good. NARRC Runoffs - full rain qualifying. RWD!

http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.j...444&highlight=1 (http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=441444&highlight=1)
[/b]

I'll play too. Same result page. Old take off dirt stockers from smarty for free. And the windshield was all fogged up. Me and andy both found the magic rain line into Big Bend. Don't tell anyone andy. :D

[JLawton]

One thing I learned is going with the DS in cold weather, even if the track is just wet. Made the mistake of going out on dry tires when there was no standing water and a light drizzel, but below 60 degrees. They never heat up. Tried the same in the DS, BIG difference. And as long as the track was wet, didn't burn them up....

[cmaclean]

Just want to add the information that the new rains are $200 a set more expensive than the dirt stocker!

[gran racing]

Hoosier has the DS on clearance (205/14) for $80 per tire. I'm still silly enough to go with the other tires.

[cmaclean]

I bought a set from Hoosier. I mean for $347 delivered who wouldn't?

[philstireservice]

The new Hoosier DOT HWETS are softer than last years DOT WETS. They will be better in more varying conditions.

I saw Kirk's tires after 3 hours in the rain...........still in excellent condition, even on the front !!!!


Kirk was the man.......great drive !!!! :happy204: :smilie_pokal:

[lateapex911]

Kirk, congrats on the win! Tell us more...(sorry for the OT)

[dj10]

The new Hoosier DOT HWETS are softer than last years DOT WETS. They will be better in more varying conditions.

I saw Kirk's tires after 3 hours in the rain...........still in excellent condition, even on the front !!!!


Kirk was the man.......great drive !!!! :happy204: :smilie_pokal: [/b]

I will attest that Sunday was COLD, WET AND SLIPPERY. Turns 3 - 4 - 5 were slicker than hot snot on a cold door knob!

Congrats K