Street tires in IT? My Review

[Flyinglizard]

Very true. The entire car will love the lower grip tires.


Most of the worlds' amateur racing is done on 180 or higher TW tires. The USA has unique tires and even the HoHo are cheap in the bigger picture. Years of selling my book allover the world has enlightened me as to the rest of the world's racing cost. VW Cup EURO, DR , all Japan etc , Most are very hard tires.

GA, of course, as long as HoHo are legal, some racers will choose speed over $racing. it is expected.

For sure mountain from ant bite.

I am all for changing the rule. makes a lot of sense.

[georgethefierce]

As someone that will be new to racing with the SCCA this coming season the NER 7 guys have lowered the barrier to entry with their sub-sub class to the point where I can justify turning both ways, I like it and especially for a class that isn't very popular on the whole it makes perfect sense to get these cars out of the barns and allow people of limited budget like me to give it a shot on cheap tires.

I also get that people can afford to run at the pointy end and should be allowed to do everything within the rules to get there, I see no reason to limit all of IT to a street tire, there are some great battles regionally up front and I appreciate what those guys do to be that quick (running fresh rubber being one of those things).

IMHO something like the street tire initiative can work (at least in the short term) with a like minded group of guys that get "it", it's too bad that people get "shunned" but what is the % of shunned to new/old blood that couldn't be out there if they couldn't run on the cheap? just a nOObs $.02

[gran racing]

George, IT has always been a place you can run on the cheap. I started off in ITA (the car was later moved to ITB where it should have been) using $25 a piece old Spec Racer Ford tires. I still had an absolute blast and was able to run right around mid-pack. This whole IT-7 thing in the NER is kind of cool and all, but it's not some amazing revelation which hasn't already existed.

By the way, I LOVE being able to go to the manufacturer, click on items I need and know they actually have them in stock.

[georgethefierce]

George, IT has always been a place you can run on the cheap. I started off in ITA (the car was later moved to ITB where it should have been) using $25 a piece old Spec Racer Ford tires. I still had an absolute blast and was able to run right around mid-pack. This whole IT-7 thing in the NER is kind of cool and all, but it's not some amazing revelation which hasn't already existed.

By the way, I LOVE being able to go to the manufacturer, click on items I need and know they actually have them in stock.

I think I get your point and it's valid one, I've always hung around the garages with the ITA guys and my personal observation was that it wasn't exactly "entry level" but I can see where the intent was.

[gran racing]

I absolutely understand your perception. Totally. Many of us have been there, so you're certainly not alone.

[GTIspirit]

Very true. The entire car will love the lower grip tires.


Most of the worlds' amateur racing is done on 180 or higher TW tires. The USA has unique tires and even the HoHo are cheap in the bigger picture. Years of selling my book allover the world has enlightened me as to the rest of the world's racing cost. VW Cup EURO, DR , all Japan etc , Most are very hard tires.

GA, of course, as long as HoHo are legal, some racers will choose speed over . it is expected.

For sure mountain from ant bite.

I am all for changing the rule. makes a lot of sense.

I'm somehow missing something here. Why is a rule change necessary?

If you want to run street tires in IT, just do it! Or? There's nothing that prevents it now, right?

And if someone wants to buy wins by prying their wallet open for the purple crack, let them. Let them have that satisfaction, that with their R-comps they beat someone on street tires.

And if street tires were mandated in the rules, what's to prevent someone from buying a freshly set of heat cycled and shaved tires for every race? Just to gain that little bit of perceived advantage to try and buy a win. And if the competition is really that close that every minuscule advantage matters, where's the satisfaction in winning by outspending someone?

Is it really that important to be on the top of the podium, or are you racing for fun? And if you're just racing for fun, because you have a real day job, is the racing any less fun if you use street tires instead of R-comps?

Personally, I'm all for a standardized sticker to proclaim you're running street tires, to shun those people on the purple crack.

[gran racing]

Seriously??? Sorry, but that cracks me up. Based on that, you must be running an entirely stock car with old crappy OEM suspension, never tuned the engine, no aftermarket parts what-so-ever or even bother to have an alignment done. Otherwise you are right there trying to "buy a win".

[Greg Amy]

And if someone wants to buy wins by prying their wallet open for the purple crack, let them. Let them have that satisfaction, that with their R-comps they beat someone on street tires.

EXACTLY the attitude I'm railing against, on my apparent "mountain from an ant hill". It's attitudes like this that will create the exact opposite intended reaction from your target audience (how far away are we now from comparisons of desire for faster tires to penis size...?)

You sir, are an organic food proponent.

Just pointing out.

- GA

[Chip42]

and again - you keep the rules the same, and encourage the guys who like the idea of running cheaper tires to run in some sort of cohesive "group" to help push them over the edge to doing so. no one wants to show up on lesser equipment, even if they know they are slower they can close the gap somewhat by being on the same tires as the front runners. BUT, if you arrange for a group to opt for street tires, suddenly it's fun. but the caveats have to be clear - this is just a group that identifies themselves as the ones who AREN'T trying to win a title - you knew us as mid pack, now you will know us as ... well mid pack with some new stickers. we agree to be slower for less money in a group of like minded racers and to not get butt hurt when someone beats us. we promise, we're used to it. Everything runs in the same class. same rules, just including a minimum TW in the OPTIONAL sub group.

If a guy on streets wins points toward the regional title, great. wins the title, even better. odds are he's running in a poorly subscribed group, though, and this effort doesn't really pertain to him. One upside could be that his winning on streets pulls existing cars out of garages to run in the class's STC. more cars = win for all.

If a guy on streets takes it super seriously, all he can accomplish is beating a bunch of guys who take the joy of racing more seriously than the joy of winning while simultaneously hampering his own efforts toward a recognized title as the rest of the fast cars are on R-Comps. and the "points race" in the street tires group gets out of sorts. oh darn, a meaningless title gets "stolen". meh.

guy shows up in an area dominated by streets on R Comps and upsets the championship. no one gets butt-hurt, they voluntarily signed up to run in a group that purposely ISN'T competitive against full prep cars.

If you make the rule to run streets locally, you'd better get it in the sups AND know that this is not the same effort the STC is pursuing. run the logo, I don't care, but you are doing it wrong.

If you make this the national rule then BFG and Dunlop will thank you, Hoosier will make a purple crack 180TW, and life will return to normal. whatever. not my intention.

no one is shunned, some might be asked to consider using their considerably higher talents and resources to pursue a meaningful reward, but if they want to continue beating the guys who run for best of the rest, that's fine.

Either way, IT marches on, one big happy family with a stable rule set.

[matt batson]

When I get back on track, I will run street tires.
Once I get to the point where I am within a couple of seconds or so of the leaders I can then decide if winning a race or winning the arcc or run offs is important enough for me to pony up for Hoosiers

If it isn't that important to me, then I will just continue racing on cheaper street tires

I think that the system as is works just fine

This is all for fun.....right?

[tim240z]

When I get back on track, I will run street tires.
Once I get to the point where I am within a couple of seconds or so of the leaders I can then decide if winning a race or winning the arcc or run offs is important enough for me to pony up for Hoosiers

If it isn't that important to me, then I will just continue racing on cheaper street tires

I think that the system as is works just fine

This is all for fun.....right?

+1

[gran racing]

Chip, maybe you should use something like what you wrote as the general series summary? I think you have the right attitude about it and sharing this with others will at least lead them in the right direction and set expectations.

[Dano77]

WOW I go to the ski shop and look what happens.

Im out, not throwing gas on this one.