I am not an IT7 driver, but I have lots of experience with Spec Tires, especially Spec Toyo RA1s. So here is some information. Thats all it is, you can choose to take it or leave it.
There is a common misconception that a Toyo Spec tire "Levels the playing field." As any frontrunning, experienced racer will tell you (especially one thats been in Spec Miata for the last few years) this just isn't true. The absolute WORST choice for a spec tire is one that needs to be shaved and performs very differently at different levels of shavedness. You know, like the Toyo RA1.
Let me explain...
You spec a Toyo tire because you think the guys with the most money to buy new Hoosiers every weekend have a distinct advantage. So if everyone has to run Toyos that advantage is gone... Right?
Wrong. A guy that can run new Hoosiers every weekend can also afford to shave his Toyos to 1/32, use them once or twice, and throw them away. Meanwhile, Captain Budget is using 4 to 6/32 tires and trying to get 4 weekends out of them. By the time they are at 1/32, they are heat cycled a dozen times and are sort of crappy.
So, what have you gained? Is everyone on the same tire?
Well... Everyone is on the same brand of tire, but everyone is not on the same tire. The guys who had the advantage before still have the advantage, and the grid order hasn't changed at all. All you managed to do was give Toyo a monopoly and reduce your own choices.
Don't believe me?
Look at SM. They have been on spec toyos, open tires, and back to spec toyos over the past few seasons. Have you seen ANY change in who is at the front of the grid???
I know this is a hard concept to swallow, and many just simply refuse to do so. And thats your choice.
But I have a feeling that all IT7 will accomplish with a spec toyo is running off alot of cars to ITA. Thats fine tough, its a good ITA car now.
Really want to spec a tire? Something that guarantees drivers are actually on equal ground on the most occassions? Spec a Hoosier or a Kumho. Tires that gain nothing by shaving them. Tires that can run up to 6 (or even 10) heat cycles without falling off if you care for them properly. THAT gets all the drivers on the "same" tires alot more often than the Toyos do.
Just some info.
Carry on...