61 replies to this topic

[Keith Novak]

If it’s bone dry with no sign of rain, everyone will be on dry tires regardless.  No steward decision needed.

If it’s pouring rain with no sign of it letting up, everyone will be on wets regardless.  No steward decision needed.

 

The decisions come in when there is a question on whether it is wet enough to put on rains, if it’s wet on part of the course and dry on other parts, or if the conditions will change during the race.  Whatever choice is made is a compromise as the tire picked will be better for some conditions than others and nobody is really sure how those conditions will change over time. 

 

Does the steward decide that it might rain so we all put on rain tires just to be safe even if it stays dry?  Does the steward decide that we all go out on dries and if it does rain, whoever can drive their Zamboni the fastest wins?  Does the steward decide that if it’s raining on half the course but dry on the other that we all chew up rains or struggle with dries?  Everybody is guessing in these conditions.  Why should everyone go by the guess of the steward what is best for everyone else? 

 

Car racing will always involve an element of luck.  Part of that is not knowing what your competitors will choose, and how your choices stack up compared to theirs.  Wets or dries are just one of those choices.

[ner88]

Mandate a rain tire, fine! are we going to check tread depth as well????

[Parity]

If the decision is left up to the stewart, this site will need more bandwidth. The ensuing discussions will make us all forget our first love...parity.

[Rob Burgoon]

I like the idea of a steward's decision on tire, but only at runoffs main event.  Leave majors and regionals alone.

 

However:

Does that mean I shave a set of rains for when I disagree with the steward?

[Johnny D]

However:
Does that mean I shave a set of rains for when I disagree with the steward?

Only a 50% chance of that.
http://www.trackside...performance.jpg

[Pete Maerz]

Simple solution: get rid of rain tires. It simplifies decision making, cuts costs, and rewards driver skill. Win, win, and win.

[Todd Green]

Simple solution: get rid of rain tires. It simplifies decision making, cuts costs, and rewards driver skill. Win, win, and win.

 

Til it rains so hard that you are hydroplaning at 30 mph and can't keep up with the pace car.  Been there, done that, not doing it again.  Go watch Danny's vid to see what happens when even rainmeisters get caught out.  No amount of driver skill overcomes floating on water.  (If this was a troll, nevermind.)

[Tom Hampton]

Yeah, I'd vote to get rid of slicks before I'd vote to get rid of rains.  I don't think either idea really holds much water tho'.  {groan}

[Justin Elder]

Even if a rule would only in place for the Runoffs, I would be in favor of it.  With all the buildup and everything we all put into this one particular race, to have a brief rain shower that wets the track just barely enough was a disappointment.  I was hoping they would postpone the race by an hour or so and have us all go out and rotate around for 45 minutes to dry the track.  I would have done it.  Then let us go back to the paddock to fill up etc, and start the race an hour or so late.  I knew they wouldn't actually do that, but in hindsight that sure would have been more fun for many of us than knowing tire choice was going to cause a large speed disparity.  We would have put on a better show as well.   I realize that idea could only work for this one particular race, since we had the benefit of lights and time.  I still had a lot of fun and some very good racing, but it was a real downer that tire choice played a part in such a big event. 

[wheel]

Tire choice in iffy conditions is part of racing.  You do not want Stewards, who generally know nothing about racing, to make the tire choice for you.  Many times I have been on jack stands with two rains on one side and two slicks on the other, waiting until the last second to change two tires.  I have also changed on the grid only slightly before the five was given.  As I watched the cars go to the grid on Friday night, you could see the guys on slicks being followed by a pit cart with four rains and visa versa.  It really added another dimension to what turned out to be a fantastic race.

[Blake Thompson]

I would not enjoy destroying rain tires due to an official decision. I will prep for the condition on my own dime

 

well and with everything the quick guys can afford "mids" and intermediates.  What qualifies as a rain tire is the title on the sidewall, now, unlike the Toyo before.  So it probably wouldn't help.  But when a bunch of us mash up our cars on dries because the officials req'd it... FEH.

 

For me, I hate those decision times but those are the occasions I do the best.

[Blake Thompson]

 

Does the steward decide that it might rain so we all put on rain tires just to be safe even if it stays dry?  Does the steward decide that we all go out on dries and if it does rain, whoever can drive their Zamboni the fastest wins?  Does the steward decide that if it’s raining on half the course but dry on the other that we all chew up rains or struggle with dries?  Everybody is guessing in these conditions.  Why should everyone go by the guess of the steward what is best for everyone else? 

 

A big part of it for me is I never had money for rain tires so I got about as good as someone could be driving like a nana on slicks.  In a drying condition I prefer to be on slicks.  But I have one of those light cars no one drives anymore.

[Tom Sager]

For me, I hate those decision times but those are the occasions I do the best.

Yes, because you slide around in snow and ice to and from work or wherever Steph tells you to go for 8 months of the year in Wisconsin.  

[wheel]

What the Stewards can do is announce a rain race if everyone shows up to the grid on slicks and it suddenly starts to rain.  This does not mean you have to run rains, but it does mean you will be given time to change to rains, if you so choose.  

[Blake Thompson]

Yes, because you slide around in snow and ice to and from work or wherever Steph tells you to go for 8 months of the year in Wisconsin.  

 

we drive the Miata year round.  How else could I have a third million on the odometer?

[Jim Drago]

we drive the Miata year round.  How else could I have a third million on the odometer?

I had a yaris come in from a friends tow lot the other day.. oil sticker had 428,000 miles! 

[Blake Thompson]

I had a yaris come in from a friends tow lot the other day.. oil sticker had 428,000 miles! 

 

Nothing about that sounds appealing.

[Colin MacLean]

This has nothing to do with spec v's not spec.  It's driver v's driver.  As a driver you choose you choose setup, you choose tire pressures, you choose tires.  The smartest driver won the race because he chose correctly.  Plenty of times I see folks posting "went the wrong way on setup, had no chance" this is no different.  I thought this Runoffs was by far the most exciting primarily because you had drivers on different strategies.  I was rubbing my hands together when I saw the weather, I knew the race was going to be fantastic as a result of the differing tire strategies.  And it was!!!

[RacerX]

Rain vs. dry tires is akin to other setup choices.  Pardon the pun, but eliminating this choice is starting down a slippery slope.

[Jim Drago]

best rain strategy is to look at my car before heading to grid and do the exact opposite