8 replies to this topic

[Vinnie Baratta]

Hi gang, ill be headed to Mid Ohio next month for NASA Nationals... ive heard from different sources that mid o "likes old tires" so when you combine that with the Toyo RR's ability to generally wear well what does that mean?

Should i buy brand new tires, heat cycle them once on practice day and then just pull them out and run them the rest of the weekend once its showtime?

I'll have a set with 4 heat cycles, and an other with 6. Should i run one of those the whole weekend? Maybe bring both and split the difference?

Anyone have decent data as to when the sweet spot at Mid Ohio is with RRs? Itll affect how i pick tires for the race before then (this weekend) Thanks!

[FTodaro]

Vinnie one of the issues with new RR's at Mid O is that new tires will grain and when they do they are slow. The other is that a new RR if Fat, heavier than a shaved or older set of tires. So one thing I can say for sure, a new set of stickers is not fast there, older or shaved tires do better.

[Vinnie Baratta]

So maybe those used tires don't necessarily have to have been used at mid Ohio? And do people shave RRs? Heard of it with RA1s and r888s but not these

[Danny Steyn]

So maybe those used tires don't necessarily have to have been used at mid Ohio? And do people shave RRs? Heard of it with RA1s and r888s but not these

 

Vinnie - yes drivers do shave RR's, and to different depths. Certainly was the case at Watkins Glen, another track that doesnt favor sticker RR's. I suspect it was one of the reasons TOYO issued sticker sets to all drivers at the NASA nationals at COTA last year, in an attempt to get everyone onto an even playing field wrt tires. 

[Vinnie Baratta]

Follow up- we still have no earthly idea. Tried old tires, heat cycled stickers, and some stuff in between. Peeked at what the front runners were running. They were all in the 4-7 HC range. Tires didnt seem to change much but as we were still learning the track there were lots of variables in the equation

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Follow up- we still have no earthly idea. Tried old tires, heat cycled stickers, and some stuff in between. Peeked at what the front runners were running. They were all in the 4-7 HC range. Tires didnt seem to change much but as we were still learning the track there were lots of variables in the equation

 

I feel that between Jim and I we got the tires figured out for Mid ohio, but I can also tell you the track has been changing year to year and was not the same last year at this time.  I raced both races on the same set as they were the newest I had that were under 2/32 tread depth but not down to 1/32 either they had about 5 hc for race 1 and were better in that race then the final my tires were left over from march of 2017 cota regional race.   Jim raced different tires in both races but both were shaved for the cota nationals and had 2-3hc on them.  

 

We both tried multiple sets on test day I ran on some 2017 cota tires that had about 4hc but were not shaved and I grained all 4 tires and was down a set of perfectly good tire right away.  I then ran a session on the tires i raced both races on and thought there were decent and set them aside, then i ran some 18hc tires from 2018 that were about 1.5/32 and they were super fast and i put them aside for qualifying.  In qualifying those tires were horrible the next day but we had made wholesale changed to a top 3 car and it did not work out.  Jim was battling tires all test day was top 3 in every session also but came in saying the car was not raceable on those tires.  He went to the scales and got his car sorted on the first try and came out rockin on qualifying on some tires he thought would be decent.  My car came out way off and took us all qualifying day and night to get my car hooked up for the races.  

 

We also ran about 35-36psi hot, in the past i have run 37-38 psi at that track on toyos and as high as 40psi.  I honeslty think that the tire forces you to get the handling spot on.  If you are sliding the tires on that particular surface you are going to grain tires and not going to be fast.  I felt durring both races like I was running Hoosiers the car was hooked up and even more so on the qualifying race.  

 

I don't know that any of this matters for any other track as mid ohio is just a beast in itself.  I think Watkins in maybe the only other place that finding the proper age and tread depth is a big factor.

 

Vinny also if if you look at the laps times that Jiim, Jarod, myself, Davis were turning we are all capable of turning those laps over and over as all of us have lots of laps at that track.  Many can match a lap time but backing it up lap after lap is the problem.  IMO that is why we checked out from the rest a few laps after each start or restart.  

 

Dirks IMO was capable also but I think he had a rear toe issue after some contact on lap 2 with Davis. 

[Jim Drago]

I feel that between Jim and I we got the tires figured out for Mid ohio, but I can also tell you the track has been changing year to year and was not the same last year at this time.  I raced both races on the same set as they were the newest I had that were under 2/32 tread depth but not down to 1/32 either they had about 5 hc for race 1 and were better in that race then the final my tires were left over from march of 2017 cota regional race.   Jim raced different tires in both races but both were shaved for the cota nationals and had 2-3hc on them.  

 

We both tried multiple sets on test day I ran on some 2017 cota tires that had about 4hc but were not shaved and I grained all 4 tires and was down a set of perfectly good tire right away.  I then ran a session on the tires i raced both races on and thought there were decent and set them aside, then i ran some 18hc tires from 2018 that were about 1.5/32 and they were super fast and i put them aside for qualifying.  In qualifying those tires were horrible the next day but we had made wholesale changed to a top 3 car and it did not work out.  Jim was battling tires all test day was top 3 in every session also but came in saying the car was not raceable on those tires.  He went to the scales and got his car sorted on the first try and came out rockin on qualifying on some tires he thought would be decent.  My car came out way off and took us all qualifying day and night to get my car hooked up for the races.  

 

We also ran about 35-36psi hot, in the past i have run 37-38 psi at that track on toyos and as high as 40psi.  I honeslty think that the tire forces you to get the handling spot on.  If you are sliding the tires on that particular surface you are going to grain tires and not going to be fast.  I felt durring both races like I was running Hoosiers the car was hooked up and even more so on the qualifying race.  

 

I don't know that any of this matters for any other track as mid ohio is just a beast in itself.  I think Watkins in maybe the only other place that finding the proper age and tread depth is a big factor.

 

Vinny also if if you look at the laps times that Jiim, Jarod, myself, Davis were turning we are all capable of turning those laps over and over as all of us have lots of laps at that track.  Many can match a lap time but backing it up lap after lap is the problem.  IMO that is why we checked out from the rest a few laps after each start or restart.  

 

Dirks IMO was capable also but I think he had a rear toe issue after some contact on lap 2 with Davis. 

What Kyle said.. 

 

and the race is posted.. starts at 1:14 or so

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=dkC3rHEELOc

[Danny Steyn]

Valuable stuff Kyle, thanks for sharing

[Vinnie Baratta]

Good stuff kyle. Unfortunately we were so focused on figuring out the nuances of driving the track it was tough to focus on tires. Sounds like theres a ton more nuance to tires and setup for this class than im aware of... ive gotta spend a weekend under yalls tent to soak up some info next year