Romine says

[d'kid]

What we have is an evolution of the tire. "We" want the flexing sidewalls, we want the sticky compound...

GoodYear can provide a tire the will live at a much higher speed... but, it will be much stiffer, will not hook as well... with a much 'harder' rubber compound...

now, the question will be, how do you keep the rearends on the cars as we go to a rear suspension?

d'kid

 

[Rexfiles]

Yes, I'm sure the Goodyear engineers just sat around with their thumbs in their butts watching the money roll in. I can't believe people are dumb enough to think that Goodyear isn't doing everything humanly possible to build the best tire they can.

While not a Engineer myself I do approach development and problems in my buisness along the same lines as a Engineer would.

I know this due to to the fact that I deal with a lot of them and we take similar routes to solving problems.

Who knows, maybe in the blood

All I CAN say is I know how a lot of them think and I also believe that any Engineer worth his salt is up all night from time to time trying to solve this or any other dilemma. I tend to think even they are human and can feel a responsibility and duty to protect another human being. Those that are on these (fuel tire) projects probably KNOW what they are working on and what a failure can do...............

Not to mention the brass and the attorneys freaking out and breathing down their necks. They need the paycheck too, ya' know mortgages, wives, kids, college etc,etc..........Human stuff again..........

Any fool that thinks they sit around collecting paychecks oughtta' turn on the cathode ray tube and resume watching Romper Room.........

REX

 

[Rexfiles]

I don't have a dog in the fight other than not wanting to see fuel racing kill a bunch of people, but I have to agree with Romine regardless.

Downforce creates drag, which creates additional friction between the tire and the racing surface. That friction creates heat.

When Romine was driving, the cars had a similar amount of downforce, but not the same output at the rear tires. Fewer tire failures. Throw in the extra power we have today, and you have tires letting go. Much more stress on the tire.

As far as Goodyear is concerned, who's to say that the current fuel tire is not already at the limit of todays technology in its compound and construction? It may very well be, and until such time as something newer is available, reducing downforce might be the way to keep tires in one piece.

Well........no.......

I believe the last year Paul drove was 2003, and ran as quick as 4.52 over 320.

Arguably on 90% those engines were even stouter than todays.

And Paul drove 'em.

REX

 

[Rexfiles]

1/8 mile tracks will cut expenses dramatically. These guys are still running about 275 and that's fast enough for me.

I prefer 1/4 mile myself but would gladly attend 1/8 if that is all that was around.

I live in Ct and we ain't got nuttin'

Perhaps sombody out there might start a 1/8 mile series.

For Pros and Sportsman alike.

Whomever prefers to run that format can load it up, bring 'er out, and run it.

Bring the $$$$$$$ to the table and I bet you get a lot of takers.

Build it and they WILL come.

REX

 

[Sandy]

1/8 mile tracks will cut expenses dramatically. These guys are still running about 275 and that's fast enough for me.

Dont like 1/8 mile. Besides in would give you 1/8 mile less bleachers. The purses are all ready to small. I ve got a great idea, lets make them fo around like nascar. Just kidding

 

[.]

The tires should be an ever evolving process just like every other part of the car is, not put out a tire and continue to keep the same ones out there till to many driver's/owner's/crewchief's start moaning about how the tires are coming apart. How long have they been running the same tires they have been currently running, 2 or 3 years.

How do you know they're not? I assume you're working elbow to elbow with the Goodyear engineers to know this? You don't have a clue what they are or aren't doing yet you're telling us they sit on their butts for 2 or 3 years between models and only do something after enough people complain. Did you ever stop to think (novel idea, huh?) that maybe they can't come up with anything better than they already have? Maybe they've pushed technology as far as it can be pushed right now.

 

[turbo ken]

I work on a nitro f/c on a daily basis for years (from the tires to the clutch), in what way do you work on a nitro car Brent?

 

[Chi-Town Brown]

Less or smaller wings.....go back to single mag.....

GEEZZZZ If you do that the NF/Cs and NT/F cars will have an advantage.

 

[.]

I work on a nitro f/c on a daily basis for years (from the tires to the clutch), in what way do you work on a nitro car Brent?

I don't. In what way do you work as an engineer for Goodyear?

 

[turbo ken]

I don't. In what way do you work as an engineer for Goodyear?

So you don't have a dog in the hunt, you don't have no room to talk. So how do you know that goodyear is doing everything possible then, when goodyear changes the design of the tire in any way it effects the performance of the tire, remember when goodyear did the last tire change how Alan Johnson among other crewchief's strugguled to figure out a combination so they could go down the track, change they way a tire is built or redesigned it totally changes how you set the clutch to come in, ie your previous setup pretty much goes out the window (clutch setups haven't hardly changed since then). That's how I know that goodyear hasn't done anything to the tires to make them safer. Plus all the shields and chassis changes that have been done to the cars lately is a stop gap to combat tires that haven't been changed in the last couple of years. Notice in nascrap when they go to a track and they incounter tire problems you can bet the farm by the next time they go back to the tack to where they had tire problems (even if the next race at that same track is only a month away) that they have DESIGNED a new tire so as not to have any possible tire issues. If they can do it for nascrap they can do the same thing for fuel cars.

 

[Bob]

Dont like 1/8 mile. Besides in would give you 1/8 mile less bleachers. The purses are all ready to small. I ve got a great idea, lets make them fo around like nascar. Just kidding

I have never seen bleachers run the length of the track. They would have the same amount of spectators. Purses would be the same. I race both 1/8 and 1/4 and I prefer 1/8. It's much easier on the equipment and as a driver it's just as competitive. You can also run an event in less time.

I'm currently working in Texas and about all they have are 1/8 mile tracks. They far out number the 1/4 mile tracks.

I live in Ct and we ain't got nuttin'

REX

Rex, when I'm in the north east I always race at E-Town. I go on Fri and run all weekend. They allow us to stay at the track in our RV inside the gates. Try that. I don't think you'll ever see a track in Ct. You've also got NED and Lebanon Valley.

 

[Rexfiles]

I have never seen bleachers run the length of the track. They would have the same amount of spectators. Purses would be the same. I race both 1/8 and 1/4 and I prefer 1/8. It's much easier on the equipment and as a driver it's just as competitive. You can also run an event in less time.

I'm currently working in Texas and about all they have are 1/8 mile tracks. They far out number the 1/4 mile tracks.



Rex, when I'm in the north east I always race at E-Town. I go on Fri and run all weekend. They allow us to stay at the track in our RV inside the gates. Try that. I don't think you'll ever see a track in Ct. You've also got NED and Lebanon Valley.

I have been to E-Town a hundred or more times in the last 30 years.
The Horrific problem there is traffic getting back to Ct.

That can be a TOTAL nightmare. E-Town is great, easily my favorite track.

But the trip (NYC) can make grown men cry.

And yes, I always do the DIV 1 Race at Lebanon Valley and have also been to NED dozens upon dozens of times.

Call me spoiledbut I still remember ol' Connecticut Dragway a mere 45 minutes from my home.

We have a hell of a lot of race fans here and some roundy round tracks but as far as a dragstrip nothing. I think a 1/8 mile facility would have a better chance of being built here than anything larger.

REX

 

[.]

So you don't have a dog in the hunt, you don't have no room to talk. So how do you know that goodyear is doing everything possible then, when goodyear changes the design of the tire in any way it effects the performance of the tire, remember when goodyear did the last tire change how Alan Johnson among other crewchief's strugguled to figure out a combination so they could go down the track, change they way a tire is built or redesigned it totally changes how you set the clutch to come in, ie your previous setup pretty much goes out the window (clutch setups haven't hardly changed since then). That's how I know that goodyear hasn't done anything to the tires to make them safer. Plus all the shields and chassis changes that have been done to the cars lately is a stop gap to combat tires that haven't been changed in the last couple of years. Notice in nascrap when they go to a track and they incounter tire problems you can bet the farm by the next time they go back to the tack to where they had tire problems (even if the next race at that same track is only a month away) that they have DESIGNED a new tire so as not to have any possible tire issues. If they can do it for nascrap they can do the same thing for fuel cars.

You sound just like a liberal; because I haven't done it I can't comment. If you think that the problems engineers face designing a Top Fuel tire is the same as designing a NASCAR tire you're even more clueless than I thought. There's a world of difference between a tire that goes 200mph with stiff sidewalls and little growth compared to a tire that goes 330mph with soft sidewalls that grows considerably with speed. Like I said before, maybe they've reached the limits of what they can do and no matter what they try they can't improve on what they already have. Did you ever think of that or did you just rush to condemn Goodyear based on your faulty logic?