Track tires and ambient temperature
 

Do R-compound or slicks have an ambient operating temperature? Obviously, they don't work well until warm, but is there a threshold at which it make no sense to even try running them? We're going to be at Summit Point in 10 days with morning temps likely below freezing. What's this mean for the Hoosier slicks on the Beastie?

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: You gonna have all sorts of fun, You will have a handfull, even if the track is 100% dry. They will warm up eventually. If you use R compound ie Toyo RA1s you will be better off, probably have to start them off at mid 30s. Two thoughts, low pressure allows more flexing so heats up tyres more.Higher pressure because you want to end up at about 40 (psi) The beast is going to be sucking down a s**t load of cold air, ie more O2 per lungfull, as they said on that TV show, be careful out there!!
Dirk

Can I take this to mean you don't want to be my instructor? I guess that's ok - Kurt and Bill volunteered. :lol:

Greg, does "tiptoe thru the tulips" sound familar? ;)
Type R and slicks have an ideal operating range, usually 160-200 degrees. Dirk said they will warm up eventually but probably not in a 20 minute session. :oops:
You're asking the tires to do something their not designed to do, adjust your driving.

Sounds like the Tractor car should get the nod until July or Aug . . . . for your safety of course :roll:

March is sooooo iffy. Never know what you are gonna get! I have seen snow, downpours one day then sunny and dry the next, but almost always cold as all get out. Green car may have better chance of staying off the green stuff, if you catch my 4 wheel drift....

Keep off the green stuff!! More likely West Va. reddish clay that will suck you in.Guess who has to get out and hook up???. You got heat in that monster??? I can see the sweat pouring off of you as you try to tip toe around :P I never used to do the March DE as Mr J said, it can be all kinds of nasty. Go now to help instruct and with the intention of just taking it nice and slow if I can,temptation is always there to push just a little more. Lets do a rain and snow dance to appease the powers, then we might just get lucky.
Dirk

No. Which is the real reason why the T gets to attend the first DE of the season. :D

First time I drove #11 was at the TriangleZ Club VIR event in early Feb last year. Naturally, I wanted to get a good sense of what it could do. You can see what's coming, right? That's when I learned that MPSCs with tons on tread depth can be hard as nails, which combined with a cold track can be verrry entertaining.

By the end of the event I thought that every corner could be four wheel drifted, and hanging the tial out at Oak Tree was the only way around.

Is there some hidden reason why they call slicks that name???

March 12: 58 degrees and sunny
March 13: 63 degrees with warm westerly breezes.

I think a more positive approach to the weather should be adopted. Then again, I've run A032r's in the "slush" at Lime Rock.. its all fun :D