7 replies to this topic

[redracer7]

This is my first post but i feel it may be important. I talked to Larry Boos at the UNOH shootout and i asked him about maybe going to dirt tires for stock cars in the 2013 season. When i asked, his reasoning to me was that he was affraid that the tires would put more power to the track and make the fast cars faster, for the stock cars and he was affraid that we could not handle it. Well i think that Barney Craig made it clear at the Blue Collar Bash that dirt tires will not put more power to the track and make the fast cars even faster. He was on DOT tires all sunday afternoon and beat cars with Hoosiers. I feel as if that proved a point that the hoosiers will not put to much power to the track. So why cant we go to them? For one i have never seen a Hoosier explode like a DOT does, the cost of a Hoosier is cheaper than a DOT, and maybe they would allow more traction for the cars that would result in less spins and more car control for the drivers. They also give a driver and crew more of an option when it comes to the race as in choosing which compound they would want for that race. Plus two tracks have already made the change and that would limit the expense on teams for they would not have to buy Hoosiers and DOT tires every season and they would not have to buy more rims for both types of tires and exchange tires from the trailor every morning to race both tracks. Just my opionion. Thanks: Jordan Conover

[kartracer229]

and make it like lima and waynesfield have it, you still can run your DOT's, but under the same DOT rules (no recaps), and allow the D,A,H hoosiers (same as UMP). Ive got tires in the shop at are 2+ years old, and we are still running them. Id love to be on new tires, but I can almost bet you that most of my DOT's would have chunked, exploded, or went flat by now. DOT's were not meant for racing, let alone the high speeds of eldora. Its not a factor of making them faster, I believe its a factor of safety, and it does provide slightly more bite to allow some new guys some "error". Right now your one of the last tracks on DOT's, which means I have to have an extra set of those mounted up, which costs me money, as we do not get to eldora often. I can tell you right now though, if hoosiers were allowed, we would visit more, and so would other cars. Its hard to find a used DOT tire suitable enough to race with, hoosiers are basically a dime a dozen, and 90% of the time, mod drivers sell them so cheap its rediculous, or simply give them away. The fast guys are always going to be fast. If you worried about going "faster", then maybe you shouldnt be in the racing business, because I believe all racers strive to go "just a little bit faster". FWIW, Erik Wolleson

[Dr. Speedy]

Totally agree, they are safer at high speeds. And someone is selling them at the tracks all the time. Keep pushing them, they will cave sooner or later. But do it gently.

[graciedog]

While watching the stock car portion of the bash it was evident to me that reguardless what brand of tire Barney had on his car, he was the true compitetion regardless of the tire brand. Now with that said, I would support the use of either DOT or Hoosiers at Eldora. The reasoning behind keeping the DOTs has been expressed to me as one of the ways to keep the Stock class Stock. I know, don't laugh. I thought the same thing. Now, to comment on the exploding DOT's, spinning/car control. We have raced at Eldora for 12 years and have never had a DOT tire explode, spin off the rim or even go flat while racing. The only time we have suffered a flat is when in a wreck something punctured the tire. That number can be counted on one hand. So we are ok with DOTs. My opinion on the spin factor, I believe that the guys who are always spinning will spin reguardless of what tire is on the car. Considering the spins that happen at Eldora it is my belief it is the driver not the tire. If that is a real problem then Larry needs to put them in the pits if the spins keep happening. They will learn not to drive over their head next time. Same opinion with car control. Most the time the problem happens when driving over their talent/experence and again I doubt the Hooser tire will help that. So I would say go ahead and allow the Hoosers or DOTs with hopes that the car count will increase for 2013. I predict nothing will change. Shirley P

[redracer7]

I do agree with all of you in some categories but i would have to say that Erik raises a good point on the fact that if you want to race there you have to have teh extra tires and you cant buy them any cheaper than a hoosier. And there is not many people that sells a used DOT tire out there that will handle the abuse these cars put on them being that they are the heaviest cars on the track. And as for exploding i would say that Barney is very lucky that he has his car and tires to where they wont do that but that also has to do with how Barney drives. He is a vetaran of that track and he can enter his car into the corners and put the least amount of abuse on the tires as possible as to where other drivers cant do that. All drivers have there own driving style and that also figures into it. If someone elnters the corner a car width lower and slides into the cushion every lap his tires will take more of a beating than someone such as Barney entering right on the cushion and as smoth as possible. Jordan Conover

[Dr. Speedy]

I think it is a toss up. But Barney Craig could drive a tractor and win anywhere LOL. He's a good guy as well as a good driver. Radial tires can be ungodly high priced tires if you get a good speed rated tire. But I don't think they were meant to take the abuse that dirt gives them. When Tim Cornett had the stock car, he had the layers of a new radial mastercraft come of and all that was left was the layer that held air. Whereas a Hoosier would have probably just blown out. I just think Hoosiers would take the abuse better. JMO

[Rockstar]

I know many people have been talking about wanting to run race tires at Eldora. The last couple years I've heard numerous drivers say "if they would let us run race tires, I would run there". I do think that the Blue Collar Bash was an opportunity for those who say these things to go to Eldora and run the HOMETRACK stock class, in which you claimed your hometrack, and show them that they would come and run. Unfortunately, it looked like the couple local guys that were there are guys that run there all year long anyway. I know that you can buy used tires from the mod guys but don't you think there are always going to be the few that will buy NEW (which is their choice). I do agree that if Barney was running his DOT tires he showed them that doesn't make a difference.

[Dirtracer48]

I know many people have been talking about wanting to run race tires at Eldora. The last couple years I've heard numerous drivers say "if they would let us run race tires, I would run there". I do think that the Blue Collar Bash was an opportunity for those who say these things to go to Eldora and run the HOMETRACK stock class, in which you claimed your hometrack, and show them that they would come and run. Unfortunately, it looked like the couple local guys that were there are guys that run there all year long anyway.

I know that you can buy used tires from the mod guys but don't you think there are always going to be the few that will buy NEW (which is their choice). I do agree that if Barney was running his DOT tires he showed them that doesn't make a difference.

BCB happened at the end of the season when the season was over for most people. I also didn't want to be there for two days in the cold...but it was a pretty cool event I will strongly consider next year.

It DOES make a difference being on dirt tires, but primarily on a slicker track, and I am guessing the smaller the track the more effective they would be to a traction advantage. I had lots of DOT tires chunk out, but maybe I was doing something wrong.

Anyone who is worried about the cost needs to talk to some people, and learn how to care for the tires. When Waynesfield first allowed Hoosiers, I had a bit of a hard time buying used....which caused me to buy 3 new tires at the beginning of the season in 2011. I have not bought a single one since. Most of what we still have from the past two years will get used again in 2013 due to budget restraints. We always ran up front regardless where we went. Granted they weren't the UMP tire, but I won a feature with tires we literally picked out from a racers pile beside his barn.