Toyo Price Increase March 1

[David Love AI27]

New question:
Who feels their RA1's (date coded the end of 09 or all of 2010) didn't last as long as their tires from the pre-888 days?

Set I bought 2009 Nats only lasted Nationals

[mitchntx]

For consideration ...

As lap times decrease, tire wear goes up exponentially.

I certainly wouldn't expect consumables to last the same running a 25 at MSR-C as they did when the my FTD was (and still is) a 29.

My $.02

[AllZWay]

I was kind of blaming the excess tire wear on moving to 17's.

I used to easily get 2 to 2-1/2 weekends out of a set, but since I moved to 17's a set shaved to 4/32nds now last 1 to 1-1/2 weekends shaved to the same specs.

[ShadowBolt]

For consideration ...

As lap times decrease, tire wear goes up exponentially.

I certainly wouldn't expect consumables to last the same running a 25 at MSR-C as they did when the my FTD was (and still is) a 29.

My $.02

Keyword....exponentially


JJ

[HoustonNW]

I also think that my new set is wearing a lot faster than the two older sets that I have.

Being the suspicious type, I find it interesting that the increased wear due to lower lap times comes right after the release of the "new" RA1.

Edit to add: The Spec Miata guys are seeing the same thing:

http://nasaforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=39911

[ShadowBolt]

I also think that my new set is wearing a lot faster than the two older sets that I have.

Being the suspicious type, I find it interesting that the increased wear due to lower lap times comes right after the release of the "new" RA1.

Edit to add: The Spec Miata guys are seeing the same thing:

http://nasaforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=39911

Is the softer tire (if it really is) part of the reason for the faster lap times? For weekend racers a tire that would last three events would be great. The tire does not have to be fast if we are all on the same one. $1000.00 per 1.5 events just for tires could run some guys off. Until last year I only bought two sets a year. Of course I was getting five events out of a set of front brake pads and now just two.

JJ

[Adam Ginsberg]

The regional championship was nil for AI because we didn't have 5 starters for more than 80% of the races.

If there aren't enough AI racers at the events, tire choice becomes irrelevant as no contingency is viable.

My comparison specifically listed 5-6 starters. Not 1-3 starters.

[marshall_mosty]

Does any of this REALLY matter?? I don't think NASA is going to sever ties with Toyo for AI anytime soon... Get as much life as you can with camber setting, tire pressure, flipping, praying, whatever...

I ran on take-off scrubs for the last 5 years, so I have NO clue how many weekends I will get on a set of RA1's. With MSR-H being wet, it was kinda hard to measure the wear...

After MSR-C we will see where I am. I'm hoping to get MSR-C and TWS on a set and go into Hallett with a fresh set and have them last until the end of the year... 2 sets over 5 or 6 weekends.

[GlennCMC70]

MSR-C is a bad place to judge tire wear. It is super smooth and easy on tires. The first year I raced CMC, we ran there 3 times (2005), out of 5 weekends, and I got a total of 7 weekends out of a set.