Revised USAC spec tire rule

Racerrob · 10/30/07, 1:34 PM

I was informed by an attendee of the Vegas race that USAC allowed the Hoosier F-55 compound to be used on the RR instead of the mandated DT-3. The F-55 is a much harder compound and its use was allowed due to track conditions. The problem was that since the DT-3 is the spec tire and is stated as so on the USAC sprint car entry blanks very few teams had one available. The Hoosier tire truck also had none available as the DT-3 is the spec tire!

Any guesses as to the compound of Daren Hagen's RR?

I addressed my concern to USAC in an email and received in part this response: "Anyone may use the F-55 at anytime. This option has been in effect for several years. Conditions dictate the use of this optional tire. There was an oversite by me to include this on entry blanks in the past. This will be corrected in the future."

So all teams be advised that F-55s may be used at anytime. I will be boarding my flight Thursday morning with 2 F-55s as checked luggage. :rolleyes:

Rob Hoffman

D.O. · 10/30/07, 1:50 PM

Seems to be some grey area????

Offy22 · 10/30/07, 2:09 PM

Lets just make the F-55's the spec tire. They don't fold well for air travel.

Seadog · 10/30/07, 3:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racerrob

I was informed by an attendee of the Vegas race that USAC allowed the Hoosier F-55 compound to be used on the RR instead of the mandated DT-3. The F-55 is a much harder compound and its use was allowed due to track conditions. The problem was that since the DT-3 is the spec tire and is stated as so on the USAC sprint car entry blanks very few teams had one available. The Hoosier tire truck also had none available as the DT-3 is the spec tire!

Any guesses as to the compound of Daren Hagen's RR?

I addressed my concern to USAC in an email and received in part this response: "Anyone may use the F-55 at anytime. This option has been in effect for several years. Conditions dictate the use of this optional tire. There was an oversite by me to include this on entry blanks in the past. This will be corrected in the future."

So all teams be advised that F-55s may be used at anytime. I will be boarding my flight Thursday morning with 2 F-55s as checked luggage. :rolleyes:

Rob Hoffman

Rob, is that a tire rule just for CRA or does that apply to national sprints also?

Racerrob · 10/30/07, 4:13 PM

For National Sprints as well. If I knew that the F-55 was an option, I would have carried it (and I would have thought that Hoosier would have carried it as well!).

I have only blistered the DT-3 twice this season, in the heat and feature at Kamp, otherwise I have been quite satisfied with the tire.

My eyewitness at Vegas said that the guys that popped tires were really abusing them while there was a second pack of guys that were driving more like a dirt SC race...keeping the car straight and not smoking the tires in order to finish the entire 30 laps. That stratedgy went out the window when USAC flagged the race at 20 laps!!

I know it is a sprint race but you should reward the drivers with the smarts and skill not to roast the tires off the car over the scheduled distance.

Rob Hoffman

Kirk Spridgeon · 10/30/07, 4:29 PM

The drivers and teams were told before the race that it was cut to 25 laps. I'm not sure when they decided to cut the rest, and I'm not even sure the race made it to 20 laps.

No matter what any of those guys tell you, no one was going to touch Darren Hagen. He barely showed any tire smoke all night and was still driving away from them. They had a great car and he drove it smooth and straight. Darland was pretty good in that regard, also. I'm not sure another 5-10 laps would have made a huge difference in the finish up front.

The tire deal baffles me. I really can't believe all that went on, but I also can't believe that USAC wasn't ready going into Vegas, knowing the history of track conditions there.

This should not be a problem whatsoever at Perris this weekend....

Racerrob · 10/30/07, 5:06 PM

Spridge,

While I cannot attest to how good Daren's car was that night, I can tell you 100% for sure that Hagen had one of the few F-55s at the track. On a rubber down race track that is the tire you want for a sprint car.

Rob Hoffman

ossuks · 10/31/07, 8:25 AM

Why cut laps? That seems to be going on alot here lately. If the event is sch. for 30 then run 30, if someone burns there **** up, oh well, someone won't!

Racerrob-did you get "out thunk" by DH's team-or-bad info from an official?

If the info was bad, is that a National rule or just Western USAC rules?

Racerrob · 10/31/07, 11:34 AM

We weren't running.

I had never heard that the F-55 was an alternate allowed tire. It is not in the rule book nor did we receive a technical bulletin during the year stating that it would be allowed.

But after directly emailing USAC, I received, in part, the response I posted above whereby it is now and has always been allowed.

I guess it is just one of those super secret rules and proceedures they have that are not published anywhere but the competitors are expected to know!!

Rob Hoffman

Pat O'Connor Fan · 10/31/07, 12:45 PM

Perhaps that is somewhat akin to "getting the call" in NAPCAR ?

10/30/07, 1:34 PM	#1 Revised USAC spec tire rule
Racerrob Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 237	I was informed by an attendee of the Vegas race that USAC allowed the Hoosier F-55 compound to be used on the RR instead of the mandated DT-3. The F-55 is a much harder compound and its use was allowed due to track conditions. The problem was that since the DT-3 is the spec tire and is stated as so on the USAC sprint car entry blanks very few teams had one available. The Hoosier tire truck also had none available as the DT-3 is the spec tire! Any guesses as to the compound of Daren Hagen's RR? I addressed my concern to USAC in an email and received in part this response: "Anyone may use the F-55 at anytime. This option has been in effect for several years. Conditions dictate the use of this optional tire. There was an oversite by me to include this on entry blanks in the past. This will be corrected in the future." So all teams be advised that F-55s may be used at anytime. I will be boarding my flight Thursday morning with 2 F-55s as checked luggage. :rolleyes: Rob Hoffman

10/30/07, 1:50 PM	#2 Re: Revised USAC spec tire rule
D.O. Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,915	Seems to be some grey area????

10/30/07, 2:09 PM	#3 Re: Revised USAC spec tire rule
Offy22 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 126	Lets just make the F-55's the spec tire. They don't fold well for air travel.

10/30/07, 4:13 PM	#5 Re: Revised USAC spec tire rule
Racerrob Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 237	For National Sprints as well. If I knew that the F-55 was an option, I would have carried it (and I would have thought that Hoosier would have carried it as well!). I have only blistered the DT-3 twice this season, in the heat and feature at Kamp, otherwise I have been quite satisfied with the tire. My eyewitness at Vegas said that the guys that popped tires were really abusing them while there was a second pack of guys that were driving more like a dirt SC race...keeping the car straight and not smoking the tires in order to finish the entire 30 laps. That stratedgy went out the window when USAC flagged the race at 20 laps!! I know it is a sprint race but you should reward the drivers with the smarts and skill not to roast the tires off the car over the scheduled distance. Rob Hoffman

10/30/07, 4:29 PM	#6 Re: Revised USAC spec tire rule
Kirk Spridgeon Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 802	The drivers and teams were told before the race that it was cut to 25 laps. I'm not sure when they decided to cut the rest, and I'm not even sure the race made it to 20 laps. No matter what any of those guys tell you, no one was going to touch Darren Hagen. He barely showed any tire smoke all night and was still driving away from them. They had a great car and he drove it smooth and straight. Darland was pretty good in that regard, also. I'm not sure another 5-10 laps would have made a huge difference in the finish up front. The tire deal baffles me. I really can't believe all that went on, but I also can't believe that USAC wasn't ready going into Vegas, knowing the history of track conditions there. This should not be a problem whatsoever at Perris this weekend....

10/30/07, 5:06 PM	#7 Re: Revised USAC spec tire rule
Racerrob Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 237	Spridge, While I cannot attest to how good Daren's car was that night, I can tell you 100% for sure that Hagen had one of the few F-55s at the track. On a rubber down race track that is the tire you want for a sprint car. Rob Hoffman

10/31/07, 8:25 AM	#8 Re: Revised USAC spec tire rule
ossuks Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 986	Why cut laps? That seems to be going on alot here lately. If the event is sch. for 30 then run 30, if someone burns there **** up, oh well, someone won't! Racerrob-did you get "out thunk" by DH's team-or-bad info from an official? If the info was bad, is that a National rule or just Western USAC rules?

10/31/07, 11:34 AM	#9 Re: Revised USAC spec tire rule
Racerrob Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 237	We weren't running. I had never heard that the F-55 was an alternate allowed tire. It is not in the rule book nor did we receive a technical bulletin during the year stating that it would be allowed. But after directly emailing USAC, I received, in part, the response I posted above whereby it is now and has always been allowed. I guess it is just one of those super secret rules and proceedures they have that are not published anywhere but the competitors are expected to know!! Rob Hoffman

10/31/07, 12:45 PM	#10 Re: Revised USAC spec tire rule
Pat O'Connor Fan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 8,029	Perhaps that is somewhat akin to "getting the call" in NAPCAR ?