Welcome to the carpet Billy! You did great for your first time out. FWIW, there will always be missiles out there even in the same class, that's just the way it is. Hope you get out again soon!

The Orland Park HT isn't running this summer?

So that's a good question. Traction compound softens the rubber of the tire, when used heavily it can really change the tire. I (along with many people) use it in the last couple minutes before a race. To directly answer your question, if you don't use it, your cars tires will take many laps to get up to temperature and working well. With tire sauce, half a lap, or a lap, and my car is running "right". Without, it can be a solid 5 laps, if I am driving ok, before the car starts to work right.

Like several others here, I am also new to USGT...so new, in fact, that I haven't purchased a chassis...yet...I started with a list of 6 possibilities, which I've narrowed down to 3 (although new "recommendations" have been coming in from others at my LHS). Currently, my other vehicles are all off-road.

Anyway, while I am taking the time to read the all 575 pages of this thread, one thing I've noticed about the class is that there's been a few changes since the class started. Complicating matters is that the ROAR Rulebook isn't exactly up-to-date, and locating the latest info for certain classes can prove "problematic" (case in point, the dissolved 'truggy' & 'stadium truck' classes, as well as the somewhat disorganized Rulebook, which, for the most part, haven't been officially updated since 2013).

WhileI don't mind going through all 575 pages, as I'm also interested in how the class has evolved (NOT that I plan on reading every word of every post), there is certain to be others who either don't have the time, won't take the time and/or don't have the patience to go through 575 pages. For those people (and, to a small degree, for myself, as well), is it possible for someone extremely familiar with ALL the rules for this class to post the most recent rules covering everything one needs to know?

While most classes allow racers their choice of rim, tire, motor, chassis, body, etc, the USGT class is very specific about certain things (ie. tires), and those who are looking to get into the class (any class, actually) would prefer to have easily-recognisable, and easily-obtainable, information, so as to determine if a class is for them. While I've already made the decision to join, even without knowing all the rules, others could get "scared away" purely on the fact that finding all the current rules can be difficult, if not near-impossible. It's primarily for those people that I ask someone to post a complete list of the most recent rules.

Rules
 

www.usvintagetransam.com
You will find the rules there.

Even that list is somewhat outdated, having been last updated almost two years ago. One example would be the bodies, as there are bodies listed that have since been discontinued, and there are newer bodies (such as Bittydesign's AGATA) that aren't on the list.

I completely understand about the AGATA...I was only using that body because I knew it was just released, & knew it (probably) wouldn't be on the list yet. But, there are other bodies that have been released since 2017 that are not on the list.

More importantly, there have been other changes made, most notably a "ROAR-approved motor", Spec ESC, and only one specific tire. Using the tire & wheel as an example, when the class was started, any 24mm or 26mm wheel & tire could be used. Now, only one specific tire is allowed (for which I can't seem to find any info on, especially width), yet any 24mm or 26mm wheel is still allowed. If people are unable to locate any info on the tire, that makes it somewhat difficult in choosing a wheel. Additionally, it leads me to wonder why a specific width wheel wasn't made mandatory, as different width tires & wheels, when paired up, can create different "problems".

Now, if the required tire happened to be available in both 24mm & 26mm widths, it would make sense...but, as far as I've been able to determine, the "required tire" is made in only one width, and only one tread pattern, which brings up another question - track surfaces. Typically, there are tires that are designed for on-road carpet, and there are on-road asphalt tires...but, with only one approved tire, how does this work? I know of tracks that have USGT class & carpet, but I also know of tracks with USGT & asphalt. Having off-road vehicles, I know enough to never use a carpet tire on clay/dirt, and visa-versa. I have two particular wheels currently in mind, but since there's no info on the tire, I don't know if it will fit my wheel choices.