6563LikesUSGT
05-23-2019 | 08:18 AM
#8986
At least they aren't nearly as expensive as vta tires. For the price, I just replace mine after 4-5 race days. To the guys that give the facepalms and smart ass comments just for us bringing up tire problems, why even comment? Some of us are new to onroad racing and if we are doing something wrong, we'd like to get some actual advice from more experienced guys on what to do. It doesn't help being a pretentious f***wit. Just my honest opinion as a guy who only started on-road about a year ago, take it for what it's worth...
Last edited by MikeR; 05-23-2019 at 02:59 PM.
05-23-2019 | 10:47 AM
#8990
05-23-2019 | 03:15 PM
#8992
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 8,314
From: Macho Business Donkey Wrestler
Here I will post the story of the USGT tire...
Long ago, in an age before boost timing speed controls, racers searching for "TEH REALZ" came upon RCGT, which HPI introduced to bring a little realism back to sedans. GT or supercar style bodies, 17.5 motors, and treaded HPI tires were mandated by the kindly and wise overlords from HPI. And there was a time of peace and prosperity at the trace track, with little or no bitching, and mostly good times for "funsters". Superstar hot shoe drivers were allowed to race, but only if they agreed to smile while driving.
But then, a terrible plague was visited upon the people. Uncontrollable timing was brought down upon motors, and there was rending of garments, and the smell of burning wire insulation filled the air. Cries of "Phooey!! I quit!!" "That's the 3rd motor this month!!" and "Can I borrow your Hotwire?" echoed across the pit lane. Many X patterns and Super Radials knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the sweeper that day I can tell you. RCGT perished as fast as it materialized.
In the cold of the Midwest, a group of racers who remembered the call of the GT cars decided they could rebuild them again - by going a little slower. Once cast aside 21.5 VTA motors were put to good use, and "any treaded tire" was allowed. Which was good, and bad. Sometimes, super cheap tires could be found that worked, and there was great rejoicing. Some folk chose to run X patterns, as they were known. Others sought out the great wizard who lives atop a mountain in the South, and is only known by the name BUSSE. There, he keeps the great hoard of Pit Shimizu Squiggles. If you can find him, and bring him parts from an Xpress Mike Swauger Edition sedan, he will give you a set of slightly used Pit 35 DJ98 tires on Proline warlock rims. The brutal beatings and 4/10ths a lap advantage over any other tire caused great wailing and gnashing of teeth. And, no, Pit has not made them since 2002.
Then an idea occurred...at the great gathering called "the Scale Nats", a treaded tire which was reasonably priced was found, and given to all the racers. And there was praise, and again, rejoicing. And the USVTA did see that it was Good, and they did find a man who could bring as many tires as needed, and his name was Paulie. And they did cost 24.99 a set, which is $10 less than a set of mounted Solaris tires, and there was math. I was told there would be no math, but here it is anyway. And for those who enjoy glue and all of its fumes and sticking of fingers to tables, unmounted tires are still $14.99 a set and you can buy a set of rims that bring joy to your hum drum existence.
So the point of all this is that we tried to have a tire that is decently priced, and does not heat cycle the same way race tires do. I know everyone will tell me about the 378 runs they got on Jacos or whatever, but the first 5 runs are probably faster than the 373 that come afterward (see? math again). I know the tires have a break in period, and I know they swell. Things have changed since we went to the tires, like black carpet, and SXT red. The reason we went to this was that the HPI tires were getting close to $40 for a set built up, and not a super incredible life span. That, and the possibility of guys digging up odd ball stuff with a big advantage was not going to help grow the class.
At the same time, I'm not sure what changing tires would help in the long term. Half of the time, I hear the regular sedan guys exclaiming whatever tire they are forced to run at what ever race "sucks". I'm sure if things changed, whatever was brought in would "suck".
Long ago, in an age before boost timing speed controls, racers searching for "TEH REALZ" came upon RCGT, which HPI introduced to bring a little realism back to sedans. GT or supercar style bodies, 17.5 motors, and treaded HPI tires were mandated by the kindly and wise overlords from HPI. And there was a time of peace and prosperity at the trace track, with little or no bitching, and mostly good times for "funsters". Superstar hot shoe drivers were allowed to race, but only if they agreed to smile while driving.
But then, a terrible plague was visited upon the people. Uncontrollable timing was brought down upon motors, and there was rending of garments, and the smell of burning wire insulation filled the air. Cries of "Phooey!! I quit!!" "That's the 3rd motor this month!!" and "Can I borrow your Hotwire?" echoed across the pit lane. Many X patterns and Super Radials knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the sweeper that day I can tell you. RCGT perished as fast as it materialized.
In the cold of the Midwest, a group of racers who remembered the call of the GT cars decided they could rebuild them again - by going a little slower. Once cast aside 21.5 VTA motors were put to good use, and "any treaded tire" was allowed. Which was good, and bad. Sometimes, super cheap tires could be found that worked, and there was great rejoicing. Some folk chose to run X patterns, as they were known. Others sought out the great wizard who lives atop a mountain in the South, and is only known by the name BUSSE. There, he keeps the great hoard of Pit Shimizu Squiggles. If you can find him, and bring him parts from an Xpress Mike Swauger Edition sedan, he will give you a set of slightly used Pit 35 DJ98 tires on Proline warlock rims. The brutal beatings and 4/10ths a lap advantage over any other tire caused great wailing and gnashing of teeth. And, no, Pit has not made them since 2002.
Then an idea occurred...at the great gathering called "the Scale Nats", a treaded tire which was reasonably priced was found, and given to all the racers. And there was praise, and again, rejoicing. And the USVTA did see that it was Good, and they did find a man who could bring as many tires as needed, and his name was Paulie. And they did cost 24.99 a set, which is $10 less than a set of mounted Solaris tires, and there was math. I was told there would be no math, but here it is anyway. And for those who enjoy glue and all of its fumes and sticking of fingers to tables, unmounted tires are still $14.99 a set and you can buy a set of rims that bring joy to your hum drum existence.
So the point of all this is that we tried to have a tire that is decently priced, and does not heat cycle the same way race tires do. I know everyone will tell me about the 378 runs they got on Jacos or whatever, but the first 5 runs are probably faster than the 373 that come afterward (see? math again). I know the tires have a break in period, and I know they swell. Things have changed since we went to the tires, like black carpet, and SXT red. The reason we went to this was that the HPI tires were getting close to $40 for a set built up, and not a super incredible life span. That, and the possibility of guys digging up odd ball stuff with a big advantage was not going to help grow the class.
At the same time, I'm not sure what changing tires would help in the long term. Half of the time, I hear the regular sedan guys exclaiming whatever tire they are forced to run at what ever race "sucks". I'm sure if things changed, whatever was brought in would "suck".
What a read....Thanks
oh and soooo on point!
05-24-2019 | 02:55 PM
#9000
Tech Addict
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 669
From: Las Vegas
I'm in agreement with robk. Even though I'm just getting started in USGT, I completely understand the "leveling the playing field" perspective. Yes, we can select from a wide variety of bodies, as well as what chassis we want to run. Yes, we can tune the cars in (almost) any way we want. Yes, we can even choose whether to give a vehicle more of a front, rear, or centered weight bias. But, in limiting other "variables" (ie. motors, ESCs, tires), makes it more about a driver's skills, and less about who can spend the most amount of money tobuild the fastest car, or using a faster 17.5T motor...or about a better-performing and/or longer-lasting tire. Just as in racing 1:1 cars, there are classes that specify certain things, so as to make it about what it's SUPPOSED to be about - the ability of the person behind the wheel. Remember "The Tortoise and The Hare"?