Adam.A on these forums has a online store (
www.rctyres.com.au i think it is, i don't race electric any more so i haven't visted for a while) anyway, he sells sorex tyres at a rate close to that. maybe $6 more or so i think. I don't think many Japanese brands give exclusivity rights for distribution from what i heard so many people can bring in stock and sell it.
if the rules were slightly tweaked to support smaller importers you may find that more companies will import different brands, hence increasing supply and chances of new brands being used and exposed to the market through events. TOP racing has tyres i think. Rod brings them in, just one example of a small guy bringing in a lesser known brand.
i say leave tyres open (but limited to rubbers), and when the finals come around hand out the control tyres to the A finalists. If times are quicker during qualifying with open tyres, then this will shed some light ont he brands and inserts that are quick, hence increasing reputation of the lesser known brand/combo, and hence future events would consider using the tyres. It isn't hard to control at all, infact it is easier to control because you know who has the tyres, and you check them straight away at scrutineering, less chance of tampering etc.
