Foam vs. Rubber for big races
01-30-2003, 07:07 PM
#1
Foam vs. Rubber for big races
It seems as if the electric touring segment is being dominated by foam tire races. Do you think this is good or bad? Why or why not?
I'll give my personal opinion. I think it is a good thing that more and more races are going to foam over rubber. Racing is closer and faster and people dont have to worry about their car sliding around. Because of the significant amount of grip foam has over rubber, racers can concentrate more on improving their driving than working with handling problems. Also with foam, the tires dont change. Sure you can true them down and your car might become a bit more twitchy, but the traction of the tire stays consistent from run to run, lap to lap. Rubber tires heat up during races and traction fluctuates.
I'll give my personal opinion. I think it is a good thing that more and more races are going to foam over rubber. Racing is closer and faster and people dont have to worry about their car sliding around. Because of the significant amount of grip foam has over rubber, racers can concentrate more on improving their driving than working with handling problems. Also with foam, the tires dont change. Sure you can true them down and your car might become a bit more twitchy, but the traction of the tire stays consistent from run to run, lap to lap. Rubber tires heat up during races and traction fluctuates.
01-30-2003, 08:09 PM
#2
This is true, I made the switch to foams and lap times drop by two sec.
01-30-2003, 08:28 PM
#4
at my local track we had a 12 turn rubber class going one seaon normally we run foam's but a couple of the guy's one being the president decided we would have a rubber controlled motor class we ran it for three meet's then a big group of us guy's whent back to open so there was 3 left in rubber mod then next week everyone followed the craze(except the presidet) whent back to open it was so bad trying to run properly on rubber we all whent back to foam's oh my god my car is fast now 
01-30-2003, 09:01 PM
#5
I prefer rubber. Driving one of these things should be a challenge, and in most cases, rubber tires make it a challenge. Foams are a nice diversion for awhile, but I'm always ready to go back to rubber afterwards.
01-30-2003, 09:19 PM
#7
After the Novak race I have a new opinoin on rubber tires. I think it is 2 expensive to be a top notch rubber tire racer. You may all dissagree but inorder to be fast a set of tires is only good for about 5 -8 runs (this is with the cs-27 handout tire) Yes your car will handle but it won't be as fast it is as simple as that and if you can not see it in your lap times you are not good enought to be considered a top notch driver.
With the foams your car is always the same new one's won't do any better than older ones (as long as they are not chunked or anything wrong with them) You can get many many runs on them. I have been practicing with foams and I can't believe I didn't try it sooner. Another thing I personally am tired of people hitting my car by accident and then telling me their car broke traction or some B.S. like that and that does not happen as much with foams its just plain better racing because everyones car handles better and is eaiser to drive.
Weaponx as for the 1/12 scale coment you know I like my 1/12 but don't knock the touring cars with foam's until you try it. 1/12 isn't any cheaper the tires cost the same amount the only thing that is cheaper is the bodies. I think being a 1/12 scale guy yourself you would like the foams on the touring car............
With the foams your car is always the same new one's won't do any better than older ones (as long as they are not chunked or anything wrong with them) You can get many many runs on them. I have been practicing with foams and I can't believe I didn't try it sooner. Another thing I personally am tired of people hitting my car by accident and then telling me their car broke traction or some B.S. like that and that does not happen as much with foams its just plain better racing because everyones car handles better and is eaiser to drive.
Weaponx as for the 1/12 scale coment you know I like my 1/12 but don't knock the touring cars with foam's until you try it. 1/12 isn't any cheaper the tires cost the same amount the only thing that is cheaper is the bodies. I think being a 1/12 scale guy yourself you would like the foams on the touring car............
01-30-2003, 09:27 PM
#8
batteries are also cheaper on 12th scale. and as far as rubber tires not being as fast im still running the same tires from the novak race and my lap times are still good actually as fast as the fastest lap times posted on tuesday that is when the driver is driving properly.
01-31-2003, 04:16 AM
#9
Hi,
Just my 2 cents.... I have almost always used rubber.. I learnt to drive with them and now thats just about all I use... I like the fact that they are a little loose and my driving style has developed to suit.. My lines may not be as tight as some but its great to watch my car 4 wheel drift around a corner with the control I have developed.. I am not saying I am a great driver but I have just learn't to drive my car like this and I like it...
Steevo
Just my 2 cents.... I have almost always used rubber.. I learnt to drive with them and now thats just about all I use... I like the fact that they are a little loose and my driving style has developed to suit.. My lines may not be as tight as some but its great to watch my car 4 wheel drift around a corner with the control I have developed.. I am not saying I am a great driver but I have just learn't to drive my car like this and I like it...
Steevo
01-31-2003, 06:06 AM
#10
Weaponx, As for batteries being cheaper for 1/12 yes they kinda are as for the packs themselves but you have to buy them more often so I thought it was a toss up. And to be quite frank about it their is no way you are getting the potential out of your car with tires that old on it. Yes you will get it around the track and for club racing its fine but if you read the title of this thread it is for big races not your everyday club bashing session. And if you want to do well at a big race you will have to purchase many more sets of rubber tires than foam and that will cost you more it's easy to see you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out.
I guess for everyday club racing rubber tires are cheaper because you can run them until they fall apart and for club racing 1/2 a second is not that big a deal anyways. But for big races I am all for foams........
I guess for everyday club racing rubber tires are cheaper because you can run them until they fall apart and for club racing 1/2 a second is not that big a deal anyways. But for big races I am all for foams........
Last edited by KINGZJ; 01-31-2003 at 06:09 AM.
01-31-2003, 08:34 AM
#11
I had a firmly set belief that rubber was better than foam, until I ran some this winter. The car is simply more fun to drive with the foams. You can actually see every set up change you make taking effect because you know its not just the tires wearing out or not being heated up enough or heated up too much. Now, this opinion is held really just for the indoor racing I've done this winter.
Once back outside, I will probably be just as happy to run on rubber. But, after this winter, my opinion has definitely changed about foams.
Once back outside, I will probably be just as happy to run on rubber. But, after this winter, my opinion has definitely changed about foams.
01-31-2003, 03:08 PM
#12
Good points darkseid, i agree with you 100%. I think foam tires allow you to run as fast as the fastest guys if you have the HP and the car setup, and most importantly the driving skill. Factory guys at a big race get as many sets of handout rubber tires as possible and they only use each for one or two runs a piece. Whereas the average joe racer may not be able to afford that because he doesn't get them for free. Foam tires are the same issue but you need much less of them to compete...you could run only 2 sets for a race as long as you don't chunk both. I just think foams make racing better, for club racing and big races.
01-31-2003, 03:36 PM
#13
As far as being as fast as the fastest guys with foams that aint happening, just because your running foam. And as far as guys racing foams at the big races I am willing to bet they are putting a new set on every run or every other run also( I saw the amount of foam tires some of the local racers who are going to the Snowbirds are taking and trust me a new set is going on for every run), and as far as the average joe racer not being able to run a new set of tires every run or every other run because of cost thats an excuse it is not going to make a difference to average racers. I ran one set of tires at the Novak race, if I would have put a new set on for the mains would it have made a difference, NO. If you are a good driver you are going to do well on either foam tires or rubber tires. And again if you are going to run foams because they are faster WHY run a four wheel drive car. Just ran a two wheel drive straight axle pan car, tenth scale or twelveth scale.