By Phil Burgess, NHRA Online
4/1/2000
By an overwhelming margin of more than 99 percent, top race teams on the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series report that they prefer to mount their biggest, widest tires on the rear of their race vehicles. Additionally, race teams expressed an almost fanatical preference for round tires.
These conclusions are the result of a poll of 2,000 race teams in all classes of NHRA competition conducted during the season's first three races, and defines a trend that is not expected to reverse itself unless the cars do.
Nowhere is the trend toward big rear tires more prevalent than in the high-horsepower Top Fuel and Funny Car classes, which place a premium on traction.
"We tried it the other way, but it just didn't work for us," said Cy Dwalls, a crewmember on a highly-ranked Top Fuel team. "I'm not saying it won't work, it's just that our combination is built around getting maximum weight transfer to the rear.
"I do think it might stop better than any other car," he added after a moment's thought.
Comp eliminator racer Phil D'Withaire noted that even in his category, known for its innovative nature, big slicks up front are a losing proposition. "Oh, sure, it'll give you a lot of rollout, but there's just no way those big meats are gonna slice through the air, and we just can't get them little bicycle tires to stick all the power we got when we put 'em out back."
Among the minority were several owners of front-wheel-drive Stock eliminator cars, who routinely turn their noses up at the "ancient" rear-drive configuration anyway.
"Hey, did anyone look lately?" groused one disgruntled owner of an FF/SA Horizon. "My calendar says it's 2000. Rear-drivers are so '90s."
Tire manufacturers also applauded the teams' commitment to and desire for their round products over other geometric shapes.
"We've poured a lot of research and development time and money into the classic round design," said tire-industry expert Ray Deehl. "It's very gratifying because the round shape was not the first design; we, of course, had that rocky period with the oval-shaped tires and I'd just as soon not discuss the 'Square Years' unless I have to."
Comments on this story? Write to us at [email protected]
4/1/2000
By an overwhelming margin of more than 99 percent, top race teams on the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series report that they prefer to mount their biggest, widest tires on the rear of their race vehicles. Additionally, race teams expressed an almost fanatical preference for round tires.
These conclusions are the result of a poll of 2,000 race teams in all classes of NHRA competition conducted during the season's first three races, and defines a trend that is not expected to reverse itself unless the cars do.
Nowhere is the trend toward big rear tires more prevalent than in the high-horsepower Top Fuel and Funny Car classes, which place a premium on traction.
"We tried it the other way, but it just didn't work for us," said Cy Dwalls, a crewmember on a highly-ranked Top Fuel team. "I'm not saying it won't work, it's just that our combination is built around getting maximum weight transfer to the rear.
"I do think it might stop better than any other car," he added after a moment's thought.
Comp eliminator racer Phil D'Withaire noted that even in his category, known for its innovative nature, big slicks up front are a losing proposition. "Oh, sure, it'll give you a lot of rollout, but there's just no way those big meats are gonna slice through the air, and we just can't get them little bicycle tires to stick all the power we got when we put 'em out back."
Among the minority were several owners of front-wheel-drive Stock eliminator cars, who routinely turn their noses up at the "ancient" rear-drive configuration anyway.
"Hey, did anyone look lately?" groused one disgruntled owner of an FF/SA Horizon. "My calendar says it's 2000. Rear-drivers are so '90s."
Tire manufacturers also applauded the teams' commitment to and desire for their round products over other geometric shapes.
"We've poured a lot of research and development time and money into the classic round design," said tire-industry expert Ray Deehl. "It's very gratifying because the round shape was not the first design; we, of course, had that rocky period with the oval-shaped tires and I'd just as soon not discuss the 'Square Years' unless I have to."
Comments on this story? Write to us at [email protected]
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