46 entries only 13 co-driven cars. maybe its because i dont have a ride that i have noticed, but some heavy hitters are driving solo. is the trend towards softer, less durable and heat resistant tires leading to the extinction of the co-driver.

greg obadia
#90as (maybe)

 

I took a co-driver for a couple reasons: cost, another set of eyes on course, another brain to tune. Pretty much in that order of importance.

I can't say about the trend, though. I expect that Saini and Wynveen didn't take co-drivers on purpose, some people just don't like having co-drivers, and some may have lost their co-driver (mine almost skipped Nats). If I had lost my co-driver, I wouldn't be real excited about taking on someone I didn't know as a co-driver. I'd be looking for someone with similar driving habits.

Andy Howe
#170 AS

 

Speaking for myself, yes the heat sensitivity of tires is the reason I don't have a co-driver. Same for Erik Strelnieks in SS, and probably Saini. I thought things were marginal enough last year with the A3S04, and am convinced that a co-driver is a liability with the S05.

That said, my plan going into Topeka is to run on A3S04's, but I wish we were running later in the day. I'll be scrubbing in my last set of sticker S04's this weekend. If its going to be cold, then S05 is the choice.

In theory Hoosier is beginning production of the 225/50-16 A3S05 on Wednesday (tomorrow), with tires at distributors on Friday. That means no time to test unless you're in Peru this weekend, which I am not (by my own choice). Thanks Hoosier!

Steve

 

Steve,

I was told by Jeff Speer that 225/50 S05's would not be available until Tuesday the 6th. So that shoots the "Tune at Peru" scheme. Even so, the theory would be that the 225's on the front would be more sensitive to heat than the 245's on the front.

At any rate, I've gone with the Kumho V710 for a variety of reasons. Among them, I've found the 265/45/16 to be relatively insensitive to dual driving the car... its just harder to get heat into them and easier to get heat out of them. And with the complete lack of testing time for the 225/50/16 Hoosier, I committed myself to the Kumho tires.

Now if the Kumho would slalom worth a crap, I'd feel better about my choice!

Andy H.

 

I lost a really cool co-drive opportunity to concerns about the tires overheating.

The co-drive I did get is on Azenis RT-215s. Not everybody is equally worried about overheating their tires, obviously.

 

Given the rate at which I wear the shoulder on 245's when mounted on the front, I think I get a lot more deflection with the 245 vs 225 when cornering. The tire deflection concentrates the heat in a small area, so it is very possible that the 245 will overheat just as or even more easily than the 225.

I was rather shocked when I corded a front 245 shoulder in 35 runs on Peru concrete on a 39 sec test & tune course. Actually, I was pretty pissed!

Steve

 

Yes. It started with the S04 which, when fresh, would sometimes be fastest on the first of three runs on concrete. Once the need for a tire warmer went away, the value of a co-driver for an experienced racer is limited. The chance of a broken car doubles with a co-driver.

 

I'd be going through a set and a half of fronts each weekend this year if I was using 245's on the front. Wow. I'd be livid, too!

My spare tires for Nationals are V710's with 80 runs on them and lots of tread. Just for comparison's purpose, of course.

 

That's backwards from how it seems to work on the Miata. On the Miata with 15x6" wheels, the 205/50-15 tires last about 40-45 runs before cording on the outside edge. The 225/45-15 tires are so pinched on the rim that the outside shoulder is pulled up away from the pavement and is "protected" from wear and cording. I'm at the equivalent of 40 runs on the 225s and they look like they have plenty of rubber left except for the one that delaminated and lost a thick layer of tread at three different points around the centerline.

I'm debating whether it's worth $200 to buy a replacement so I can finish these off, or chuck them and buy a set of Kumhos for $600.