Toyo's only was at an SCCA event this weekend, so I couldn't get ahold of him. I think Nick may be interested in your tires!

rlofgren wrote:


That is my point Rick, thanks!


Nick,
I can understand the worry being a shop an needing to support your guys. As for using last years tires to start a new season... Well that is not an issue because don't we all do that. I never distingish between "last years" tires and this years tires. I simply record all my heat cycles and run them till they cycle out. I end up running most tires for no more than 1 calendar year, but that year often spans 2 seasons.

As Rick clearly stated the key issue short term is how many tires are in the USA. It may take 2-3 months for a production stop on the RA-1 to actually impact us here. Frankly I don't know. I don't know what the season long implication for RA-1 supply will be. However lets not get in a panic yet. Like I said earlier we need to know the current supply of tires in the USA and any intranist from Japan. There may well be a shortage, but I can't say when that will hit.

Toyo is the spec tire producer for not just our class as well so I bet there other classes who go through tires faster than us in same or worse position. So I suggest letting John Lindsey work the issue. My thinking is that we have some supply of tires in the US today. Enough to last a few months. Then their could be supply shortage that will impact all toyo spec classes at different times. John is probably right now working on solution for all the NASA spec toyo classes.

So consider short term needs right now and tell all your guys to make sure you keep your tires for as long as possible. If they can get an extra heat cycle or two great do it. Otherwise sit tight and buy only the tires you need.

Update from John Lindsey - makes it clear where we are at now:



So we will have tires for the short term, soon.

We will need options for later this year.
Options are being considered. Stay tuned. My advice is to get RA-1's while you can.

yeah ive tried ordering tires from a couple different places now and no one had them- national back order they said.

Phils Tires has tires in transit from the port, and is taking orders. for out size RA-1's. I ordered a set today.

There is always the stock of 225/50/15 R888s that Toyo still sells. I think Toyo's requirement was to use their tires so that is an option. We can also run the 205 sized tires as Eric and several others tested them and since SM has a lot greater demand there might be a bigger supply of those also. It gives us Toyo tires but might require redoing alignments, etc. Just food for thought.