Sterling Doc wrote:


Yes 100% correct.

I figure you have at best 2 weekends (3 sessions per day over 4 days) from R888 before they are cycled out. Maybe you can get 3 more heat cycles, but they have probably given up by then. If you are really really lucky maybe you can 3 weekends. So unless some one has two sets of brand new R888 they have never runing going into 2010 they will not last past the 3 weekend transition period.


Now as for the R888's sucking...

Well two points.

1) Lap time vs Lap Time I don't believe they suck. Full tread vs full tread (or even 4/32 shave RA-1) The R888 are better. However is a worn down old RA-1 which is hard to beat and is clearly faster than a similarly worn R888. New R888 vs worn RA-1. Toss up if you adjust for the what is needed on the R888

2) Life is the big kicker. First set of RA-1 I got 48 heat cycles before I tossed them! After that pushing very very hard I was down in the 30 heat cycle range and then in the solid mid-upper 20's. With R888 anything past 12 is questionable. Maybe 15 is ok, maybe 16, but as far as 20 HC? Tough to stay they stick well.

So there is the issue. Running hard and up front beating the snot out the tires on RA-1 and I would easily still get 24+ heat cycles form full tread or 4/32 shave before they got slow. Trying all I can on R888 it seems like past 12-15 and time start to drop off enough so competing is hard. For a budget class that just won't work.

Thank fully NASA realized that despite the R888 being touted as "progress" it failed on the key reason the RA-1 was so popular. Long consistant usable life span. We run spec tires so overall lap times are not relivant, but having a tire that can last multiple weekends and still provide solid lap times thoughout that life is critical to ensuring reasonable operating costs. Once operating costs go sky high racers don't come out and race.


Now as for who will be fast at Natinoal and what tire?

The fast guys will have following
1) High level of skill - the fast guys at your home track have the edge since they are already fast

2) Know the track either by learning it fast or prior knowledge

3) Car dialed in for Miller

4) Car working to its maximum

5) tires at their optimum grip during their lifespan. Even the RA-1 has a sweet spot for max grip.

i don't know how it was intended to read, but the way i read it is Jan1, 2010 and a 3 week(end) grace period. that takes us to jan22, 2010? Did they mean 3 RACE weekend grace period into 2010? that would be more like april or may until we could no longer use the r-888. even this will hurt people who aren't out there every possible race weekend.

p.s. at my home track, thunderhill, my all time unbeatable single lap(i thought) of 2:11.2(in qualifying, with worn ra-1s) was eclipsed earlier this year(by me in qualifying, worn r-888s, 2:09.2) two seconds faster. same car, same driver, cooler track conditions. r-888s can definitely do a faster lap, but i agree that they go away faster both in the session and over the tire's life. I also never found that they were very grippy at the beginning of the tire's(r-888) life. Ra-1s, simple back to a driver's series sounds good to me.

It is the first 3 race weekends for your region.