Beware the Rain Tire

[jpietz]

A funny thing happened at Thunderhill last March. It rained. This is unusual in California but that is not what made it interesting.
There were several FC cars on the pace lap. By time we were on the back strait on the pace lap it was pouring. Not having rain tires two of us pulled off. There was a a three or four car pile up after the green in turn one.This led to a red flag. They gave every body 15 minutes to switch to rains and then restarted the race. The car running in P2 spun into the weeds and stayed there for there rest of the race. The guy who was well into the lead was black flagged for sound on the last lap. There were 2 of us left at this point. So they were in impound P1 and P2. Or so we thought. Then it was pointed out that the rain tires on the remaining cars were illegal. They were too wide. The drivers of these cars were unaware that their tires were illegal but that did not matter. So in the end nobody got points for that race.

Moral of the story: Make sure when you get rain tires that they are the right size. Many of us just go to the tire vendor and ask for the rain tire for their FC. Caveat Emptor!!

[DaveW]

The GCR specifies that FC width be measured on the rim at hub height. Were these not SCCA rules?

Or were these tires just not the SCCA spec FC rain tires as required?

[EYERACE]

Rear Hoosier FC rains were made 8 or 9 inch wide in the past.....only the 8 is SCCA Club Racing legal these days. So no need to measure anything, just look at the numbers on the sidewall

[R. Pare]

.

[Steve Demeter]

I believe that width is not as important as having the correct part number stamped into the tires if the spec tire is required in your particular race

[jpietz]

I believe that width is not as important as having the correct part number stamped into the tires if the spec tire is required in your particular race

how do you know what the correct part number is? Is that in the GCR?

[Peter Olivola]

how do you know what the correct part number is? Is that in the GCR?

GCR Pg 221

g. FC shall be limited to the following tires (front tires may not be used as rears):
Dry:
Front – Hoosier 20.5 x 7.0 – 13 R60A compound - 43164R60A
Rear – Hoosier 22.0 x 8.0 – 13 R60A compound – 43285R60A
Wet:
Front – Hoosier 21.0 x 6.5 – 13 W3- 44185W3
Rear – Hoosier 22.0 x 8.0 – 13 W3 – 44196W3

[Lyngengr]

The GCR specifies that FC width be measured on the rim at hub height. Were these not SCCA rules?

Or were these tires just not the SCCA spec FC rain tires as required?

Having been one of the offending cars, the tech people looked at the tire size stamped on the sidewall, and even though mine were Hoosier W3 the size was 22.0 x 9.0 and not 22.0 x 8.0. There is no part number anywhere on the tire, just on the sticker. So, bottom line, when you get new tires, make sure the part number on the sticker matches the GCR. I believe this issue went all the way to SCCA national and Hoosier headquarters, so probably not going to be an issue in the future.

[tahoe z]

Having been one of the offending cars, the tech people looked at the tire size stamped on the sidewall, and even though mine were Hoosier W3 the size was 22.0 x 9.0 and not 22.0 x 8.0. There is no part number anywhere on the tire, just on the sticker. So, bottom line, when you get new tires, make sure the part number on the sticker matches the GCR. I believe this issue went all the way to SCCA national and Hoosier headquarters, so probably not going to be an issue in the future.

My question is why would the tire dealer sell them to you knowing you are racing fc ? I have bought all my tires including rains and mine are 8.o rears from tim at Hoosier west but no part number s on tires so now I know mine are legal but if there were 2 sizes being sold by Hoosier dealers I think results should stand when we buy tires and say spec fc tires. Blame should shift to dealer. Tnis is a spec tire and we are buying from Hoosier dealers that should k ow what they are selling.

[Lyngengr]

My question is why would the tire dealer sell them to you knowing you are racing fc ? I have bought all my tires including rains and mine are 8.o rears from tim at Hoosier west but no part number s on tires so now I know mine are legal but if there were 2 sizes being sold by Hoosier dealers I think results should stand when we buy tires and say spec fc tires. Blame should shift to dealer. Tnis is a spec tire and we are buying from Hoosier dealers that should k ow what they are selling.

The GCR has the part numbers listed for both the slicks and rains. Unfortunately, as I was told by the Stewards, the burden for compliance falls on the competitor, not the supplier. If your rear rains have 22.0 x 8.0 on the sidewall and say Hoosier there is no other way to verify these are the correct tire by you or anyone else. So, when you pick up a set of tires, verify the part numbers on the sticker, that is the only sure way of determining if the tires meet the GCR.

BTW, after initially getting DQ'd we were subsequently reinstated sometime that evening. I suspect there was some serious phone calling between our Stewards, National and Hoosier after the DQ.

[tahoe z]

The GCR has the part numbers listed for both the slicks and rains. Unfortunately, as I was told by the Stewards, the burden for compliance falls on the competitor, not the supplier. If your rear rains have 22.0 x 8.0 on the sidewall and say Hoosier there is no other way to verify these are the correct tire by you or anyone else. So, when you pick up a set of tires, verify the part numbers on the sticker, that is the only sure way of determining if the tires meet the GCR.

BTW, after initially getting DQ'd we were subsequently reinstated sometime that evening. I suspect there was some serious phone calling between our Stewards, National and Hoosier after the DQ.

Good to kn ow mine say 22 / 8.0 at this point I guess there leaves. Got them from Hoosier west they knew they were for fc spec rain tire. Thanks kim