Veloce Raptor

I am sure this situation is not ideal for CR management either.

M758

I run a spec tire class and I can tell you that driver input is important in determining the spec tire selected. When the tire gets "picked for you" it can leave a bad taste in drivers mouths. Over the past 10 years I have seen the change in 944 spec from when it started in 2002 with a 3 tire allowance (Victoracers, A032R, or RA-1) and moved to RA-1 only. The first hassle was going to RA-1's. The drivers knew nothing of the tire as most were running Victoracers or A032R's. In time we learned to apperciate the Toyo RA-1, but there was alot of grumbling about it and suppsed back room deal talk etc. In the end it was the right tire to choose, but better communication would have spared the pain and part of the efforts of splinter series that has taken years to resolve. Back 4 years ago we started to change from teh RA-1 to the R888. That was another fiasco as well. I was right in the middle of that while it started an imposed change driver feedback was strong enough to overturn that get Toyo to keep the old reliable RA-1 in production. Now and tire changes at least our class will go through a testing and evaluation process open to the drivers before we select anything.

Now clearly the need for a spec tire for budget class like ours is quite different from a class like 6/7 cups. Still forcing it on drivers is great way to get alot of drivers upset over something that could be handled better.

PCA should communicate with the drivers over a 1 year period to share the clear intent of the spec tire. They should share with the drivers why it is a benefit to them. If Michelin are the spec tire will that allow cheaper tires? Or will the tires be slightly reformulated to give longer life or more progressive breakaway.. who knows? In any event PCA leadership should make the case why it is good for the class and take feed back on it and give time for the drivers to prepare and understand the implications.

Just my take from trying race and maintian the rules in stable format for spec class for nearly 10 years.

jrgordonsenior

Dave that's not the case out West. Yokes are the most prominent possibly because of their generous contingency and pricing. They're currenty selling last year's Patron slicks for $1,800. per set, down from $2,300. Now were Michelin to compete with that pricing then I'd be PCA's biggest supporter....