Tires (Rains)

I think the Dirt Stockers are still the best for cold track and heavy water. The new Rains take longer to warm up and, as you would guess, more resistant to excessive heat. They do a good job too.
 
Anything comparable to the Dirt Sockers in a 16"? DT's max is 15. And they say a 16" rim is an advantage!!??


R
 
Rob - We're "stuck" with the new Hoosier radial rains in 16".. I got a set last year, but I haven't had the chance to try them yet - likely because I spent money on rain tires, it didn't rain when I raced last year..

-noam
 
Rob,

The DOT Rain is a good tire. It was good enough for pole at the NARRC last year...RWD and all...and you know how wet it was...
 
Mac, to give some perspective on those Dirt Stockers. At a Road Atlanta race a couple of years back some guy ended up on pole who was 8 seconds faster than the next fastest car on RA1's. Turns out he was running on dirt stockers! Next rain race same guy on RA1's was 5 seconds off my pole time.
 
When it's biblical, dirt stockers are the tire. i ran a rain race and had as much as 9 seconds a lap on the field when it was ponding. I couldn't believe it when I went back and looked at the lap charts. I'm not sure what the rest had, but we knew rain was coming, so most were on rains of some form..
 
I've got a set of the radial rains, but in my experience they're more dry to wet or wet to dry. At LRP at the NARRC I was on them for BOTH qualifying sessions (YES, Both!!!), my hunch is the DT's are better in that situation.

As an aside the next morning after the NARRC qualifying, in practice, I was black flagged for leaking fuel. The corner was convinced it was fuel. We got to paddock and found no fuel leaks but did find about 3 gallons of rainwater in the trunk. This was after we had already mopped up the trunk before practice. Talk about a monsoon!!


R
 
Last year at the NARRC Runoffs I out-qualified the entire ITB/ITS field by over 2 seconds a lap on the DirtStockers... This includes my brother (he qualified 3rd, just behind the fastes ITS car) whom was on the "New" Hoosier Rain.

1 51 Raymond Blethen IV 1:19.868
2 9 Wilson Wright, Jr. 1:22.189 Gap: 2.321
3 50 Stephen Blethen 1:22.635 Gap: 2.767
4 77 Mark Gregory 1:23.439 Gap: 3.571
5 18 David Maynard 1:24.878 Gap: 5.010
(Ref: http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.j...ShowPerClass=0)

I think that my fast times were purely a result of the comfort level that the tires give you while you are actually in the turn. My experience is that the "new" hoosiers stop better and grip better under acceleration, however in the turn they don't hold as well or as comfortably I should say.

That is my personal experience, and Dirt Stockers are still available as they are used in Dirt Racing in a class that requires DOT legal tires. I think American Tire (maybe it is someone else) also provides a DOT legal "Dirt Racing" tire. I have always wanted to try them, but stay loyal to my Hooser favorite :smilie_pokal:

Raymond "Just my experience in a FWD car" Blethen
 
Ya know, I was all set to go out and buy some new rain tires this year and this thread has just complicated my plans. Thanks guys.

O.k. So...

Heavy rain conditions with big puddles - dirt stockers

Moderate rain conditions; light rain but chance of more during the race; rain but chance of a dry track during the race - new Hoosier rains.

Sound right? If that's correct, I'm buying opposite of what Ray has and hoping conditions say towards the tires I've choosen. :P
 
Dave,

The problem with DS's is that if conditions change, ie it dries out, you'll be looking for puddles to cool them and prevent them from being destroyed. The molded hoosiers won't do that. Think of the molded (radial wet Hoosiers) as normal race tires only thicker with grooves cut in them. When the track is cold and real wet the moldeds don't necessarily shine. The moldeds are probably the way to go from a cost point of view, IMHO, because they are more versatile.

R
 
Several years back in a very wet start at mid-ohio I went from a horrible start of 37th in a rental RX7 to 6th in one lap as the whole field pretty much started on intermediates or went to slicks on the grid as the sun came fully out. I had only one crew helper so i stayed on the Dirt stockers and to me it was like i was on dry tires they gripped so well. First time I had them and i was shocked at the grip. Of course the track dries completely on lap 4 and I spent the rest of the race going very slowly as the tires were only purchased 30 minutes before the race and I did not want to kill them for the car owner. My fastest race lap was in the rain. enough said.
db
 
I think I will have to go with the wets. It seems to me nearly anytime I have used rain tires (RA1s) we were trying to decide IF we needed them or drys.
 
After watching the GP runoffs race this year, where all of the top finishers were on slicks, I am convinced that Dirt Stockers are the right solution. If you are wondering whether you need inters or drys, you should be on drys. A few laps in a dry, or less wet line will develop. If it is raining hard you want the DS anyhow.

Of course right now I have a set of full tread Kumhos that I drag around 'just in case', but I added DS to the mix this year.
 
Oh, I don't know. When I walk around the paddock, I see many DS that have never been used but have dry rot. [/b]
Click to expand...



That's always my problem... I hate spending $800 on rain tires to have them sit and dry rot by the time you actually use them!
 
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