Tour Truck Tire Question?

[Devastator]

I was over at McCulloughs Dirt Oval practicing today, and found out that there was a huge disappointment in all of the Local Nitro Truck Off-Road Racers that they would not be able to run their Off-Road Tires for the Nitro Tour Event. There are many racers that are 100% Off-Roaders having never raced Dirt Oval, that wanted to race in the Tour Race at minimal expense. Even though there was an amendment for 2007 stating "Must be truck tires on truck wheels (no Buggy wheels permitted) Street treaded tires only No production slicks!" I propose that there would be an amendment made TO allow Off-Road Tires for the trucks. I don't know how many are planning to attend this race of the Tour, but I imagine most are die hard Dirt Oval Racers that frequently view Dirtoval.com. There were 20 entries for the Truck class at the Tour Round at Bumps & Jumps, and I hope to see as many at McCulloughs Tour Event. If the majority of racers running the Truck Class that are planning on attending the McCulloughs Tour Event would agree to allowing the use of the Off-Road Truck Tires, could an amendment TO use the Off-Road Tires be considered? I hope that there are many Truck Racers that come to McCullough's but, being the "New Track" quite a distance away from the main tracks of the Tour, I'm afraid this event may be the one the Tour Regulars use as the round they drop. I know of 25+ McCullough Regular Weekly Off-Road Racers that said they WOULD race the Tour Event if the Off-Road Tires they allready have would be legal. I would hate to see only 5 or 10 Regular Tour Racers show up to run the Truck Class when there could have been 25 extra local entries if they would have been allowed to run their Off-Road Tires. I relize it is very close to the race date, but would it be possible to start a poll (similar to the past Latemodel Sidedam Debate) to explore the possibilites of using the Off-Road Tires? Thanks!

[rj14]

I am just a racer and not affiliated w/ the tour in any way. But the schedule I believe was posted by Bill in November. And the rules package minus amendments (which did'nt affect this issue) I believe have been posted since December. To bring up or ask for a rule change for just this one race, I believe is a tall and unrealistic request which stands to alienate the faithful who have supported this series from the beginning. The Tour Committee can do as they wish, but considering this track, didn't exist untill a week or so ago, and has no established rules for itself, and is now asking for a rules change to a set of rules that has been around longer than the venue, is rather brazen and gutsy if you ask me. I honestly don't know what kind of response you will get from the tour regulars, but I don't think it will be all warm and fuzzy.

The side dam debate was before the season was started and before the rules for the year were finalized.

i will add this also, it is legal to the best of my understanding to grind down the pin spikes etc to slicks, as long as they weren't production made slicks. I say all of this because if you change the rules now someone may argue that later in the year when we go to another track that on a regular basis has an open rule on tires, that since the rule was changes for this race why not change it for another race.

I hope you and the others see what I mean by this.

and I am trying to get my truck back together to race it, to get it ready for my son to drive. And it might be together for this weekend. So this may or may not affect me.

[Devastator]

rj14, thank you for your reply. Like you had mentioned this request may be tall, and unreallistic, but I wanted to ask it anyways. I would also like to clarify that I am the one making the request, and it is not the track. Doug McCullough is disapointed in the current ruling, but he did not ask me to make this request. If this request angers anyone, which I'm sure it will anger some, please direct your anger at me not the track. Your understanding of the current tire ruling is the same as what I thought it to be, but it is incorrect. Doug clarified the tire specifications with Jeff Cisney, and was told a street tread tire such as a Pro-Line Striker/Road Hawg/Speed Hawg or a Dura Trax Street Trac were the ONLY legal tires that could be run. I have raced Dirt Oval Cars since 1987, so it is not new to me. I would have liked to help introduce the Off-Road Racers of McCullough's to Dirt Oval Racing with one of the largest Dirt Oval Racing Series in the country at a Dirt Oval built at their home track. There were at least 25 people that confirmed they were going to race at the Tour Event when they thought they were going to be able to use the tires they allready had. After the clarification, stating their tires would not be legal, there are now 2 that are still going to race. This is a last ditch effort at my request, not the track's, to try and find a way for the local Truck Racers of McCullough's to race at this event. Thank you, Geoff Keeton

[thegregi]

Excuse me for budding in to this thread, but is it any intention on McCulloughs part to continue racing on this new dirt oval ???? If it is their intent, then why can't guys out there spend a few extra bucks to buy real dirt oval tires to run with this series??? I don't even race, but i will be there on saturday, if someone from out there needs a set of race tires for their truck please come and see me i will have a set for you. I fund the week #1 winning pa nitro tour edm driven by Nick D. Thanks Greg G

[brockh]

geoff,
here is the problem we run into with the tire issue.... we already had the tire rule in place and have ran one race that many of us would have run foams given the oppertunity. this tire rule puts everyone on a fairly level playing field, we use a street style tire on all the oval tracks around here and that was what the rule was based off of and many of us have an extra set to lend the locals out there. and it would be unfair to the people that are following the tour making them buy a set of offroad tires for one event if those tires prooved to be the better tire to run, its my understanding that the oval will be there all summer? if that is the case i think you will find that the street style tires provide a much more controllable and more predictable car on the oval. I know first hand from going to NC and racing with offroad guys getting their feet wet with the oval, they will be happier running street type tires, at the time of the race when i was down there they would have killed to have a set of strykers! They have since moved to foams and thats about all they run now.
Its hard to be in our posistion and tell someone they can't run something they are used to running but wavering on a rule that was at times a heated discussion is kind of hard to do, especially a week before the event.
see you guys sometime on sat to get all our stuff set up

[signman501]

I have a couple of sets of street tires for trucks that I will bring with me. I don't mind letting some of the locals use them for the weekend. As Brock said you will find that the street tires will make a huge difference for oval than the pin tires.

[rj14]

I will do some digging but I know I have a pair of UNMOUNTED Strikers that I will gladly give away to the first person to track me down on Saturday during practice. I am hoping I can find them.

I will post later tonight or tomorrow morning to confirm that i have found them and will be bringing them with me.

I will be running a green/black EDM, and a GT w/ a stock body on it.

RJ

[ctsieber]

maybe allow ground down pin spikes? I bet alot of those guys have pin spikes that are worn out, and could grind them down the rest of the way and run.

geoff,
here is the problem we run into with the tire issue.... we already had the tire rule in place and have ran one race that many of us would have run foams given the oppertunity. this tire rule puts everyone on a fairly level playing field, we use a street style tire on all the oval tracks around here and that was what the rule was based off of and many of us have an extra set to lend the locals out there. and it would be unfair to the people that are following the tour making them buy a set of offroad tires for one event if those tires prooved to be the better tire to run, its my understanding that the oval will be there all summer? if that is the case i think you will find that the street style tires provide a much more controllable and more predictable car on the oval. I know first hand from going to NC and racing with offroad guys getting their feet wet with the oval, they will be happier running street type tires, at the time of the race when i was down there they would have killed to have a set of strykers! They have since moved to foams and thats about all they run now.
Its hard to be in our posistion and tell someone they can't run something they are used to running but wavering on a rule that was at times a heated discussion is kind of hard to do, especially a week before the event.
see you guys sometime on sat to get all our stuff set up

[Devastator]

THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO IS WILLING TO HELP OUT WITH EXTRA TIRES!!!! This is a much better solution than asking for an exception to alter the current rules. I have mentioned this on McCullough's Forum to all of the Truck Racers. I noted there will be A FEW Street Tread tires that might be able to be barrowed, but for them not expect that there will be tires for everyone. Hello ctsieber! Your reply is exactly what I originally was requesting as an alteration, but as Brock and rj14 mentioned, altering current rules during the Tour would just open up a can of worms. Again, Thanks to all that are willing to help!!!