Don,

Were you around racing in the 70's? Racers ran tires until they had no tread left or got a hole in them (we even ran tubes in the tires that did get holes). We (racers as a general category) had no idea that heat cycles or sealing over might be the reason the car was not as competitive on the 5th night on the same right rear. We thought maybe the edges had gone off the tire or we had missed the set-up.

The other thing to take into account is the way the tracks were prepped back then. LOTS of calcium chloride and little packing by heavy equipment (sheeps foot) made for tracks that held the moisture much longer and developed cushions. (Calcium chloride is not used now due to environmental reasons). Even a sealed over, heat cycled tire grips on a heavy track because you are relying on the cleating action of the tread rather than the microscopic adhesion of the contact patch.

Duke's $55.00 midget tire in 1975 is equivalent to spending $209 today due to inflation. I think you stated you are buying tires for $160 now. If so how is that a bad deal?

Your constant railing against the sanctions and tire companies without perspective reveals your ignorance in these matters. If a rival tire company could build a tire that lasted 5 races AND was competitive don't you think they would? Everyone would want the tire that lasted and that tire company could corner the market and eliminate the competition.

This is akin to the conspiracy theorists out there that say that the “Oil Companies” have suppressed a device that allows cars to run on water/tiny amounts of gasoline. If an oil company had such a device they could patent it and make far more income from licensing than from oil production.

As far as spec tires, yes I am certain that some amount of money you spend for the spec tire goes into the points fund for the sanctioning body. And yes, it is only paid out to the top 10 or 15 or 20 in points. But these guys getting the points money generally supported the sanctioning body by hauling all over God's green earth to run the races they sanction.

We ran EVERY USAC sanctioned national sprint car event this year. The other teams that ran all or substantially all of the events have demonstrated a serious commitment to this sport and the sanctioning body and should have a voice in the direction of the sanctioned events and the rules under which we race. That being said, you seem to think that your questions/comments deserve to be answered by the executives of the sanctioning body’s.

How many sanctioned Poweri (sp) or USAC (since those are the ones you constantly call out) events did you run this year? Last year? It would be comparable to the fact that I golfed twice this past year but was really unhappy with the cost of the golf balls I lost so I am going to continually bash and demand the PGA do something to require the golf ball manufacturers make balls that cannot be lost. I won’t hold my breath waiting for them to get back to me! :kookoo

While I agree in principle with your basic position (racing costs are soaring, the purses are stagnant, something needs to be done), your “in your face attitude” is a real turn off and your statements of “fact” reveal how little knowledge you have of this sport. You are certainly entitled to your opinion but please back it up with experience, facts and or logic. I could offer opinions on how to run a music publishing business but they would reveal that while I know business in general (I am a commercial loan officer for a bank), I have no specific knowledge or experience with the music business and my opinions may not have a lot of value to those that earn their living from that line of work.

Rob Hoffman