[The Old Coyote]

Originally Posted by Tim Folks, We can gripe and complain about this forever. How about some solutions? Are there things that can be done from a program perspective to deter the desire for doping? Assuming the tire is doped to soften it, can the feature length be increased to the point that a doped tire wouldn't last? The one tire for qualification, heat and feature could also help this, which some organizations have adopted. The durometer rule can be effective assuming whatever durometer is in calibration (meaning it is tested against a test block prior to each use) but it would mean that any durometers used by teams at the shop to confirm the tires' hardness is also in calibration. Seems like some ambiguity here, as well. I believe we're all in agreement, though, that the current testing protocol is suspect to some degree so, is there a way to eliminate the testing necessity altogether? Tim Simmons

In my earlier post, I suggested the teams bring their Durometer to the track with them and check it against the tracks Durometer at sign in.

[openwheelfan1]

Originally Posted by Tim Folks, We can gripe and complain about this forever. How about some solutions? Are there things that can be done from a program perspective to deter the desire for doping? Assuming the tire is doped to soften it, can the feature length be increased to the point that a doped tire wouldn't last? The one tire for qualification, heat and feature could also help this, which some organizations have adopted. The durometer rule can be effective assuming whatever durometer is in calibration (meaning it is tested against a test block prior to each use) but it would mean that any durometers used by teams at the shop to confirm the tires' hardness is also in calibration. Seems like some ambiguity here, as well. I believe we're all in agreement, though, that the current testing protocol is suspect to some degree so, is there a way to eliminate the testing necessity altogether? Tim Simmons

I wonder if the three teams/owners that publicly stated on social media that they were done with USAC will show up at the owners meeting Monday and have a proposal for a more reliable, more repeatable, tire testing solution than current or if anyone will. I've seen lots of accusations, theories and hypotheses on here, but this solution (proposed by a couple of people/posters) is the only one I've seen. While good, it will require a great deal of management to insure that the testing device is correctly and accurately calibrated.

Did USAC mishandle the communications on this issue?? IMO, ABSOLUTELY!! BUT, penalizing teams without 100% confidence in the test results would be a miscarriage of justice, again, IMO. And it would have likely resulted in a similar amount of bad feelings and conspiracy theories.

I am not a car owner, driver or official, and never have been. I am a lifelong FAN of sprint car racing, and I enjoy watching the best drivers compete in the best cars on a variety of surfaces on an equal footing. To me that is what racing is about.

[spicoli]

Why not make tire doping legal? Why is it illegal now? Mark the right rear you start the night with and check that you used that same one all night. Dope it all you want. If it's legal, everyone will know how to dope and why to dope tires. I understand traction control being illegal. Thousands of dollars to buy, mega thousands of dollar motors. What does a can of tire dope cost? $25.00 a gallon? Half gallon? Getting a right rear from Hoosier last year was like pulling teeth. I called and even went to Brownsburg...I need a right rear...who are you?...what's your name?...(never heard of you) no tires...don't know when we'll get any...your series mandates them?...too bad...call around...no tires for you. If I knew how to dope a tire and get longer life, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[mc/rider]

If USAC is having a sprint car race if at all possible I will be there

[sp6967]

when hoosier makes a batch of tires do they send the chemical make up of each batch to the sanctioning bodies? if they do, i would think that info is sent to the lab and compared to the mass spectrometer readings of the samples being tested. now if the samples have the same chemical make up of the batch sample all should be good. the problem is that if someone knows what chemical hoosier might use for rubber softener and use that same chemical to treat the tires, in that case the mass spectrometer will pick up that there is too high of percentage of that chemical in the sample compared to the batch sample. but the teams can argue that there are no foreign chemicals in the tire. i would think that too much of a chemical in the tire would be just as bad as a foreign chemical. just a theory.

[Hamby454]

Originally Posted by spicoli Why not make tire doping legal? Why is it illegal now? Mark the right rear you start the night with and check that you used that same one all night. Dope it all you want. If it's legal, everyone will know how to dope and why to dope tires. I understand traction control being illegal. Thousands of dollars to buy, mega thousands of dollar motors. What does a can of tire dope cost? $25.00 a gallon? Half gallon? Getting a right rear from Hoosier last year was like pulling teeth. I called and even went to Brownsburg...I need a right rear...who are you?...what's your name?...(never heard of you) no tires...don't know when we'll get any...your series mandates them?...too bad...call around...no tires for you. If I knew how to dope a tire and get longer life, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Ask any go kart racer what allowing prep did to the sport. Honestly it’s more expensive than traction control. It’s not a 1 time purchase. You will need different preps for different tracks. Different preps for track conditions. You’ll need more tires(you cant just slap dope on at the track it has to cure). I personally know a few guys who make prep. As far as price I’ve heard $500 a gallon. But I can’t with certainty say that’s accurate. But it would be no different than tires. It would be a monopoly where they could charge whatever outrageous price they wanted and you wouldn’t be able to compete without it. The other thing is I know one preper literally takes the whole tire to treat it. It’s not as simple as just rolling it the outside of the tire anymore.

[Charles Nungester]

So how did the one tire that was purchased at the track cure?????????? And supposedly in the exact same way with no known doping agent as the three that weren't purchased at the track.

Handled not timely and out front. Yes but most of the evidence is toward a lab contamination or mistake

[Hamby454]

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester So how did the one tire that was purchased at the track cure?????????? And supposedly in the exact same way with no known doping agent as the three that weren't purchased at the track. Handled not timely and out front. Yes but most of the evidence is toward a lab contamination or mistake

Pretty sure they was a driver a few years back that got dqed on a tire bought at the track. Ask usac not me. But he did get dqed, and to this day hasn’t be reinstated because he refuses to pay the fine. Also, we’re you there to confirm the tire in question was purchased at the track? Orrrrr just more hearsay?

[Charles Nungester]

The track comment comes from someone who said they bought their tire at the track. I did not see it. I don't know for a fact it's true

[kcarm92]

lol just because you bought a tire at the track doesn't necessarily mean ,that's the one you ran, you just bought it to cover your ass, in case you got caught, I mean you have a receipt that you purchased a tire, and as far as someone saying well why didn't the 2 car team both fail, well pretty simple, I'd both failed them you would look even more quilty, this is another defense they can claim,one more thing if this is the same lab that usac has used in the past think Ruble and Leary are owed some $ just adding my .02 worth