Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

We are now paying $193 for a left rear tire.  I understand that oil, fuel, transportation costs, everything has gone up but what do we do as racers to say no more and mandate someone get this under control?  I've heard that some people "on the deal" are paying $140 for left rears and if that's true, is $53 profit per tire justifiable?  Is that why some of these Hoosier Tire dealers showrooms are getting bigger and bigger, nicer and nicer?  If I'm missing something, please chime in but as a racer, replacing 1-2 tires a night is getting costly, especially at $100 or $150 to start the main.  We're losing more money per week on average than a lot of people earn in a week.  Where does it stop.....when we're all broke and unable to race anymore?

Welcome to selling your sole to the devil. That is what it has become with going with spec tires by one brand as it has eliminated the need for any tire manufacturer to have any competition. If you eliminated all the extra money given to sanctioning bodies and tracks to keep the sole source you could probably have tires back in the $150 range. Don't think that tire distributors at the track are getting rich as they only get around $10 a tire to show up at the track to sell them. The ones getting rich are the tire manufacuturers who have no competition for the next 4 years. As long as sanctioning bodies and tracks have their hands in the cash also nothing will change. I am sure the tires will go up 3-5% this this year for quote "raw material increases". I am sure there is a lot more than $53 per tire profit!

Welcome to the real world.  Back in the mid nineties we raced at Hickory Speedway near New Castle in the 360 sprint car division.  It paid $560 to win.  There was a spec tire rule.  Right rear only.  $138 plus tax.  Because of the track surface, you needed a new right rear every Saturday night.  And that was okay.  Second paid $360.  Third paid $310.  Fourth paid $250.  Seventh paid $150. After that maybe next week's tire wasn't so new.  The other three tires were whatever you could beg, borrow or buy.  I remember some drivers that had the basements full of tires they had been given at Outlaw races.  Ah,  the good old days. 

Nobody asked me but.....

360's should run a MEDIUM compound on the LR and a HARD compound on the RR.  $.02

Rome wasn't built in a day......but they sure didn't
waste any time burning it down!

It's hard to find anyone in sprint car racing that makes more sense than Mr. Burch.  

Cottage Grove Speedway (Endevor Promotions) in Cottage Grove Oregon is charging $220 for left rears (Hoosier RD12), and $225 for right rears (Hoosier Medium ASCS).  The track does not have a point fund.  

These are the problems that drive people out of the sport.  

Never hit stationary objects!

The most cost effective route to go to save teams money, Open up the tire, put a Durometer and width rule on the RR and LR, let the tire companies compete for business, tire prices will go down,a  lot more teams will be on deals with manufactuers trying to get more customers on their product.             Downfall to this ? It will never happen, Series and Tracks are not going to miss out on the kick back from the tire companies.

paid  2 prices. Hoosier has 2 left rear tires at Knoxville. One was $198 this year and other was $234.  Depended on side wall construction.