Making a rule saying you have to use a certain tire wouldn't fly.... that's
just way too biased. The reason I run STS is so that I don't have to buy
extra tires to autox on!!
Limiting the amount of shaving would also exclude me since I only buy one
set of tires at the time, I like to use all of the tread on my tires up
before having to buy new tires. What if the course you run on eats your
tires up from 7/32 to 2/32" tread depth...
I think the course of action that will eventually happen is an "approved"
list of tires will be made, and you will have to run a tire on that list.
The hard part would be who decides what tires go on the list and how they
are tested to decide if one should go on there.
This would keep out new contenders that a manufacturer or person makes
specifically for breaking the 140 treadwear rule. Of course, a new tire
like the Kumho 712 might not have time to make it on a list, so some people
might be mad about that. The people racing in the class would just have to
accept that though.
And lastly, ultimate street tires, like Michelin Pilots, Bridgestone Potenza
S02's, etc.... that have a 140 treadwear... if shaved to 5/32 instead of
10/32" tread depth, would be close to an R tire treadwear. What street
tires are the most similar to a true R tire? The ones with stiff
construction and soft tread compound that doesn't fragment away?
Doing durometer tests would probably get time consuming and expensive. I
think part of the trick of racing in STS is finding the street tire with the
140 treadwear that behaves most like a true autox tire.
Brian
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