Glen;
You've brought up a good point-- perhaps it is a loose salt (dust) layer on
top of the hard salt that is the problem instead of water. If this is the
case, the higher unit loading (pounds per square inch of tire contact area
on the surface) of a narrow tire could possibly get a better "grip" on the
solid underlying layer of salt than a wider one one that only skated across
the loose surface.
You may have something there. I recall that in the early days of the Pikes'
Peak hillclimb, cars using narrower tires seemed to get a better grip in the
loose gravel surface. I guess they simply dug themselves a groove in the
gravel rather than slide sideways across the top. Maybe something similar is
happening on the salt?
If something won't work, it won't work. I would like to understand why,
though. As the old saying goes "If theory and observation do not agree,
double check your observations-- and if they are correct, come up with a new
theory."
Are there any dirt- track guys out there who would care to comment?
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
/// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or try
/// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
/// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive/land-speed
/// what is needed. It isn't that difficult, folks.
|