Rubber build-up is also a function of how much time you spend letting
the faster, or more experienced drivers go by. If you have to yield the
racing line to the leaders of the pack, you can't very well be sliding
at the limit, and you may be out in the marbles, which are not made of
glass. ;=( Some tracks are also better than others about keeping the
racing surface clean.
What I've found is that a few good "brake tests" will scrub off the goo.
If your car is street legal, take it out to a lonely stretch and do some
threshold braking exercises. That will scrape the crud off. Another way
to go, even if your car is not street legal, is autocrossing. One Autox
will scrape a season worth of rubber goop off your tires. Since you
don't really heat the tires up at an autox, it doesn't even count as a
heat cycle. Most of the cars in Vintage Racing could find some class to
run in at an autox, even if they're not competitive in it.
Be careful about suggesting tire shaving. Some places will not shave a
tire that's been driven, because there might be small rocks, or other
particles imbedded in the rubber. They could damage the cutter, which
might then damage your tire. The stony bits could also fly off in the
shop, while being cut, causing injury.
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