What is the date the tire MFG have to...

[David Barrish]

What is the date that the SCCA has set, fot the tire manufactures to announce the size's they are making for the year?
Thank you.

[Jayson Woodruff]

As long as it's an existing tire, I don't think there is a real deadline date for the sizes. The critical rule though is:
"Within each tire model, the sizes which are available must be equally
available to all competitors. Tire model variations differing from standard
specification, delivered only on a limited basis, or only to selected
competitors, may not be used."

This was invoked when Kumho came out with 19" R-comps so late that only contract drivers were going to be able to get them, so SCCA pull the plug on that.

Jay W

[David Barrish]

Jay,

Thank you.

David

[Sebastian Rios]

Jay is right.

If it's a new tire model, the deadline in April 30.

[John Stimson]

Note to Max: you might want to plan on not running the 245/40-17 Hankooks at the Tour and Pro...

[Sebastian Rios]

Note to Max: you might want to plan on not running the 245/40-17 Hankooks at the Tour and Pro...

Equally available to all competitors is slippery wording. I'm pretty sure some retailers have already sold them.

[John Stimson]

A very small initial batch of that size was released to the U.S. and sold out quickly. I bet there are people who wanted that size who can't get it until the real stock arrives.

Specifics:

James Yom posted on February 11th that he had received the first set in the US. The shop he got them from, City Tire Online, was sold out of them as of the 17th. Tire Rack got 16 tires in that size and is currently showing "fewer than two" in stock. The person who talked to City Tire on the 17th said they weren't expecting more until April.

If it were me, I'd use them for testing, but wouldn't bring a set to a Tour or Pro until they were in stock.

[Sebastian Rios]

But that small batch was sold through regular retail outlets, making them "available" (albeit for a very short time) to all competitors.

[Aaron Goldsmith]

But that small batch was sold through regular retail outlets, making them "available" (albeit for a very short time) to all competitors.

Agreed, the manufacturer did not pick who got them. Otherwise you could say people can't use 285/3x18 Hoosiers at nationals because they always sell out a month before.

[John Stimson]

Most people didn't know the size was coming before it was sold out. It was only available to the people who knew where the tires would be. And how did those people find out? Ties to the manufacturer?

[Michael Wood]

I don't know, John. If the size was "on the rack" and available to anyone who happened to walk into that tire store, at that specific moment in time, and is listed by Hankook...I don't see how a protest could be upheld.

[John Stimson]

I don't know, John. If the size was "on the rack" and available to anyone who happened to walk into that tire store, at that specific moment in time, and is listed by Hankook...I don't see how a protest could be upheld.

I'm not saying that this happened, but suppose that a tire size is released. 8 sets are shipped to two dealers, and the manufacturer only announces the tire to drivers that they have a relationship with, and tells them where the tires will be. Those drivers place orders for the tires, so that they are effectively sold out before they arrive at the dealers. So although those tires were sold through retail outlets, they were not "equally available to all competitors."

Does anyone know the actual number of tires that were sold through Tire City?

How many sets need to be made available in order to be "equally available to all competitors"? If a manufacturer sends evaluation samples to a few of their drivers, and puts one set in stock at a tire shop, is that equally available?

[John Stimson]

Otherwise you could say people can't use 285/3x18 Hoosiers at nationals because they always sell out a month before.

That's quite different, as those tires were widely available and widely known before they ran out. "I can't get them right now" is different from "I never had an opportunity to buy them".

[Max Hayter]

In my mind, they were equally available to everyone who bothered to look. If Tirerack is selling them, however few, then they are available to the general public. I have no ties to Hancook, and I got a set, and could have bought more from more than one retailer. It was well known that this tire was coming for months - no big secret.

[John Stimson]

In my mind, they were equally available to everyone who bothered to look. If Tirerack is selling them, however few, then they are available to the general public. I have no ties to Hancook, and I got a set, and could have bought more from more than one retailer. It was well known that this tire was coming for months - no big secret.

Thanks Max, that gives a better sense of the availability. Over on the S2000 board, it took everyone by surprise.

[Max Hayter]

Thanks Max, that gives a better sense of the availability. Over on the S2000 board, it took everyone by surprise.

Probably because it's unlikely to be a super popular size for the S2000, so they don't care that much. I heard about them on the Subaru boards about six months ago.

[Eric Clements]

Years ago at Heartland Park there was similar situation with a small initial run of a new tire size.

Competitor A runs ProSolo Finale on new size tire, competitors B and C go the tire manufacturers trailer to buy new size for nationals. All remaining new size tires on trailer are reserved for Runoffs. B & C call Tirerack, no new size tire available. B & C search web to get new size but can't locate any.

At nationals B & C protest A. Event staff/Protest try to obtain new tire size but can't. Competitior A DSQ'd.

Before using a tire like this I would find a retailer that has tire available or bring an extra set so if I got protested I could sell the protestor a set.

[Tom Berry]

Years ago at Heartland Park there was similar situation with a small initial run of a new tire size.

Competitor A runs ProSolo Finale on new size tire, competitors B and C go the tire manufacturers trailer to buy new size for nationals. All remaining new size tires on trailer are reserved for Runoffs. B & C call Tirerack, no new size tire available. B & C search web to get new size but can't locate any.

At nationals B & C protest A. Event staff/Protest try to obtain new tire size but can't. Competitior A DSQ'd.

Before using a tire like this I would find a retailer that has tire available or bring an extra set so if I got protested I could sell the protestor a set.

And we havnt seen competitor A ( S.W.) in quite a while.

[Richard Jung]

Years ago at Heartland Park there was similar situation with a small initial run of a new tire size.

Competitor A runs ProSolo Finale on new size tire, competitors B and C go the tire manufacturers trailer to buy new size for nationals. All remaining new size tires on trailer are reserved for Runoffs. B & C call Tirerack, no new size tire available. B & C search web to get new size but can't locate any.

At nationals B & C protest A. Event staff/Protest try to obtain new tire size but can't. Competitior A DSQ'd.

Before using a tire like this I would find a retailer that has tire available or bring an extra set so if I got protested I could sell the protestor a set.

And we havnt seen competitor A ( S.W.) in quite a while.

I'm sure he's running around nakid somewhere.

When I first ran the Dunlop "star spec" compound, I made sure at least one tire retailer had them in stock.

But I agree with John, no one should run Hankook's 245/40/-17 size until after the Tour and Pro... or just not Clint and Ben from AZ in STU. }:)

Rick

[John Stimson]

So maybe this should go into a separate thread, but the original expectation based on the specs was that it would be shorter but have almost the same tread width -- and based on tires that were received and mounted on 17x9" wheels, they seem to be narrower but not significantly shorter...

So now it looks like the main benefit will be lateral stability and response. Is everyone still excited about the new size?

[Max Hayter]

Do we protest people running Toyo 255's, since they appear to be out of stock as well?

The tire was publicly available. Those that wanted them, bought them. I see no problem. I'll run them at the Tour if the weather is nice. For the Pro, I'll hopefully use Toyos if I can find a set!

[Kurt Rahn]

Do we protest people running Toyo 255's, since they appear to be out of stock as well?

The tire was publicly available. Those that wanted them, bought them. I see no problem. I'll run them at the Tour if the weather is nice. For the Pro, I'll hopefully use Toyos if I can find a set!

Seems like going to the tire rack site and printing something that shows they're in stock would be enough to cover your butt anyway.