The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

Your guide to race tire nomenclature..

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

6,360
8,180
So there's a lot of info here..
1.tire brand
2. tire size
3. tire compound
4. the "N" next to the valve core denotes the fact that the tire has nitrogen in it.
5. the N also notes the location of the valve core so you can see on the rim ( of the wheel) if the tire has rotated
6. balance weights
7. wheel set, which is different from the tire set
8. tire set, numberred 1 through 5, because your allotment is 5/ race
9. track location ( 3 letters) SEB
10. location on car
11. if it is a rain tire you will also have a rotation arrow
12. sometimes hash marks are used to denote heat cycles, but these tires are usually only used once.
13. IFR inbed chip.
14. car number
15. car class
16. wheel nut location for the tire changer
17. these tires are also qualifiers which means they must be used to start the race
18. tire size used on the wheel

20220317_102241.jpg
 
Last edited:
6,360
8,180
so for those scoring at home, every nut that is used on the car is either new or inspected by me personally. They are cleaned ( if used) and a stud run through every one, even the new ones, the size is also checked. The holes in the wheel are cleaned using a brass brush in a drill, and then the nuts are glued on for the pit stop.
The weights are also taped, all tires used in competition must have a valve cap as well.

20220317_092607.jpg

20220317_094011.jpg

20220317_094015.jpg
 
65
104
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Nova Scotia
I'm guessing you use a bullet nosed style wheel stud to grab the nuts as the wheel gets shoved in place? Always impressed by how they were machined in a way that prevents cross threading.
 
179
67
ny
Blacksheep does nitrogen filed tires make big difference? I know of the moisture content .tx chris
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,420
8,346
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
......and yes, RaceFans, you now know why Blacksheep 1 is the Tire Guru of TMO! We are also finding out he is OCD and for a race team that is a dream combination, because it means he knows his job, he checks things twice, and he takes he responsibility with passion. Easy to see why he is in demand by numerous IMSA and SCCA Teams.
 
6,360
8,180
The nuts used aluminum? And how do you gauge thread ware.
the nuts are steel, coated in teflon and cost about $3 each, the studs are the responsibility of the car crew, they have a thread chaser to clean them.
We don't " gauge" the threads specifically, they are replaced routinely, or when the tech thinks they should be. The hex of the nuts wear out before the threads, maybe they'll get used 10 times at best.
 
179
67
ny
59 car I assume is dean martin I bought his fr500c 57/11 car for what I do air is fine.
Do the tires acutely spin on the rim on a road race car? I know we screwed the tires on drag race tires back in the day
 
6,360
8,180
59 car I assume is dean martin I bought his fr500c 57/11 car for what I do air is fine.
Do the tires acutely spin on the rim on a road race car? I know we screwed the tires on drag race tires back in the day
both are Kohr motorsports cars, yes the tires rotate on the wheels.
 

JDee

Ancient Racer
1,797
2,001
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
5 miles from Mosport
I got an inch or two of tire rotation with the Nankang AR-1 tires but not with the 200TW treaded tires I ran before. I'm guessing stickier tires makes more probability of movement? They seemed to settle down after a couple of track days though and I've seen no rotation since. This used to be common with the race tires we ran way back in the late 80s/early 90s so I just have this habit of watching out for it.
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top