Track Tac

How is a "no prep" rule generally enforced?

P

PBR Allstar

Member
How is a "no prep" tire rule generally enforced? Is there a piece of equipment or does the tire have to be sent to a lab someplace? It's not a specific track question, just a general practice question. A friend is going to a race at a "no prep" track and it had me wondering.
 
If it could be enforced it would have been when WKA tried and failed. Only way to do it accurately is to send the tires to a lab, which likely costs more than its worth. Tell your friend he should focus on his tires and setup and not pay much attention to the no prep thing if he wants to be competitive. They may be able to enforce it at the track but people will still show up with prepped tires
 
Ive seen so many no prep tracks fail at having no prep, some people prep right out in the open and nothing is said. pretty much there is no way to beat it, anything and everything can be a prep from wd40 and simple green to engine degreasers mineral spirits and paint thinners.
 
With a parc ferme and tires purchased out of the trailer from the track owner at the start of the day. Any solution short of this, you might as well have no rule about it.
 
one of the best thing one of the tracks I ran at (cars) did was installed a simple tire rule.
you can start the season with 5 new tires.. after the first night of racing you must leave those 5 tires at the track... (marked and stored inside) you get them each time you show up to race.. this way there is no tire treatment.. less cost and every one is on the same tires... you can only buy 1 new tire each week... no more then 6 tires in the "tire barn" for any driver... Exception.. if you get a flat, or wreck a tire.. you can buy a replacement but you can't use it till next week.. must be caused on track or in an accident.. Officials discretion if you can use it same day. you cant just drive a screw driver through it and get a new one...
I see a lot of talk here on bobs about tire prep... and I do see (as I am learning karts) that you guys run an odd assortment of tires. and sizes.. so that may be a factor for any individual track... or set of rules... on special event nights... like a 100 lap race or such.. you were permitted to buy a set of 6 for that race... marked (paint dot) then pick 6 to leave for regular events. might not work if you travel track to track, but if you have one track you run, then it might.. still won't stop someone from using a spray bottle and rag in there trailer... just a thought

if I've learned anything over the years... regardless of rules and or cost.. the guys who put in the time will ALWAYS be fast... Love this forum!
 
Like said in post # 3 , not really any way around it.

Yes sir that is just water on the rag and I am only wiping the dust off my tires ; honest.
 
In Parc Ferme, you're handed your tires in the hot grid, have to bolt them on while being supervised, then go onto track. And you have to remove them at scales and turn in to the secured parc ferme trailer right there. Security guards monitor the trailer and the hand-in / hand-out. tires are marked with racer's number. Substitution only in case of on-track flats. That's the ONLY way to control it.
 
Ted Hamilton said:
In Parc Ferme, you're handed your tires in the hot grid, have to bolt them on while being supervised, then go onto track. And you have to remove them at scales and turn in to the secured parc ferme trailer right there. Security guards monitor the trailer and the hand-in / hand-out. tires are marked with racer's number. Substitution only in case of on-track flats. That's the ONLY way to control it.
Click to expand...

Would this rule then prohibit you from doing anything to your tires at all. I am thinking scraping between races to remove built up rubber. We often scrape an excess amount of rubber either between heats or races. This is almost a necessity at times but does not sound like you could do it if this was the case.
 
Steve Vermeer said:
Ted's correct.Right now that's the only 100% solution..
Click to expand...
Is it 100%?

Can we adjust AIR pressure? If so I'm internally prepping..... Lol, cause I'm not telling everyone what air pressures I want in my tires so they can set them. Who says they won't set them correctly, or tell everyone? Air pressure rules too?

Might not work this race, but next week, oh baby!!!
 
You are allowed to install tire and set pressures on the grid, and I think you're allowed to scrape with a hacksaw blade or similar to remove "clag" as Hobbes calls it. That's it. And what little prep you could get into the tire via preloading your fill hose wouldn't be in there long enough to make a difference, and if it did, the aroma and your competitors would give you away.
 
IMO, it would be simpler just to spec a 90 duro and let people run whatever they want for brand, and / or prepping....as long as tire meets 90 duro. FWIW, that's about what rental kart tires punch. On dirt, I'd think they'd push like crazy or slide like crazy, but it would take prepping out of the equation...
 
Oh, there are easy ways to get plenty of prep in, and keep the smell down. You'd be surprised what someone can come up with.

Why a 90 duro, takes all the speed away.
 
Ted Hamilton said:
In Parc Ferme, you're handed your tires in the hot grid, have to bolt them on while being supervised, then go onto track. And you have to remove them at scales and turn in to the secured parc ferme trailer right there. Security guards monitor the trailer and the hand-in / hand-out. tires are marked with racer's number. Substitution only in case of on-track flats. That's the ONLY way to control it.
Click to expand...

Would be a nightmare and wouldnt be fair to most because different karts require different stagger. Kart would handle like crap without the stagger being at least close, i couldnt imagine what its like with no stagger since nobody would be sizing the tires. I would quit racing before i jump thru all this hoopty hoop crap just to race, that would be a headache. Some people just need to accept that prep is here to stay and stop worrying about trying to do this or that to ban it and just learn it. You would p*** off the majority to suit the minority in this case with no prepping the tires, leaving them at the track, and all this nonsense. Racing is racing because of the advantages you can find over your competitors on and off the track, it will never be a 100% level playing field no matter what is done.
 
X2 with Weddle racing. The use of "no prep" cannot be enforced with today's technology. It's very unfortunate for kart racing but this is the real world.
 
Wait until the DEP starts getting complaints about the water problems around the neighbors home near a dirt track. Then you will see a change. I don't think that is tio far away. It may not be the neighbor's water that causes the change either!!!
 
I think the only reasonable rule is get a duro reading from each tire supplier and make the tire duro part of post race tech. The problem is not all durometers are going to punch the same. The good part is that if you have the money to buy new tires you can run fresh tires and you don't you can run old tires and freshen them with prep. Then again there are then sometimes that it will be an advantage to running an old tire.

Or how about this, if a prepped 33 is the fast tire install a 22 rule. Lets see everyone try to harden tires to make them last.lol
 
Scuff that set of 22's, let them set for a year and start throwing bite to them! I know of people that have several year old brand new tires sitting "hardening."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top