I have an Excel spreadsheet for keeping track of tire temps. There is no optimal temp per se. In my spreadsheet there are cells for inputting tire temps from three points across the face of each tire. (Left center right) The three points are then averaged and there are nine cells that give you such things as LF & RR combined average etc. etc. There are books to tell you what these averages mean and what to shoot for. Sorry, I don't have their names. The nice thing about the spreadsheet, all you put in is the tire temps and all the math is done for you.
Actually, it's a learning process. You start taking temps and you compare them to lap times. When you get your best lap time, the tires will tell you what the best temp is. I've never done it, but I know, from what people say, that it works. It's not the end all, just another tool to help you perfect the handling.
There are so many things that can affect tire temps that it's impossible to say which temps are the best with any degree of certainty. The track, the kart, the kart weight, the tires and probably, to a great degree, the horsepower of the engine. The track surface, the size of the track, the radius of the turns, (is there banking) and to a great extent, the total weight of the kart and the amount of horsepower it has.
From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
