real racing fan
Exceptional Member
I like the last paragraph.
Too bad it seems to be becoming such a issue in the St. Louis area!!
Is Chemically Altering Tires a Competitive Advantage?
The sides are always divided when it comes to the discussion of racing tires. Some say racers need to get that “competitive advantage” by bending the rules just a little. Others simply believe that messing with the tires in any way that is not clearly allowed by the rule book is cheating and that cheaters should never win. Who’s right? As always, it depends completely on your point of view about “spirit and intent”.
Tires have been a hot topic for a long time, and it doesn’t look like the debates are going away any time soon. The subject has even found its way into courtrooms and laboratories. Rule makers, promoters, and those in charge feel the need to mandate certain matters when it comes to tires. It’s common to find exact tire compounds specifically spelled out in the rule book. In fact, the tire rules tend to be written with crystal clear parameters on tire compounds, while other portions of the book are much more general and vague such as certain safety gear simply being mentioned as “highly recommended”.
Of course, having detailed tire rules doesn’t stop some from tampering with the tire such as overlaying the correct compound number on an incorrect tire in hopes that the inspection is not as thorough as threatened in the drivers’ meeting. This little trick has happened in the past, therefore penalties are often specifically spelled out for tampering of any kind.
Taking Chances
Since racers never seem to be content with the status quo, they sometimes feel that an equal playing field is not always in their best interest. They feel that something has to be done in order to help them break away from the pack. Drivers will seek the best way to gain an advantage, and cost seldom enters into the equation. The consequences of getting caught seem to be of little concern, since there are plenty of racers who are willing to take their chances.
There have been some high profile Late Model races that have been “tainted” by drivers who were declared to be afoul of the rules with respect to “treating” tires. For illustration, let’s look at the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series, which seems to be among the leaders in policing this infraction. Last August, a tire was taken from a competitor at an event at Tazewell Speedway in Tennessee. The tire was tested at an unidentified laboratory (left unidentified to protect integrity), and it was determined to be “chemically altered” to “enhance the performance of the tire”. The finding led to the disqualification of that racer along with penalties.
Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series punished drivers at the North/South 100 and Topless 100 for tire rule violations. In addition, the series announced that tires from the winning car at the North/South 100 in Florence, Kentucky, would be taken from the winner as well as select other drivers and tested. The winner’s purse would not be paid until the test results came back. Days after the race, Jimmy Mars received his $50,000 for winning the race on legal tires. Six other drivers were tested with just one, from the B main, out of line. It drove home the point that while not everyone is doing it, there is a risk for those who are.
Probably the most highly profiled case occurred at the Dirt Track at Lowe’s in November. The top six qualifiers had their tires inspected by officials of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Citing “reasonable suspicion” based on odor, the left rear tire from Scott Bloomquist’s car was whisked to a forensic lab where it failed the test. Bloomquist lost his purse money (more than $11,000), faces a fine equal to that amount, and cannot attempt to qualify for a World of Outlaws event until after May 10, 2010, which is essentially a six-month suspension.
The World of Outlaws cited rule 15.11, section G, which read in 2009: “Chemical alterations, vulcanizing, tire softening, defacing and/or altering the face of the tire lettering and/or tire stamping will not be permitted. Tires may be inspected at any time. Any violation with any tire presented for competition may result in immediate disqualification from the event and/or other penalties including but not limited to loss of money, fine, loss of points and/or suspension.” Basically, they threw the book at Bloomquist, but that’s the spirit and intent of rules.
The Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series clearly spells out its fines and penalties, and the sanctions handed down against the 2009 offenders is consistent with their intent to discourage tampering. Their rule states “no softeners or conditioners”. A failed durometer test causes a loss of starting position or disqualification for the night on a first offense. There’s a $1,500 fine, loss of 300 series points, no race winnings, and a fine to offset the cost of testing. A second offense is steep with the driver getting a $5,000 fine and the crew chief nailed for $2,500 plus point penalties. You don’t even want to know how severe a third offense can be!
Soaking Tires
Soaking a tire can be considered a traction control device due to the nature of the tire’s characteristics. A race tire is best when it’s new, therefore the objective is to put it into competition within a short time from when it was molded. Once you get the tires, experts advise keeping them in a cool dark place since heat and UV light can begin or expedite the aging process. Certain chemicals, when added to the tire, have a way of helping the tire maintain the elastic characteristics that help it grip the track. Essentially, a tire performs at its best when the footprint or surface area is greatest with the surface itself. More of the tire is getting onto the track, which is really helpful on dirt surfaces that are uneven and constantly changing. A soaked tire, with its heightened elasticity, is able to withstand the challenges and maintain a better grip, especially on rougher tracks.
While there are drivers who have used soaked tires for qualifying, the biggest advantage comes with the longer distance races. A slight advantage in lap times is multiplied by repeat trips around the rack. A savvy driver can make subtle changes to set-up and increase the performance potential. When soaked, the tires stay cooler and last longer. There is a misconception that the product used in soaking will make the tires “stickier”. There are two mains reason why that isn’t really the case. The first is that a stickier tire would immediately draw suspicion. The second is that adhesion is not the goal in soaking a tire. It takes an effort to remove something that sticks, and a tire that is adhering to the surface wastes time and energy in propelling the car.
Tire treatments are openly marketed because they are not considered illegal everywhere, so you may want to check your rules for the series or track where you plan to race. The promoters who don’t outlaw it are generally the ones who don’t have the resources or manpower to enforce the rule. Products like Pro Blend and Track Claw can be found at a number of reputable racing retailers. Track Claw is billed as a tire strengthener and not a softener, which is why some rule makers have changed the wording to read “chemically altered” rather than “softened”.
Tire Chemical Hazards
I asked Steve Black of Speed Pros if his shop carried tire chemicals. “No way,” he said emphatically. “It’s cheating,” he added, echoing the concerns of many. “It’s not safe, either.” The safety aspect has been another issue at the heart of the matter. These products, in most cases, contain very toxic chemicals. They contain hydrocarbons as the active ingredients. Some examples are benzene and toluene, a couple of chemicals that have been linked to causing cancer in humans. The tire prep manufacturers and retailers do acknowledge the potential hazards, however, most provide explicit instructions and safety guidelines. For example, one company recommends applying the product in a well-ventilated room. Steps like using gloves when applying the product and procedures for cleansing if there is skin contact are commonly found in the instruction sheet.
The health risk is one that cannot be ignored. East Bay Raceway Park in Florida clearly cites the danger in the rule book. Any track with environmental concerns, such as one that is careful with waste oil depositing or tire disposal, is not going to want this stuff anywhere near their place. In addition to the health risk situation, there’s also a little bit of danger involved regarding the integrity of the treated tire. The tire manufacturers are understandably cautious. One company, who doesn’t participate in dirt racing but is active in other aspects of the sport, has a very detailed warning on its website: “Never apply any type of chemical or tire dressing to the tires. TREAD SOFTENING OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF CHEMICAL APPLIED TO THE TIRES CAN AFFECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE TIRE. Failure to follow this advice may result in catastrophic failure of the tire and could lead to serious injuries or death.”
Detecting Tire Tampering
Officials are having to be pro-active in their means to detect any alteration. The use of a “tire sniffer” is a popular enforcement tool. The manufacturers of tire prep products have become aware of this, and one company uses the “wintergreen scent” of their product as a selling point. Another company boasts, “Our preps simply do not have a strong offensive smell; all are very mild natural smells. This keeps the competition from ‘sniff testing’ your tires. They won’t know what you’re using unless you’re nice enough to tell them.” And, who would tell anyone? Can you trust anyone who’s in competition with you, especially when you’re doing something that’s against the rules?
When tire sniffers come up with an odor that indicates the presence of a chemical that shouldn’t be on a tire, series officials will take action. At a recent NeSmith Chevrolet Late Model Series race, the tool found 13 drivers in a field of 60 before qualifying. Those drivers were forced to change tires and run at the rear of the heat race, making transfer to the A main a bit more difficult. Despite the high number of offending drivers, there wasn’t a mad rush to the tire shed. This indicated that there were “legal” tires already in the trailer, they just weren’t being used.
Enforcement continues to be a big part of why these chemicals are still around. Some say there wouldn’t be a problem if everyone was allowed to use them, but that discounts factors like the health risk and environmental dangers. Some promoters are afraid to put the rules in place because they can’t enforce them. The current scenario requires suspicious tires to be sent to a laboratory for spectrum analysis in order to determine the chemical composition of an object. Tires are created with a specific formula with a compound of elements that interact in a way to create the product with certain desired characteristics. A batch of tires are mixed and molded with these chemicals. The presence of a chemical not found in the formula will trigger that someone has altered it.
While the exact cost is unknown, it can’t be cheap to utilize these services. We have heard estimates of $200 to $300 for each test. The $1,500 fine assessed on guilty parties by the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series is set aside for the tire testing program. A guilty party will pay for the costs of the test, but who pays when the tire is found to be unaltered? That’s where the fine money comes into play. Series have seemingly vowed not to let the cost become an issue, and there seems to be an increased effort to step up enforcement. High profile events like the World 100 have made no bones about not tolerating the practice.
How Bad Is The Problem?
The reality is that the situation is probably more widespread than anyone will ever know. A driver may only alter tires for certain tracks or certain situations, always hoping to stay a step ahead of the enforcers. The competitive advantage is always the driving factor. There’s a saying that is often heard, “It’s only cheating if you get caught.” The bulk of those who are using chemicals (they know who they are, but they’re not telling anyone) are putting themselves at risk. Race purse, point money, sponsorship opportunities, and reputation can be tarnished. A crew member could get cancer because of exposure. It would seem the negatives outweigh the positives, but apparently not enough to keep it from happening.
As long as there is competition, there will always be a desire to win. Sometimes that desire comes at any cost. It’s up to the individual to determine if that cost is worth it.
Too bad it seems to be becoming such a issue in the St. Louis area!!
Is Chemically Altering Tires a Competitive Advantage?
The sides are always divided when it comes to the discussion of racing tires. Some say racers need to get that “competitive advantage” by bending the rules just a little. Others simply believe that messing with the tires in any way that is not clearly allowed by the rule book is cheating and that cheaters should never win. Who’s right? As always, it depends completely on your point of view about “spirit and intent”.
Tires have been a hot topic for a long time, and it doesn’t look like the debates are going away any time soon. The subject has even found its way into courtrooms and laboratories. Rule makers, promoters, and those in charge feel the need to mandate certain matters when it comes to tires. It’s common to find exact tire compounds specifically spelled out in the rule book. In fact, the tire rules tend to be written with crystal clear parameters on tire compounds, while other portions of the book are much more general and vague such as certain safety gear simply being mentioned as “highly recommended”.
Of course, having detailed tire rules doesn’t stop some from tampering with the tire such as overlaying the correct compound number on an incorrect tire in hopes that the inspection is not as thorough as threatened in the drivers’ meeting. This little trick has happened in the past, therefore penalties are often specifically spelled out for tampering of any kind.
Taking Chances
Since racers never seem to be content with the status quo, they sometimes feel that an equal playing field is not always in their best interest. They feel that something has to be done in order to help them break away from the pack. Drivers will seek the best way to gain an advantage, and cost seldom enters into the equation. The consequences of getting caught seem to be of little concern, since there are plenty of racers who are willing to take their chances.
There have been some high profile Late Model races that have been “tainted” by drivers who were declared to be afoul of the rules with respect to “treating” tires. For illustration, let’s look at the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series, which seems to be among the leaders in policing this infraction. Last August, a tire was taken from a competitor at an event at Tazewell Speedway in Tennessee. The tire was tested at an unidentified laboratory (left unidentified to protect integrity), and it was determined to be “chemically altered” to “enhance the performance of the tire”. The finding led to the disqualification of that racer along with penalties.
Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series punished drivers at the North/South 100 and Topless 100 for tire rule violations. In addition, the series announced that tires from the winning car at the North/South 100 in Florence, Kentucky, would be taken from the winner as well as select other drivers and tested. The winner’s purse would not be paid until the test results came back. Days after the race, Jimmy Mars received his $50,000 for winning the race on legal tires. Six other drivers were tested with just one, from the B main, out of line. It drove home the point that while not everyone is doing it, there is a risk for those who are.
Probably the most highly profiled case occurred at the Dirt Track at Lowe’s in November. The top six qualifiers had their tires inspected by officials of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Citing “reasonable suspicion” based on odor, the left rear tire from Scott Bloomquist’s car was whisked to a forensic lab where it failed the test. Bloomquist lost his purse money (more than $11,000), faces a fine equal to that amount, and cannot attempt to qualify for a World of Outlaws event until after May 10, 2010, which is essentially a six-month suspension.
The World of Outlaws cited rule 15.11, section G, which read in 2009: “Chemical alterations, vulcanizing, tire softening, defacing and/or altering the face of the tire lettering and/or tire stamping will not be permitted. Tires may be inspected at any time. Any violation with any tire presented for competition may result in immediate disqualification from the event and/or other penalties including but not limited to loss of money, fine, loss of points and/or suspension.” Basically, they threw the book at Bloomquist, but that’s the spirit and intent of rules.
The Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series clearly spells out its fines and penalties, and the sanctions handed down against the 2009 offenders is consistent with their intent to discourage tampering. Their rule states “no softeners or conditioners”. A failed durometer test causes a loss of starting position or disqualification for the night on a first offense. There’s a $1,500 fine, loss of 300 series points, no race winnings, and a fine to offset the cost of testing. A second offense is steep with the driver getting a $5,000 fine and the crew chief nailed for $2,500 plus point penalties. You don’t even want to know how severe a third offense can be!
Soaking Tires
Soaking a tire can be considered a traction control device due to the nature of the tire’s characteristics. A race tire is best when it’s new, therefore the objective is to put it into competition within a short time from when it was molded. Once you get the tires, experts advise keeping them in a cool dark place since heat and UV light can begin or expedite the aging process. Certain chemicals, when added to the tire, have a way of helping the tire maintain the elastic characteristics that help it grip the track. Essentially, a tire performs at its best when the footprint or surface area is greatest with the surface itself. More of the tire is getting onto the track, which is really helpful on dirt surfaces that are uneven and constantly changing. A soaked tire, with its heightened elasticity, is able to withstand the challenges and maintain a better grip, especially on rougher tracks.
While there are drivers who have used soaked tires for qualifying, the biggest advantage comes with the longer distance races. A slight advantage in lap times is multiplied by repeat trips around the rack. A savvy driver can make subtle changes to set-up and increase the performance potential. When soaked, the tires stay cooler and last longer. There is a misconception that the product used in soaking will make the tires “stickier”. There are two mains reason why that isn’t really the case. The first is that a stickier tire would immediately draw suspicion. The second is that adhesion is not the goal in soaking a tire. It takes an effort to remove something that sticks, and a tire that is adhering to the surface wastes time and energy in propelling the car.
Tire treatments are openly marketed because they are not considered illegal everywhere, so you may want to check your rules for the series or track where you plan to race. The promoters who don’t outlaw it are generally the ones who don’t have the resources or manpower to enforce the rule. Products like Pro Blend and Track Claw can be found at a number of reputable racing retailers. Track Claw is billed as a tire strengthener and not a softener, which is why some rule makers have changed the wording to read “chemically altered” rather than “softened”.
Tire Chemical Hazards
I asked Steve Black of Speed Pros if his shop carried tire chemicals. “No way,” he said emphatically. “It’s cheating,” he added, echoing the concerns of many. “It’s not safe, either.” The safety aspect has been another issue at the heart of the matter. These products, in most cases, contain very toxic chemicals. They contain hydrocarbons as the active ingredients. Some examples are benzene and toluene, a couple of chemicals that have been linked to causing cancer in humans. The tire prep manufacturers and retailers do acknowledge the potential hazards, however, most provide explicit instructions and safety guidelines. For example, one company recommends applying the product in a well-ventilated room. Steps like using gloves when applying the product and procedures for cleansing if there is skin contact are commonly found in the instruction sheet.
The health risk is one that cannot be ignored. East Bay Raceway Park in Florida clearly cites the danger in the rule book. Any track with environmental concerns, such as one that is careful with waste oil depositing or tire disposal, is not going to want this stuff anywhere near their place. In addition to the health risk situation, there’s also a little bit of danger involved regarding the integrity of the treated tire. The tire manufacturers are understandably cautious. One company, who doesn’t participate in dirt racing but is active in other aspects of the sport, has a very detailed warning on its website: “Never apply any type of chemical or tire dressing to the tires. TREAD SOFTENING OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF CHEMICAL APPLIED TO THE TIRES CAN AFFECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE TIRE. Failure to follow this advice may result in catastrophic failure of the tire and could lead to serious injuries or death.”
Detecting Tire Tampering
Officials are having to be pro-active in their means to detect any alteration. The use of a “tire sniffer” is a popular enforcement tool. The manufacturers of tire prep products have become aware of this, and one company uses the “wintergreen scent” of their product as a selling point. Another company boasts, “Our preps simply do not have a strong offensive smell; all are very mild natural smells. This keeps the competition from ‘sniff testing’ your tires. They won’t know what you’re using unless you’re nice enough to tell them.” And, who would tell anyone? Can you trust anyone who’s in competition with you, especially when you’re doing something that’s against the rules?
When tire sniffers come up with an odor that indicates the presence of a chemical that shouldn’t be on a tire, series officials will take action. At a recent NeSmith Chevrolet Late Model Series race, the tool found 13 drivers in a field of 60 before qualifying. Those drivers were forced to change tires and run at the rear of the heat race, making transfer to the A main a bit more difficult. Despite the high number of offending drivers, there wasn’t a mad rush to the tire shed. This indicated that there were “legal” tires already in the trailer, they just weren’t being used.
Enforcement continues to be a big part of why these chemicals are still around. Some say there wouldn’t be a problem if everyone was allowed to use them, but that discounts factors like the health risk and environmental dangers. Some promoters are afraid to put the rules in place because they can’t enforce them. The current scenario requires suspicious tires to be sent to a laboratory for spectrum analysis in order to determine the chemical composition of an object. Tires are created with a specific formula with a compound of elements that interact in a way to create the product with certain desired characteristics. A batch of tires are mixed and molded with these chemicals. The presence of a chemical not found in the formula will trigger that someone has altered it.
While the exact cost is unknown, it can’t be cheap to utilize these services. We have heard estimates of $200 to $300 for each test. The $1,500 fine assessed on guilty parties by the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series is set aside for the tire testing program. A guilty party will pay for the costs of the test, but who pays when the tire is found to be unaltered? That’s where the fine money comes into play. Series have seemingly vowed not to let the cost become an issue, and there seems to be an increased effort to step up enforcement. High profile events like the World 100 have made no bones about not tolerating the practice.
How Bad Is The Problem?
The reality is that the situation is probably more widespread than anyone will ever know. A driver may only alter tires for certain tracks or certain situations, always hoping to stay a step ahead of the enforcers. The competitive advantage is always the driving factor. There’s a saying that is often heard, “It’s only cheating if you get caught.” The bulk of those who are using chemicals (they know who they are, but they’re not telling anyone) are putting themselves at risk. Race purse, point money, sponsorship opportunities, and reputation can be tarnished. A crew member could get cancer because of exposure. It would seem the negatives outweigh the positives, but apparently not enough to keep it from happening.
As long as there is competition, there will always be a desire to win. Sometimes that desire comes at any cost. It’s up to the individual to determine if that cost is worth it.
