New MG Red SH2 for 2024

If vendors don’t have tires in stock, I’m sure they will allow SH1s until SH2s become available. Good chance to use up any SH1s you still have sitting around with tread on them.

More worried about the performance differential SH to SH2 and learning what these tires like in order to go fast.

The SH was a weird critter for us at our local track… my cadet often running 18+ psi cold. Imagining a softer compound and sidewall will want something entirely different!

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My concern is the forecast for the first race is in the 40s. I imagine the speed differential will be even greater between the two compounds with the softer SH2 heating up faster. The early morning green/white/checkered qualifying will be 100% favoring the SH2, I imagine.

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Has Trackhouse said they are allowing both compounds right out the gate? If the new tires aren’t available for everyone to buy, that doesn’t seem fair. I was assuming they would only allow the SH1 until the 2s become widely available to the public.

Because yes, the 2s will be faster in every condition than the 1s.

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Yeah allowing both compounds doesn’t seem like a great idea to me since by the looks of it you won’t really be competitive on the old tire. Gotta gauge when most people have the new ones and the switch over then imo.

I asked them when the SH2 was announced and got crickets. Technically, the SH1 is no longer produced though, right? Seems like it would be a fallacy to require it when it is only be supplied by current inventory. Either way really sucks since there’s a few of us with fresh SH1 sets and no idea whether or not to keep them in good condition or burn them up.

Well, I would burn them up. The chances SH1 is competitive if SH2 shows up in time is zero.

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That’s not really the question - the question is which tire will be legal in three weeks

Sounds like some folks need to road trip to Homestead to dumpster dive…. Had to be several hundred sets left behind in January! :smiley:

Official answer is SH1 ONLY for the first “couple “ races. So there’s the answer for one regional series (Trackhouse).

EDIT: This has now been changed. SH1 is required for round 1, and the tire of choice for round 2 will be determined at round 1 based off of current inventory. This seems reasonable given they have no control over the inventory of either tire

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A couple of months on from last post on this one - how are folks finding these new SH2 tires? Any consensus forming on what typical tire pressures look like, how many heat cycles to expect out of them, and general performance impressions?

They are grippy. And soft. We have not had reasonable temperature days to give you a reading on pressures yet. Maybe after this weekend. So far, I am 7 heat cycles in on my set of tires (club racing) and will be putting 4 more on them this weekend.

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We ran them at TSRS SpeedSportz this weekend. Had to make some chassis adjustments to compensate for the added grip.
OTK KA100 with tall, 2 year 206 driver, in second KA race. Practiced the week before on old tires, then ran this past weekend on the new ones for the first time. Went from 45 degree on front bar to flat, went from N axle to HH axle, and removed seat struts. Our rear change was exaggerated due to tall driver and green track last week vs lots of karts this week.
Driver reported that the tire was more predictable and he could feel when it was going to slip. On the previous hard sidewalls he often felt caught out when the tires slipped.
We did not get to run the tires through the main, carb issues sidelined him. So I don’t know about fall off for us. From others times I would say the new rubber does need to be managed just a tiny bit to preserve life for a full weekend.

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Looking for some input. The general thinking was that the original SH1 would not be available and it would be only the SH2 moving forward. However, my local track/shop is stating both are being shown as available. So is this a case where it will be a choice or the SH1 are available till stock is depleted? The website lists them as a “previous line” which sounds like a mixed message.

SH2 is faster in all conditions. No choice necessary.

Understood, but if the track can determine one over the other and the SH1 is available all season that may be a better choice. Plus, do we need a stickier tire in classes like 206 and KA?

I would say you would be stuck at the clubs discretion but SH2 is absolutely faster and if a choice is allowed it is the tire you must be on.

Ah, I understand now. I find it very unlikely a track would mandate the SH1, but if you could talk them into it, it is plenty good enough for 206 and KA. However, when you run out of stock mid season, it will quickly become annoying. I recommend ripping off the bandaid and going SH2 from the beginning.

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IN essence that is what I’m trying to figure out. How much longer will the SH1 be produced so that scenario doesn’t play out.

Produced = 0. They are done producing them forever.
The real question is how long will the current stock last?

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