Newer used tires vs Old New stock tires

I am trying to make a decision on what to do with a lot of the tires that I have. I have some newer tires that have some races and practice time vs some old tires that are new in the wrapping that were stored indoors but cold garage. Which would you keep? Used or new stock tires? They will be used as back up/practice/ when in a emergency.

Define “old”. I ran a set of “old” but never used tires a few years ago at a USPKS for practice and couldn’t figure out why I was 1.5 sec off the pace. Slapped on a set of used tires from a few weeks prior and the deficit disappeared. The “new” tires I originally had on were about a year old, stored indoors, but did show a little blue on the surface.

New set 1-3 years old

Used set are a year old

I have race sets, but I am wondering if getting rid of the used sets and heat cycling the old new stocks would be best.

1-3 years old is pretty old in my opinion. Not sure they’d be worth running to be honest.

I would say it REALLY depends on the brand of tire. The plastic-y tires like the Evinco seem to be real prone to age. Some others aren’t as affected.

I have a set of brand new MG yellows in wrappers bought May of ‘25 last year I never ended up using, that I was planning on breaking out for the first race at NCMP…

after reading this, I’m thinking they may be junk/practice tires, but they’ll be just shy of 1 year old when I go to use them.

Good point; the tires in question on my end were SH1 MG Reds.

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I have a Set of new Bridgestone YKC (probably older then 3 years old) Vega Whites and Levanto Hard Compound, Is it the soft that are not holding up? Would spraying them and wrapping them in WD40 help? that’s what I have read from the oval group, but they treat and file down their tires.

Use em for practice, and condition them with a mild dirt oval prep. Just enough to bring them back to pace.

This is all rumors and I know nothing about prepping tires….

About 3 coats of track tack mint 24 hours apart and they will be good as new (for practice purposes only).

Track tack mint absorbs quicker and deeper if you dilute it 50/50 with acyrsol or at-2 (track tack product). I also dirt race so am familiar with prepping, though I have never used it for sprint.

I have a newer local track that is hard on tires. I have a old set of Bridgestone’s that I sprayed with WD40, and wrapped them to see if it helps (they are harder then a rock with no grip), however the weather by me is being crazy with hot and cold so I might have to prep them again. I also have a can of tire prep I got in a buyout that I am also going to test. Should be fun practicing with them, to see what happens.

I found this on the 4cycle site

1. ACETONE=harsh softener, dries out the tire, usually used in connection with a lubricant or less aggressive chemical
2. MINERIAL SPIRITS=mild softener, usually used as a base or cutting agent for other preps
3. WD40=light oil, provides some bite, mainly used to replenish the oil in the tire
4. DIESEL= heavy softener, usually used before race day and in combination with a grip agent
5. ACRYSOL= mild softener, cleaning, usually used to cut another prep or preprep to allow deeper or quicker penetration
6. ATF=similar to wd-40, mild softner
7. DENATURED ALCOHOL=mild hardener, will dry the tire out over time, not generally used as a tire prep
8. KLEAN STRIP JAPAN DRIER=never used, would assume similar to #7
9. GOATPEE=harsh softener, produces immediate bite
10. HOTLAP=conditions tire, adds some grip, makes tire fire quicker, last longer
11. KEROSINE-=see diesel, has a little more grip
12. TIRE TUFF=between race conditioner keeps tire stable
13. CREO=mild softener, very aggressive grip agent, dries tire out

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Id be super curious to just see in nothing but a track day situation what Hotlap would do to KZ tires
(specifically MG SM2). I have a bunch of it at home from the RC racing days.