Tire doping for grip longetivity (unknown guy from New Zealand)

Chassis Setup, Tires & Handling Forum
1

Hi all. This year we took on a challenge on a different country to go and race in their top league with IAME MY10 (Sudam) engines, MG SH2 tires.

I quickly noticed how all of the guys regardless of the class just dump hella lot of money on tires. Like, ABSURD amount of money, which I simply dont have.

Problem is, I analyzed the behavior of these specific tires and the drop off is immense after the first few laps. They are throw-away items after 35-40 laps. Its not so much if you throw a new set and use it through the day, which causes predictable grip-loss, but after a few days of sitting idle then we found out they just fall out and can easily be 1-1.5 seconds off, just no grip at all.

The second problem is they cost 250 US dollars a set. And for a race + 1 training day prior, you burn through 3 MINIMUM! The race set is needed cause they have to be assembled in parc ferme, which I find okay. But to practice is just nuts

The third problem is I can save tires and use the iced out used sets and be 1 second off maybe more, but then we hop on new tires and our setup is wrong cause the grip level is wrong, etc, etc. Its a chain of issues. I mean I just cant use a set of tires for 15-20 laps thinking they will be good and 2 weeks after they feel like ice wheels, nobody, unless filthy rich, will go on and say “yeah thats normal, just put new tires” all the time, which, they all do

I dont want to make tires softer, neither cheat, cause thats just lying to ourselves. Just save money, cause I know that its also the same guys racing all year round, a rich boys club. Which to enter the club you must be willing to waste money unnecessarily, if I had it, no problem, but im out of budget by July if im gonna spend like they do…

Then I stumbled across one post on a youtube vid, a guy from New Zealand, who claims to have doped the tires to maintain the grip level as it was used, etc. ANYONE has a clue who he is? or what does the “dope” consists of? He goes by the name TP19. Please if anyone knows the “recipe” or this guy, or has a lead to him, let me know. Thanks.

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2

I know of no asphalt series that allow doping. It would be impossible for tech to determine between doping that is to make tires softer than original and doping that is attempting to extend life of tires.

3

I’m afraid I’ve never used chemicals on tires so I can’t help with that question. Maybe the dirt racers can help as they use it.

However, it’s wild how much different our experiences with the MG SH2 are. There must be something attributed to the NZ climate, your tracks, or the class you’re using them for. As an example this past weekend I was practicing on SH2s that on my last session were the tires 17th heat cycle (estimate of 150+ laps) and I turned times within 0.1 of my brother who was on tires that had 10 less heat cycles. We were on a KA100 with 30mm chassis at 390lbs.

4

It depends on the track surface, location and even engine sometimes. In my local track when we used MG SH with rotax they lasted a day and a half while in another track who use X30 they could last 5 days.
Nowadays locally they last a day whereas in other track they last two with X30. Although recently they raced with Rotax there and the tyres lasted a day.
My track has more straights while the other one has more curves and it’s located at a higher altitude

5

Since you’re not wanting to soften, just extend the of the rubber you really need a “conditioner”. Something to add oils to the tire that have been cooked out. There are purpose made preps that do this, but the old school dirt racers often made their own. I’ve heard of diesel being used, ATF diluted in a solvent like acyrsol, even wd40. I use prep on the dirt, but have never on asphalt and I use pre made prep so I don’t have experience with the old ways.