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> The only way to eliminate this smoke would be to make a harder compound, which would translate into reduced handling, which would send everyone into the wall. (this would improve TV ratings immensely, but make for very angry drivers ;)
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> they ought to make a HUD like they're putting on some of the new cadillacs, which uses infrared to see through fog/smoke/dark and project an image of what's ahead onto a 4 inch strip at the bottom of the windshield.

I like your heads up suggestion, but you know how NASCAR is about technology. They're still using carburators from the 60's! I understand about the soft compounds. The challenge for a would-be smokeless tire inventor is to make a tire that will do all the things present tires do, but without the smoke. It would take a major break through.
A few decades back, all tires squeeled around ever curve or corner, unless you were creeping. It was enough to drive you nutz. People who lived near a curve couldn't sleep at night and it was even worse on hot days. Most of the imporvements came in the late fifties. Have you checked the pressure in the tires on your Honda? Just kidding! You seem to understand tires.
Howard