>
> >
> > 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 ;)
> >
> > 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


yes, they're set to autocross pressures of 39psi for the front, and 33psi for the rear right now, which admittedly doesn't make for a very smooth ride, but they let me corner like nobody's business ;)

re: squealing tires. . .hrm. . .not having been around in the 40's (or 50's or 60's or early 70's for that matter ;) I'm not real up on tire technology of those days. . .Lessee. . .mom was born in the late 40's. . .which means that the stone wheel was discontinued around 1949. . . j/k ;)

NASCAR rubs me the wrong way. . I've been annoyed with them ever since the mid 80's or so when they decided to put those stupid governors on the engines. Before, it was exciting. . one guy would have a faster car than another and it would be an actual race. Now, they all perform pretty much identically which means you have to be real lucky to pass. lame, IMHO. I don't have a problem with standardizing performance if it's a test of driver skills, but going around in circles is not terribly hard once you've done it a few times. If they wanna have everyone driving the same car, then they should get away from the oval track and more into a roadrace type. . . otherwise, let 'em go to town on making their car fast so it gets interesting again!