Quote Originally Posted by Howard Wood View Post
So why ban the Hankooks from U3L? If U3L cars are able to run with the Hankooks at say NZFMR alongside HMC (with their own specific tyre regulations which seems to have settled on the Hoosiers) the relative speed gap will close and U3L entrants will enjoy a tyre cost reduction as well. Win win it seems to me.

I for one am keen to try the Hankooks, what do you think Tony, Chris and Jim B, bearing in mind that currently the Hankook as a DoT rate tyre probably fits the regulations? There is currently well over 2 seconds a lap between the fastest HMC and U3L cars so no issue of the HMC cars being beaten but the whole field will close up.
Hi Howard
I'm one of the people emailing Ray off line to ruin his lunch!
Personally I don't think these tyres are in the 'spirit' of the regulations. They may be DOT approved, but a testing station would not give them a warrant of fitness, as they are clearly only for dry usage.

Ray's proposition of running the Hankooks, as it will slow V8 cars down when it rains doesn't wash, (if you'll excuse the pun), because competitors will simply have a set of 'wet' tyres/wheels that they can swap on to if it rains. I don't think moving people like Derek (Morgan) and Tony (Corvette) into 1.10's at Hampton Downs is going to do anyone any good. Then the question comes, what will be allowed at the Festival?

The new, tailor made, Historic Sanctioned Series regulations would be a fine place for each series to specify the tyre that they want to use. MSNZ and the Commission have come up with a very user friendly sanctioning strategy and there are already three series looking to sign up.