Cold Track = better traction???
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,858
Likes: 1
From: Burlington County NJ
Cold Track = better traction???
I have a friend that swears that the colder the track surface, the better the traction. This makes no sense to me.
Is there some perpective where he is somewhat right??
Is there some perpective where he is somewhat right??
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 5,531
Likes: 1,944
From: Austin Texas
Your friend is incorrect: The road surface should be warm (100dF-120dF) and the tires hot (180dF-200dF) and the engine should be warm (190dF-200dF).
What your friend might be feeling is that the engine actually does have alot more power when the air is cold (just over 10% more HP when the air is 40dF than when it is 100dF or about 40 actual HP on the base engine).
What your friend might be feeling is that the engine actually does have alot more power when the air is cold (just over 10% more HP when the air is 40dF than when it is 100dF or about 40 actual HP on the base engine).
Former Vendor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 706
Likes: 0
From: Scott, LA 337-354-9970
I'll tell you what. I haven't been through a winter yet with the vette, but when I had my camaro ss. I always got better 60's when it was cold out. I believe when it gets hot the track always goes away faster. when I say better 60's I mean .10-.17 better. All my buddies have the same happen for them. I am not saying it couldn't be the better air, but the track always did hook better when it was clold. This past week end my best 60' was 1.85 77degrees outside. When its 65 I've been getting 1.80. I'll let you know what happens when it gets to 45-50degrees around here.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 855
Likes: 11
Originally Posted by MitchAlsup
Your friend is incorrect: The road surface should be warm (100dF-120dF) and the tires hot (180dF-200dF) and the engine should be warm (190dF-200dF).
What your friend might be feeling is that the engine actually does have alot more power when the air is cold (just over 10% more HP when the air is 40dF than when it is 100dF or about 40 actual HP on the base engine).
What your friend might be feeling is that the engine actually does have alot more power when the air is cold (just over 10% more HP when the air is 40dF than when it is 100dF or about 40 actual HP on the base engine).
The other end of the spectrum is that when the track gets too hot, you can also lose traction. When the track is very hot, it is very easy to get the tires greasy, from to long of a burn out.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 1
From: Annandale VA
See Ranger's post about his most recent 10 second adventures. He uses an infrared thermometer to measure track temps, and finds that traction starts to go away when you get under 60 degrees. I know from personal experience that in the winter, it's much easier to spin your tires than in the summer.
What your friend may be referring to is extremely hot track temps over 100 degrees, at racetracks in Texas, Arizona, and other Southern locales. Traction can also be diminished in those conditions.
What your friend may be referring to is extremely hot track temps over 100 degrees, at racetracks in Texas, Arizona, and other Southern locales. Traction can also be diminished in those conditions.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,905
Likes: 1
I feel that when I've raced in colder weather, the car at least seems faster and have posted a bit better numbers in cooler temps. Could it be that if you properly heat the tires, they stick to the track well enough for the 60ft, then the stickiness goes away faster than in hot temps, having less resistance and friction, and that, combined with cooler air coming into the intake=better et's?? Just an observation from a few years racing...
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 32
From: Central Florida
I monitor and log track surface temps when I'm at the track.
There are several factors in play but the main ones are
(1) temp of the track surface
(2) prep of the track surface
(3) the sun load on the track
(4) the tire compound
(5) rear psi
(5) temperature of the tires attained by the burnout
The variables the driver controls are the tires used, their psi, and appropriateness of the burnout to conditions.
With that as background, different tires properly inflated and heated will have different thresholds as the track temp goes down.
Stock EMTs will begin to become unreliable once the temp drops below 60 degrees.
BFG 17" and 18" DRs will begin to degrade in hook in the low-mid 50 degrees.
MT ET Street Radials will fall off a cliff at about 45 degrees but stay pretty reliable until then.
All this assumes proper burnout.
If the track surface is getting full sun, residual VHT will help stetch the lower limit a bit.
Opinions vary with personal experience. But that's mine.
Ranger
There are several factors in play but the main ones are
(1) temp of the track surface
(2) prep of the track surface
(3) the sun load on the track
(4) the tire compound
(5) rear psi
(5) temperature of the tires attained by the burnout
The variables the driver controls are the tires used, their psi, and appropriateness of the burnout to conditions.
With that as background, different tires properly inflated and heated will have different thresholds as the track temp goes down.
Stock EMTs will begin to become unreliable once the temp drops below 60 degrees.
BFG 17" and 18" DRs will begin to degrade in hook in the low-mid 50 degrees.
MT ET Street Radials will fall off a cliff at about 45 degrees but stay pretty reliable until then.
All this assumes proper burnout.
If the track surface is getting full sun, residual VHT will help stetch the lower limit a bit.
Opinions vary with personal experience. But that's mine.
Ranger
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: KINGS PARK NY
Originally Posted by MitchAlsup
Your friend is incorrect: The road surface should be warm (100dF-120dF) and the tires hot (180dF-200dF) and the engine should be warm (190dF-200dF).
What your friend might be feeling is that the engine actually does have alot more power when the air is cold (just over 10% more HP when the air is 40dF than when it is 100dF or about 40 actual HP on the base engine).
What your friend might be feeling is that the engine actually does have alot more power when the air is cold (just over 10% more HP when the air is 40dF than when it is 100dF or about 40 actual HP on the base engine).
