Until today I had not been to the track for two years and it appears that I have forgotten a few things...then, again, pushing 60 may also be part of the problem.

Anyway, it should have occured to me in all the preparations I had been making in the last month, to take a closer look at the wheels as much as the tires.

When I inspected the tires - which had been stored in a tall rack about 9 feet above the cement garage floor - everything seemed to be in order. Despite this, I decided to purchase a new set of ET Streets for the rear and everything worked just fine today - well, with the slicks anyway.

The skinnies were another story. After my first (and only) run of the day (see previous post on new best) I drove to the ticket booth, got my run slip, and drove back into the pit area. I started my post-run inspection (checking for any leaks, fluid levels, racing cooler for intake, and tire pressures.) The rears were both right at 13.5 lbs. but the skinnies were not the same. I had 36.5 lbs in the right tire BUT only 17 lbs. in the left front. I aired it up and within less than ten minutes it was down to 8 lbs. This was NOT good!

Discouraged, I found a tire shop near the track. There was a leak by the valve. The owner deflated the tire, and found that the cause of the leak was on the inside of the wheel - both of the twin nuts that were used to secure the valve had loosened over time. He tightened them up, without overtightening, reinflated the tire, and I drove home. Both skinnies had 34 lbs. of air when I left his tire shop and now, six hours later, they each have 33.5 lbs.

When reviewing this situation, it is clear that I could have been in a very dangerous situation if say the deflation happened, even partially, in the staging lane and went unnoticed until a high speed tire failure somewhere down the track.

Instead of today being my personal best, it could have been the exact opposite.

Lesson learned: I need to check and re-check my tire pressures at least twice before leaving the pit area to stage, and at least once again as close to the front of the staging lane as possible.

It was a bonehead move on my part not to thoroughly check, INSIDE and OUT all four wheel and tire assemblies that had been sitting on a rack for two years...not just the slicks.

A word to the wise...

Gary

 

Thanks for the reminder Gary. I get pretty lazy about checking the fronts...heck even the rears.

 

Tires are very important

 

Smart move Gary

 

If I remember correctly? I think your Crew Chief was getting on you about your front tire pressures at e-town?

 

Yup but he never checked them for me....just gave a bunch of static

 

I guess you get what you pay for? and you got a little extra!

 

Gary, that is causing both of us a lot of problems

 

Yeh, the short-term memory loss is becoming a problem. I NEED lower e.t.'s now because they are briefer and that way I have a better chance of remembering each run if it didn't take so long.

 

Good catch.

Its not often I run a street car but I'm in such a habit of checking tire pressures from the race car that when I do run the street car it is second nature.