AMA Question

[khanson]

Jeff,

Prices went up this year for mechanic passes.  It $70 for a crew pass per weekend, plus $39 if that person is not an AMA member.  

The $39 then gets them a one year AMA membership.

Unless you run the entire season it's not worth buying the crew pass which is $685 a person I believe.

[Thingy]

Tires...

Yep...  I will only be able to run the FX race because of my bike.  Planning on 3 sets of tires...

Kevin, correct me if I am wrong, but he will need more than three sets of tires won't he?  At least rear tires?  ???

[Protein Filled]

Hey Jeff, I would plan on 5 sets for the weekend if I were you! No kidding...

[Jeff]

5 sets?  for just Formula Extreme??

There are 2 practice sessions, 1 qualifying session and the race...  Or am I missing something?

[Protein Filled]

That is four sets since you really should go out on a new set every time, and one set mounted in case the race gets red flagged...

[G 97]

FX can run slicks.  You should be able to get by with two sets.  One set for practice and one set for qualifying and race.  You might do 3 rears and 2 fronts.  But even then a 600 should make a rear last pretty good.

Using 5 sets is a bit much unless you are running in the top 10 or have a big $ budget.  Unless you can take advantage of everything a new set is giving you I would save some money.  In the end when everything is said and done you will only have a bigger credit card bill from using 4-5 sets with basically the same results and fun with using 2 sets.

Of course with the corners repaved tire ware my vary a bit this year.   I would suggest running both NESBA track days in order to do some testing.  ;)

[BRG]

5 sets of tires for practice, qual., and FX???

You guys are on crack!

Half the guys saying you will use 5 sets for that, can't even waste a tire in a 6 lap CCS race.

If you cant keep up with the conversation or add relevant/personal experience to it. Its best not to join in at all.

Two sets budget racer

One extra rear if needed.

[Protein Filled]

Well, I am not getting to get into a pissing match here, but there are a couple of things to be brought up here:

1) I forgot that in FX you can run slicks, I was thinking more on the terms of Bridgestone DOT's, which I have heard that they are great in the 1st 10-15 laps (which I believe all of the practice are longer than that).

2) I have always heard that if you want to do well at the AMA level, you want consistency in your equipment, this way you know that if you change something, the difference was not the tires. I am not saying the tires are completely done after this, they will be good for a CCS regional race, a practice day or such.

Also, just because you do not have that experience racing in AMA races, doesn't mean that you can't have an opinion. The carousel at Road A is known for eating the right side of the tire.

Now Baker, I have a question for you: How many rear Pirelli's was Andy going through at a CCS weekend at BHF? When Andy does the Road America round this year for AMA is he going to use 2 rears only? Will he use Greens, Yellows or Blue's?

[StumpysWife]

I would still say put on a fresh set every session.  Why wouldn't you?  So you don't use them up and you have some great take offs for CCS practice or whatever.  Stumpy used 5 sets last year and obviously wasn't some front runner, but our theory was those tires will get used up eventually.  And we wanted to be as close to race set up for each session as possible.

Obviously, everyone has different methods to this madness.  Figure out what your plan is and go with it.

Heather

[Jeff]

In the end, the only true necessity on the tire is to nail a qualifying lap.  With the times of last year, I am confident I can be within qualifying times on a fair DOT tire.  The slicks I've been on from bridgestone are absolutely incredible.  I belive I can drop a bit more time on them still.

I understand about the consistency, but let's face it. I'm not out to win anything here.  I'm out to qualify and run a race with a level of competition I have never experienced before.  I don't think I'm gonna 'hang' with anyone but those I would normally run with at Road A.

2 practices, 1 qualifying 1 race.  

I could probably get by with 2 sets.  Comfortably with 3 rears & 2 fronts.  Best case 3 sets.

The budget for this stuff gets absolutely insane, and tires is the biggest part of it.  3 sets of slicks is $1000.  That's a hell of a chunk of change.

I've never run an AMA race because the whole price package was too high to consider with a CCS season.  The last 2 years I've REALLY regretted not running it.

[StumpysWife]

Hey Jeff,

FYI, it's 110% this year for qualifying.  The past two years have been 112%.

Also, your stuff shipped out yesturday.  Enjoy!   ;)

Heather

[G 97]

Jeff, you will also get a practice inbetween qualifying and race.  

Egdar, you are correct.  you don't have to race AMA in order to have an opinion.  Anybody and everybody can have opinions.  The critical factor and what distinguishes one opinion from another is the experience associated with them.  A well informed opinion based on experience allways will have more credibility and generally be more accurate.

As far as Feuersthaler is concerned.  No doubt Andy went through tires.  Again he had a tire deal and was also a front runner and was able to take advantage of the tire being new.   Bid difference between what we are discussing here for Jeff.  

Unless a rider can use 100% of what a tire is giving it is simply a waste of money to go through 5 sets for one AMA race.  The tire will remain consistent enough for most and times will not suffer from it.