Spec rear Tires FC vs Spec Front tires FE

I arrived at Laguna to race my FC last weekend. I had ordered a set of spec tires from the Hoosier dealer about one month before the event.
I was assured that my tires would be available at the track.

About 60 minutes before our test session was to start I was informed by Hoosier that they did not have the rear tires. Hoosier told me not to worry they would give me a pair of FE rears which they swore were the exact same tires except that they are labeled differently.
I learned later that the FE fronts are 22x8-13 43272 in the GCR vs the FC rears 22x8-13 R60A compound 43285R60A in the GCR.
The different labels were confusing but Hoosier said they were the same.

I then went to the chief steward to clarify/get permission to use the FE tires only to be told that I need unanimous consent from all 15 of the other FC drivers. With about 30 minutes before our session was to begin this was clearly not going to happen. Without that consent were I to be protested I would be disqualified and get 4 points on my license.

Three questions:

Are these tires the same?
If so how does one contact the CRB to discuss a clarification in the GCR?
Who do I speak to at Hoosier about them screwing my weekend?

Jeffrey Pietz

While this answer is not definitive, for what its worth I was told by an FE2 CSR last year that the FE front and FC rear are not the same internally.
I would contact Bruce Foss at Hoosier and get the true story.

(as for the idea of getting compensation for a ruined weekend... while it was truly unfortunate, it was likely just a human error, and I'd be careful not to bite the hand that feeds me. YMMV)

As this was a Friday test session why was this an issue at all?

As you quoted, the GCR has a part number. That's al that matters.

I have heard of others being disqualified for "FC" tires sold to them and it being the wrong part number.

The part number is supposed to be inspected after quali and the tires stamped.

While the Hoosier dealer screwed up your weekend the most you are likely to get is a set of FC spec tires at no charge. Bruce Foss is a straight guy. Have known him for nearly 30 years. I am sure that he will do what he is permitted by the higher ups to make it as right as possible. Just ask nice!!!

Did you go home or run the weekend? If you stayed, were you protested?

The question I have is that this was on a test day. Do rules such as tire choice apply during a test day? You could be testing for the upcoming event, you could also use a session to scrub tires for a future event with a club where the spec tire rule doesn't apply.

So it seems to me the OP had all day to obtain approval from his competitors, so I'm confused.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick Kirchner

The question I have is that this was on a test day. Do rules such as tire choice apply during a test day? You could be testing for the upcoming event, you could also use a session to scrub tires for a future event with a club where the spec tire rule doesn't apply.

So it seems to me the OP had all day to obtain approval from his competitors, so I'm confused.

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The rules do not apply for testing. They do not even apply to the 'practice' session before qualifying or 'warmups' before a race.

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Originally Posted by Agitator

Did you go home or run the weekend? If you stayed, were you protested?

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After about 1.5 test sessions, an idiot in a F1000 blew out the seal on the oil filter, dumped a ton of oil at the entrance to the corkscrew, then spun and caught on fire, burning the car literally to the ground and damaging the newly paved track surface. The track called a halt to any further running that day (after we sat in our cars for nearly an hour waiting to go out), the paving contractor came out, did a quick fix, and they announced later that day we would be good to go in the morning. The next day the County, who owns the track, came out and said we were done, no more running on the track that weekend. So no issue with the tires.

Lyngengr,

Calling the driver a idiot for having a oil seal failure is pretty harsh don't you think ?

not an idiot for blowing the oil seal. Maybe for other things.

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Originally Posted by Steve Demeter

not an idiot for blowing the oil seal. Maybe for other things.

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Second time in a year the car has caught fire. I was told it was an O-ring on the oil filter that let go and dumped a bucket or so of oil on the track, which caused the car to spin, stall, and catch on fire. I do not think the fire bottle was activated, at least that is what I was told, that the driver simply bailed when the car started burning.

As we all know, O-rings don't just up and fail if intact and installed correctly. Either it was pinched or torn, and then let go.

That particular car runs in SFR events frequently, and breaks down more than it finishes. This really was the epitome of the on-track history with this car and/or driver.

Maybe idiot was a little strong, and I probably used that in frustration. But if you spent the time and money going to an event, to get one session, and then told to go home, for something that should not have happened, you'd be a little frustrated too.

The two tires you speak of are the same dimensions > width / diameter / circumference / section width / etc.....I wish they listed the tire weights.....the real question becomes what the heck would be the 'compound number' for the tires on the FE? Hoosier simply lists the FE tire as being FE compound.

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Originally Posted by EYERACE

The two tires you speak of are the same dimensions > width / diameter / circumference / section width / etc.....I wish they listed the tire weights.....the real question becomes what the heck would be the 'compound number' for the tires on the FE? Hoosier simply lists the FE tire as being FE compound.

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I'm pretty sure FE2 has R60. As I understand it, a big plus on getting costs down for FC on the Hoosiers was the close similarity--if not identical--to the FE (economy of scale, so to speak). SCCA FC (not FRP) and FE2 both use bias-ply, too.

Edit addendum: FC wets use W3 compound and so does the FE2.

If Hoosier says the identical tire (size, construction, compound) is produced under two part numbers, then I suggest you get the rules ammended to allow either part number for FC (and perhaps for FE), or request Hoosier to produce only one part number and spec it for both classes.

[QUOTE=David Ferguson;654335]If Hoosier says the identical tire (size, construction, compound) is produced under two part numbers, then I suggest you get the rules ammended to allow either part number for FC (and perhaps for FE), or request Hoosier to produce only one part number and spec it for both classes.[/QUOTEgreenhill is an idiot no one burns there car down on purpose with a lose oil filter moron