Why do drag cars have wide tires?

Wider tires provide more resistance to slippery spots or grit on the road. Race tracks have gravel, dust, rubber beads and oil on them in spots that limit traction. By covering a larger width, the tires can handle small problems like that better.

Are wider tires better for drag racing?

“Rim width is related to drag slick inflation pressure,” Bickel said. “The wider the rim, the more tire pressure you can run while maintaining the same footprint area. There are tons of variables, and in many cases, a car might actually perform better with a smaller tire.

Why do drag racers use big tires?

More surface area on the road means more traction. The voids in tread are areas with no contact to the surface and thus no traction. In fact you may notice that the tires are often much wider than normal as well. This is also for more surface area contact for more traction.

Why are slicks better for drag racing?

Slick tyres can provide far more traction than grooved tyres on dry roads, but typically have far less traction than grooved tyres under wet conditions. Wet roads severely diminish the traction because of aquaplaning due to water trapped between the tyre contact area and the road surface.

Why do drag cars run skinny front tires?

Skinny Tires Up Front A decision many drag racers make is to do what is called “staggering” or running skinny tires at the front of the vehicle to reduce weight and friction while installing wider or stock tires at the back to help with grip, control, and faster acceleration.

Are slick tires street legal?

Slick tyres – tyres without water dispersing grooves cut into them – are highly effective on dry, warm asphalt. But they are also dangerous to untrained drivers, and when driving on anything other than dry, warm asphalt. They are not illegal on road cars, they are illegal when used on public roads.

How wide are drag slicks?

And all that power and logic are delivered through a pair of bias-ply drag slicks manufactured in Akron, Ohio. Thirty-six inches tall, 17.5 inches wide, and weighing 48 pounds apiece, they’re part number 2747 in the Goodyear Racing catalog, $917 per tire.

Why do race cars use slick tires?

Slick tires put the maximum amount of rubber in contact with the road, which is why they’re used for most forms of racing, including the rears in drag racing. Slick tires have no grooves to channel and disperse water, which makes them something between less grippy and outright dangerous in rain conditions.

What are skinny tires called?

Low-profile tires (also known as “low pro tires”) are generally street performance tires such as performance all-season, summer, ultra-high performance and competition tires that go on larger diameter wheels and necessitate shorter overall sidewall heights.

What size drag slicks do I need?

For racing tire sizes, try this formula: nominal diameter times tread width times bead diameter. Example: A 32.0 x 14.0 x 15 is a 32-inch tall, 10-inch-wide slick that goes on a 15-inch diameter wheel.