Why are tracks so slick compared to the street?

sunil6784 · Sep 12, 2005

I've never been to the track, but i hope to go soon. Just out of curiosity, are tracks generally a lot more slippery than the street? If so, how come?

tjm73 · Sep 12, 2005

sunil6784 said:
I've never been to the track, but i hope to go soon. Just out of curiosity, are tracks generally a lot more slippery than the street? If so, how come?

They are totally the opposite. The track is much stickier than the street.

jaymac · Sep 12, 2005

If you have street tires, you'll have better traction on the street. If you have racing tires (slicks, drag radials), you'll have better traction on the track. The reason is the way it's prepped. The soft compound of a racing tire, especially when warm, will adhere to the slick surface of the traction, while the harder compound (and not as much surface area contact) will just spin on the slick track surface.
Conversely, on a bare street, the opposite will be the same. On a cold, untreated surface (the street, it will be harder to make a slick bite, and the surface is more porous and not as smooth and sticky (no VHT).

25thmustang · Sep 12, 2005

Take my word for it. I was told the track is slipperier than the street so I decided to try a few launches on the street right before my first street tire runs at the track. The car just spun and spun through 2nd. I hit the track, nailed 2.0 60's all day and didnt spin into 2nd all that much.

The track was a LOT stickier than the street and I was on 245/45/17 Falken radials!

jaymac · Sep 12, 2005

25thmustang said:
The track was a LOT stickier than the street and I was on 245/45/17 Falken radials!

I guess what you can learn from this is that no two people will have the same answer.
Before I ever went to the track, I could nail it on the street, it woul d spin for a second, then catch and take off.
My first trip down the 1320, i nailed it just like I would on the street, and ended up w/ a 2.8 60', and was SIDEWAYS halfway down the track. Yes this was on street tires. No I had no traction at all. The track was/is ALOT more slippery then the street. That first run was a 17.7.
After learing that the track is slippery, i was able to get a 2.3 out of the night (still crap). Another outing, I was able to cut 2.0's w/ the same street tires, but more power. Either way, judge for yourself, cuz 100 people will say it's slippery on street tires, 100 other people will say it's sticky.
MAybe their track is prepped better.
Who knows

bubba-dough · Sep 12, 2005

Before I got DR's - I was told on street tires not to drive through the burnout box and not to do a burnout-just turn them over a bit to clean them not heat them up. Anyway I had to do both ways to find out for myself and I found that what I was told got me way better 60' and 1/4 mile times.

jaymac · Sep 12, 2005

yeah, you def. don't want to drive thru the water box w/ radials.
And I hate A-holes who drive straight thru the water and drag it up to the line and leave water there.
dicks.

tjm73 · Sep 12, 2005

jaymac said:
yeah, you def. don't want to drive thru the water box w/ radials.
And I hate A-holes who drive straight thru the water and drag it up to the line and leave water there.
dicks.

I also hate that and when the track staff tries to tell me I HAVE to back up into the water with my radial tires...that really piszes me off. A screaming match nearly broke out once. F-in retards.

RacEoHolic330 · Sep 12, 2005

Next time you're at the track, if you can, walk up to the starting line. More than likely, you'll have a hard time keeping your feet inside your sneakers. They tend to stick to the track when you walk. It's kind of funny to watch sometimes.

jaymac · Sep 12, 2005

Well, when you apply more than 250 lb./ft TQ (depending, obviously) to a hard cold street rubber compound w/ no bias ply, they just don't stick quite like Nike's!

393Bird · Sep 12, 2005

If you want to see what the strip surface is like, do not go to one of the street car low cost events, or a test and tune night, since they do not prep the track nearly as well as a regular race night.

EMW150 · Sep 12, 2005

393Bird said:
If you want to see what the strip surface is like, do not go to one of the street car low cost events, or a test and tune night, since they do not prep the track nearly as well as a regular race night.

The track I go to never preps unless someone blows oil or coolant all over the track. Even on regular race days you never see them spraying it unless they have a major cleanup.

sunil6784 · Sep 12, 2005

Thanks, from what i gather it differs from track to track. I guess I'll have to go up to New England Dragway and see for myself.

Btw...I thought I put it in talk.

90mustangGT · Sep 12, 2005

The smooth surface allows more rubber to surface contact. Imagine a suction cup effect. I've noticed the best runs is when you follow a all out funny car or dragster that really burns them and lays it down, although it may be your best run, you look like a slug compared to what you were following. Nothing worse than having to follow a FWD car that just tracks water with its rear tires. The track I go to, there is no room to go around the water which sucks because you always track water.

vikingpower · Sep 12, 2005

I experienced the same problem, traction was horrible out of the hole when I went to the strip, alot slippier than launching at a stoplight

maverick0716 · Sep 12, 2005

jaymac said:
yeah, you def. don't want to drive thru the water box w/ radials.
And I hate A-holes who drive straight thru the water and drag it up to the line and leave water there.
dicks.

At my track, on street legal nights they make you drive through the water....although, they prep it well enough that it's not a puddle you drive through, just wet pavement.

fox racer · Sep 12, 2005

have you ever walked on a track? your feet stick to the tire marks like glue

jaymac · Sep 12, 2005

sunil6784 said:
Thanks, from what i gather it differs from track to track. I guess I'll have to go up to New England Dragway and see for myself.

:

FWIW, I'm at NED, too. So, you can take my track condition report as a good account of what you'll be dealing with...

25thmustang · Sep 12, 2005

jaymac said:
FWIW, I'm at NED, too. So, you can take my track condition report as a good account of what you'll be dealing with...

Yeah but Im talking NED too! So who knows!

jaymac · Sep 13, 2005

ah crap...
I don't know anymore, I give up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:damnit:

Why are tracks so slick compared to the street?

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