Drag Racing Tech - Radial street-strip frontrunners.....

When is a major tire mfg. going to make a high speed-rated 26"-28"x15 Radial street-strip frontrunner? I'm tired of these un-balanceable pieces of crap VW-bug style 165x15 radials that we have to put our lives in our hands with every time we cross the finish line w/our cars. They're making radial street-drag rear tires--even radial full slicks. Why can't someone make a high quality skinny speed-rated radial frontrunner? Comments? WJ :bang:

I run the Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro 8-ply fronts on the street and strip. They are actully pretty good on the street. I don't know the speed rating though.

They are not radials--they're bias-plys. They're also heavy--but I'm not cutting your tires down, by any means. With Radial Drag rears, you should be running radial speed-rated good quality fronts... WJ ;)

My impression of "speed rating" is for sustained speed and the heat that gets built up. Z rated tires can handle high speed heat better than H rated tires. That kind of thing.

With drag racing, you're at higher speeds for a few seconds at most. Not really enough time to get a whole lot of heat built up on the fronts. Anyone ever measure the temperature of front runners after a 130 mph pass?

I believe that someone introducing a speed-rated 26"-28" x15" Radial skinny frontrunner tire for the '05 Drag Race season, could become VERY rich in a VERY short period of time. There are tons of people out there with a need for a speed-rated, high quality street-strip frontrunner radial..... WJ

My impression of "speed rating" is for sustained speed and the heat that gets built up. Z rated tires can handle high speed heat better than H rated tires. That kind of thing.

With drag racing, you're at higher speeds for a few seconds at most. Not really enough time to get a whole lot of heat built up on the fronts. Anyone ever measure the temperature of front runners after a 130 mph pass?
True, But MANY people are DRIVING their high performance cars to and from the track--not everyone trailers their hot rods in and home....That's when you'll get some heat buildup, fatigue, etc. Why can't we have better than 60's technology on radial frontrunners? WJ

They are not radials--they're bias-plys. They're also heavy--but I'm not cutting your tires down, by any means. With Radial Drag rears, you should be running radial speed-rated good quality fronts... WJ ;)
The car is much more stable with the front runners at the track and on the street. They also track straighter than standard radials up front and much lighter than my 18" tires/wheels. No comparison and it works.

The car is much more stable with the front runners at the track and on the street. They also track straighter than standard radials up front and much lighter than my 18" tires/wheels. No comparison and it works.
What are you running on rear? Street and track? Radials or Bias ply? WJ

I have just recently bought a set of MT Sportsman frontrunners and drive them to the track and back w/ drag radials. They drive real good on the street/highway. I used to use MT drag frontrunners and drove to the track and back, they sucked on the street and would grab every rut or bump in the road (not good) + they wore out quick. I`ve also seen 8sec cars using MT Sportsman FRs traping over 150mph in the 1/4, thats enough for me.

What are you running on rear? Street and track? Radials or Bias ply? WJ
My drag setup is MT DR's on the reat and Sportsman Pros for the front. To Caveman's point I have driven to and from the track roundtrip 450 miles with no problems. The car tracks straight and does not wander. I was pleasantly suprised how nice this setup rode on the street.

At SEMA "Big Daddy" Dwayne Gutledge's car had a small BFG radial on it... not sure if was anything more than what we already run, but might be worth investigating.

Now that MT has the radial rear tires, I'd love to see a radial front runner.

Hoosier makes a Pro Street front radial. Check out Summit Racing...

I have hundreds of track passes and even a couple hundred driving miles on radial skinny fronts with no issues at all. I run the Kumho Steel Belted Radial 771 165r15's.

Them damn Mickey street front runners are too damned wide

I run Goodyear's 26.5.5.15 front runners. One of the lightest out there and are resistant going thru the water by tire design. Cheers..

I have hundreds of track passes and even a couple hundred driving miles on radial skinny fronts with no issues at all. I run the Kumho Steel Belted Radial 771 165r15's.
I completely agree Lynda. I'm on my second set of Pep Boy specials without issue.

But, it never hurts to have more selection ;)

Dangerous tire those junk metrics...
Sure u can runem but I'd hate to see it deflate in 1 sec going 10's :eek:

I heard threw the grapeving M/T was working on a matching front radial to match their rear drag radial.

I'm on my second set of Pep Boy specials without issue.

;)
im with John here, ive had mine for a year now with about 70 passes bouncing and slammin the front end on them with no problems so far and i drive them around town also.

Dangerous tire those junk metrics...
Sure u can runem but I'd hate to see it deflate in 1 sec going 10's :eek:

I heard threw the grapeving M/T was working on a matching front radial to match their rear drag radial.
JS: That's what I'm looking for--a speed rated radial that won't mind some heat build-up on a 100 mile interstate drive to the track on a 80-90 degree day at 65-70 mph for 1.5 hrs, then make a few 112-113 mph passes without any worry and turn around and drive home that 100 miles w/out changing tires. (The rears I change--fronts I don't want to or have the room.) Between rear slicks, small toolbox, small floorjack, a pr. of small jackstands, and a few misc. spare parts, along w/a 2.5 gal racegas container and my cozy kooler lunch box---I can't fit frontrunners in my SS hatch area--even if I DO end up removing the rear seat! Track passes only--the cheapo metric 165x15's may be o.k., but heating them up on the interstate for a hour on a hot day--then a day at the track---I just can't feel comfortable doing it....Only my opinion, though. Oh, forgot. I stuff a portable air tank in the back there, too.... WJ :D

JS: That's what I'm looking for--a speed rated radial that won't mind some heat build-up on a 100 mile interstate drive to the track on a 80-90 degree day at 65-70 mph for 1.5 hrs, then make a few 112-113 mph passes without any worry and turn around and drive home that 100 miles w/out changing tires. (The rears I change--fronts I don't want to or have the room.) Between rear slicks, small toolbox, small floorjack, a pr. of small jackstands, and a few misc. spare parts, along w/a 2.5 gal racegas container and my cozy kooler lunch box---I can't fit frontrunners in my SS hatch area--even if I DO end up removing the rear seat! Track passes only--the cheapo metric 165x15's may be o.k., but heating them up on the interstate for a hour on a hot day--then a day at the track---I just can't feel comfortable doing it....Only my opinion, though. Oh, forgot. I stuff a portable air tank in the back there, too.... WJ :D
holly crap, you sure you not pulling a trailer with all that junk, i can imagine stuffing all that in my car.

holly crap, you sure you not pulling a trailer with all that junk, i can imagine stuffing all that in my car.
When you live 100 miles from the nearest track and you don't have a tow rig or trailer, You HAVE to take all you can. Plus, if I break something---it's a $350 ramp truck ride home! I've had lots of hobbies, but none of them have given me the rush that drag racing does...Also, I've met some wonderful people. People that are still friends after meeting and competing against them 30 years ago.... WJ

Well.. I drive 100+ miles to most the tracks I run at. I do it on the skinnies ;) Use to do it on the ET Streets too... but going to try and save my new set for track only = changing the rears at the track.

Dangerous tire those junk metrics...
Sure u can runem but I'd hate to see it deflate in 1 sec going 10's :eek:

I heard threw the grapeving M/T was working on a matching front radial to match their rear drag radial.
Joel, I saw those at SEMA, but the rep didn't have any firm information on them.

BTW, MT also has a radial sportsman tire coming too ;)

Here's a couple pictures:
http://mail.streetfire.net/PhotoDetail.aspx?id=4240AD65-2D99-4154-BD3C-298A14792B48&i=5
http://mail.streetfire.net/PhotoDetail.aspx?id=4240AD65-2D99-4154-BD3C-298A14792B48&i=6

I think driving your car to the track--especially if it's 11's or faster is the balls.... A special breed of person....10's or 9's driving it in is downright Psycho! Only those doing it know how good it feels. WJ :devil:

Yea I knew about them 6 months ago,Nice to be direct with M/T ;)

It would be nice to have some that are a little taller,like 27.5 maybe so our abs works
properly and you can do a quality dump a the finish line.

Yea I might switch to a 27in front someday if I go 28 in slick