TYRE TALK WITH JAMES POWELL

YOUR FIRST TIME RACING?

If it’s your first time racing, then we know there’s a lot going through your head – without even chatting about the intricacies of tyres, tech, compounds and so on. This is why at No Limits Racing, we’re on site at your disposal to make the process as smooth as possible… but what should you keep in mind when turning up for your first race?

What are you looking for?

This can be a big one, but we will walk you through it easy enough! It’s your first weekend, so make sure to have a word with your tyre professional, maybe on the phone beforehand, or approach them at the event before you head out on track. At NLR, we offer racers a discount on tyres that are pre-ordered before the event, so contacting us beforehand is well worthwhile. A cheaper set of tyres that we can guarantee will be ready for you when you want them, is a good thing to be a part of! If you turn up at the event and need anything, you’ll have me to chat to as much as you want. You might be the next best thing looking for the stickiest slicks, or a trackday-er coming from hacking around on hypersport rubber, but whatever you’re looking for, we’ll be able to set you up. Whether you want a tyre that lasts one race or the whole weekend, we can usually accommodate you.

Does your wife know you’re here, sir?

Following on from the above, work out your budget, and be prepared for an extra tyre or maybe a set of wets. There’s obviously the good, the better and the best, and if you look at how much the top boys spend on tyres in the upper echelons of racing, you’ll be seriously surprised – it’s a fair whack. Be primed with a credit card… but rest assured it’s money well spent.

What are the conditions?

This can be vital when choosing exactly what rubber you want, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. If I had a pound for ever racer who came up and asked for the softest, stickiest slick then I’d be a millionaire, but in reality, it’s not always the best option. You need to take the track, track surface, conditions and more into account, so say for example you’re at a cold Snetterton at the start of the year, you’re really not going to want a soft rear Pirelli to last all weekend – it won’t work effectively as it isn’t made for that environment. It sounds a tricky old game at times, but we can make it much easier for you to make the correct choice.

And if you want scrubs?

We’d never turn our noses up at fitting scrubs

– I used to spend my early time racing on them myself. We’ll always happily fit them as long as they’re in a good condition and check over them to make sure they’re okay. You want to be looking at the depth markers to make sure they haven’t been completely used up, check the shape so you can see if a tyre has been disfigured, and keep an eye out for a whole host of other signs, including cracks. We won’t fit rubber the wrong way round, but keep your eyes peeled as next year, there’s a strong rumour that a big brand will be bringing out a bi-directional tyre that can be flipped…

What does it mean to have a control tyre?

This is a subject with fors and againsts, but in my opinion, it’s all good news. When you race at No Limits for example, we supply the correct rubber to suit what you are racing on and in, and it’s competitively priced because, as it’s the control tyre, we can buy it in bulk. It really is a positive for a championship as it means it’s the same for everyone – it evens the playing field. In the top tiers we’ve seen tyre management come into effect into BSB and WSBK as well, which adds to the excitement of the race. It also gives us a better understanding of the product as well, as the tyre technicians work with one product and have the opportunity to know it inside out, meaning we can get better results for you.

And what about if you have problems?

Then come straight back to see us! It’s what we’re here for – we’re a tyre service, which means we don’t just sell the rubber, but we look after you as well. For the most part, if you’ve done all the above, got your rubber, got ‘em warm, set your pressures correctly (important in a race tyre), and had a great race, it’s a big thumbs up. Just remember to enjoy it, have fun, and we look forward to seeing you at the track!