When you keep a close eye...
When you keep a close eye on your tire temperatures and air pressures, you greatly increase your chances for having a good finish.
Pressure
Air pressures can be a determining factor as well for what your race car is doing, and they can tell you if there is a problem. The air pressures experienced with the tire temperatures we were discussing earlier showed a great increase in the right-front. Also, the right-front tire had 5 more pounds than the right-rear tire. The goal is to keep the right front and right rear consistent and not have a difference in air pressure between the two. You can make this happen by changing the starting air pressures in the right-side tires. If your right front is gaining more air pressure than your right rear, lower the right-front pressure by 2 pounds; the tire will gain less air pressure as it heats up. This will also help the tight condition that the car was experiencing.
Understanding how your tires work and staying on top of them can make or break your season. At times it can be very frustrating, but with the help of new rules and ways of inspecting the tires, the playing field has been leveled, making it more important to monitor your tire temperatures and air pressures. Remember, take plenty of notes on how your tires react to certain changes that you make to the car. This will enable you to make better decisions when situations arise that you have dealt with before.