How Fast Is Too Fast?

[croston71]

After viewing some fast race cars I am curious about How Fast Is Too Fast.
I was thinking when forward momentum X wieght becomes greater than the tires designed g-force tolerance or does downforce calculated at a given SPEED have to be included & or will track surface deteriorate before tire compound. One thing for sure, if the tire surface adheres to track surface then tire sidewall temps become a variable.
Any thoughts?

[Slideways]

Ed Earl was askin' me that same question just the other day, while we was watchin' some paint dry...

[ferd]

Tires never seem to have enough grip. However, the forces they experience while racing rarely cause them to fail. Wear out, yes. But they don't normally explode unless punctured or worn through. You are right that high temperatures can accelerate wear, and that poor setup that allows sliding will increase tire temperatures.

IMO, “how fast is too fast” occurs when the driver is unable to control the car. That can happen at any speed, and on any surface (including public roads) depending upon the driver’s ability and the condition of his equipment. I’ve seen many more wrecks due to drivers who get into situations that are over their heads than I’ve seen wrecks caused by tires failing due to overload. And when the tires did fail it was often the driver’s fault for abusing them.

[croston71]

I was thinking 2 dimensionally when I started the post.
I figure in dirt the surface will peel away before the tire surface & the sidewall must be stiff enough that the rim never digs into the ground during a lateral slide. I do not believe most dirt teams push the limits of tire technology although the cars are capable of creating enough side bite to test the limits of the tire sidewall, in my opinion.
I believe on asphalt such as Indy enough downforce can be created to cause heat to build in the siewall in a given time period(# of laps) at a given rate of speed & downforce. The result in my opinion would be a car that feels as though it is on flat tires. My experience around dirt circles is most drivers will not report the condition but rather deal with it as part of there expected duties. The difference between a good driver & a great one may be the knowing when to report an unpredicted unpredictable driving condition.