Bruce at dreracecar is correct, no rule in the NHRA rule book as to race tires only. But I have run into problem if the tire says max 30 mph. A few years ago I had a customer wanted the Very lightest tire wheel set-up, and at that time the lightest tire available was Michelin with a uni-tread design. He was very happy, but when he was getting tech at a Comp Elim race he was told he could not race with those Moped tires. Well I didn't notice the sidewall said max 60 mph, I was just looking for a light tire for him. They made him buy some front runners, and said they were going to check on speed rated tires. Well the fact is NOT Even the front slicks have any speed rating on the side walls As a matter-a-fact, I have seen some 170 mph rated motorcycle tires tested, it was rear motorcycle tire. The speed rating is about sustained speed, like 170 mph for AN HOUR. You see, tires are created and destroyed by heat. All of our drag racing front tires don't build any heat [ unless way under inflated] because of at least 35 lbs of pressure and not run very long.
The only time I've had to replace a front tire for a racer was a N/TF with a good size front wing and he was only running 40 lbs, but the wing added enough down force to flex the side walls and it chunked his Goodyear Front Runner. I told him to run at least 65 #, the big show top fuel run 80 to 100 lbs with their Big wings.
It was just last year that one of my customers was told he couldn't race with "those Motorcycle" wheels & tires. So I called NHRA Tech and they asked if I could send them a sample to check-out, so I told them better yet I would bring them a sample to the NHRA office. You see, they had not seen my customers wheel tire combo before, 21" wheel and tire to run Top Dragster, he wanted more roll-out [ a head start on the lights] the tire was 27 1/2" tall were as the normal 17" is more like 22". The taller tire works well on a full tree, no advantage with a Pro tree. Anyway, I included a note that said even before Don Garlits, ALL wire wheels on dragsters were ALL motorcycle wheels. I also pointed out the NHRA rule book says min .100 wire spoke dia, and no missing spokes, the only other limit is wire spoke wheels are not allowed on a car over 1800 lbs, with out driver. So NHRA approved my wheels and tires. when the tech guy back east said they were going to look into the speed rating issue, I think they gave up because no door cars much less dragsters had speed rated tires. Can you imagine they up rising if all door cars had to run Funny car tires.
Glenn if you'd like a more correct nostalgia front tire call me I sell 2.25x17 RIB tires that look the most like Avon tire that started all the 17" front tire standard. i have those 17" rib tires on a few N/TF [ 250 mph] and a number of A/FD [ 220 mph]. Only problem is not checked tire pressure and no caps on the valve stems can push down on the valve and let the air out at speed.
I just shipped a new set of 17" wheels and tires overnight to a racer in Bowling Green because he was told he could not race with his "moped" 16" tires, but I think what he had was old 16" ChenShin uni-tread tires with a max speed on the sidewall. ChenShin has not imported any motorcycle/ moped street tires in about 6-7 years.
Good Luck at the Hot Rod Reunion guys !
Jon Hansen
