Tire Purger/Dryer Helps Pro Road Racers Control Setup Variables
In order for high-performance tires to work as designed, they must operate within a particular temperature range. This means anticipating pressure growth is essential to maintain a well-handling racecar from green to checkered flag. The Intercomp Tire Purging/Drying System gives racers the ability to control tire pressure growth throughout an on-track session. Joe Kantarik, a veteran crew chief and team manager, explains how the Tire Purging/Drying System helped the Minnesota-based Banner Engineering Race team compete in professional sports car series, including Trans Am and Grand Am.
“You had to roll off the trailer with a setup that was in the ballpark. With limited track time at most races, there isn’t time to build a competitive chassis setup from scratch. Intercomp’s Tire Purging/Drying System allowed the team and driver to understand if a particular adjustment improved performance, or not.”– Joe Kantarik, Crew Chief/Team Manager – Banner Racing
Water vapor trapped inside the tire is the primary cause of inconsistent tire pressure. As a tire carcass flexes and adheres to the racing surface, it heats up, and the air inside begins to warm and expand. Nitrogen, oxygen, and water make up much of the air we breathe. Pressure instability occurs when water from the air inside the tire transitions from liquid to gas, then returns to liquid once it cools. Pressure fluctuates because steam and water do not occupy the same volume.
This instability causes drastic changes in the handling characteristics of a racecar as the amount of grip rises and falls. The best way to solve this problem is to remove the air containing water vapor and replace it with pure nitrogen. In most cases, manufacturer technicians or a regional distributor mount new tires at the track. These technicians often use compressed nitrogen to bead new tires, but moisture can still become trapped inside during the process.
Kantarik said using the Intercomp Tire Purging/Drying System is the easiest way to remove moisture from a tire by pulling contaminated air out and replacing it with nitrogen. The system simply requires a source of compressed air or nitrogen, allowing the Banner team to mount it where it was most beneficial in an already-packed race trailer. Kantarik said the robust and simple design made the system ideal for use at the racetrack or race shop.