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Gulf Western Oils Touring Car Masters organisers are believed to be looking into how to potentially slow vehicles at this November’s Bathurst round due to concerns about tyre safety.
Speedcafe.com understands that the issue relates to the speed rating of the series’ Hoosier tyres, which is below the top speed achieved by some cars in the competition.
Seven different sizes of DOT radial tyres are allowed, all of which have a speed rating of W, which corresponds to a maximum safe speed of 270km/h.
That is significantly lower than what some vehicles have been achieving by the end of Mount Panorama’s Conrod Straight, with Supercars-like figures of even 290km/h known to be clocked before sweeping into The Chase.
The situation raises an obvious concern about the ability of the tyres to cope with those speeds, with some Speedcafe.com sources suggesting there would be the potential for legal consequences if something did go wrong.
Worth noting also is that, while TCM vehicles must be fitted with a roll cage, whether they are as effective as those of a Supercar, for example, is questionable.
What is not questionable is that they were not designed with a particularly high focus on aerodynamics, and hence are less stable than a Supercar.
One option which category management is understood to be considering is restricting diff ratios in order to cap top speeds.
However, that measure is problematic given it could lead to prolonged high revving which would damage engines.
Management of the category declined to comment on the matter when approached by Speedcafe.com.
Tyre failures were a common sight in both of the TCM rounds which were held at Bathurst last year, leading to a tighter camber mandate for the front wheels this season.
It was thought that a maximum of 3.5 degrees negative would be allowed on the fronts, down from six degrees, and while Speedcafe.com understands that change ultimately did not take effect at Round 1 of the campaign, up to 4.5 degrees is now stipulated in the series’ technical regulations.
TCM has twice been to Sydney Motorsport Park this year, the first visit due to Supercars having to move its season-opener from Newcastle, before the trek north to Townsville.
Round 4 takes place at the Sandown round of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships on September 16-18.
The stop at Mount Panorama is part of the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International in mid-November, with the finale taking place at the Valo Adelaide 500 in early-December.
