Drag Racing Tire Guide: Slicks vs Radials vs Cheater
When It Comes to Drag Racing, Having the Proper Tire Is Crucial for Traction
In the early 1950s racing on the dry lakes of southern California moved to more organized racing on pavement, at decommissioned airports early on and then later at dedicated drag strips built all over California as the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) grew. As drag racing spread east and the sport grew and new tracks built, the recap tires many racers were using were no longer safe for the speeds these cars were achieving. One of the first dedicated drag slicks came from M&H Tires. The tire was a modified version of their popular circle track tire’s soft rubber compound but built using a tire mold with no tread. This created the “slick” tire surface for maximum traction that drag slicks are known for today. While countless drag tire manufacturers have come and gone (and come back again thanks to companies like Coker Tire), M&H Tires is still around and offers everything from classic drag slicks to modern drag radials, and more.
Racing Tires vs Regular Tires
Many people ask us “what’s the difference between drag tires and regular tires?” Tires for drag racing are purpose built tires that are built with a soft rubber compound for enhanced traction. Many of these are drag slicks that have a traction surface completely devoid of any tread pattern/tread blocks, while others will have grooves or a pattern to the traction surface to allow them to be used on the street on a limited basis with DOT approval. You will also find tires for drag racing can be either bias ply construction or a more modern radial tire construction.
These tires for drag racing are often available in different compounds as well, providing options of very soft, but high wearing tires for drag racing, or something a bit harder that balances traction with durability that provides a longer service life and may be suitable for occasional street use. In conclusion, tires for drag racing are designed to provide maximum traction at the cost of increased wear, heat, and noise that drag racers are willing to accept.
Regular tires used for passenger cars, light duty trucks, and SUVs are much different than racing tires in that they are designed to provide traction, cornering, and braking abilities in both dry and wet conditions via a tread pattern series of blocks, lateral grooves, sipes, ribs, water channels/longitudinal grooves, and more. These intricate, CAD designed patterns provide the regular street tire with the ability to push water, light mud, or even slush and snow, from out from under the tire’s contact patch area. This ensures that the tire can provide traction, braking, or the ability for the vehicle to turn in all types of weather conditions.
All these things that make up a regular tire’s tread pattern work together to support the vehicle’s weight, provide a quiet ride, run cooler, and last longer; all important facets that a consumer is looking for in a tire that will last a long time and provide a safe, stable, and quiet ride. As you can see, using a regular tire for drag racing would be a poor choice, and using drag slicks or a drag radial will provide the best performance in a drag racing environment.
Why Are Racing Tires Smooth?
Drag slicks use a contact surface that is void of any tread pattern, hence the “slick” term. These slick tires look like passenger car tires that have been worn smooth from use. The reason that racing slicks are constructed this way is because it allows the tire to have the maximum contact patch with the racing surface for the most traction/grip possible. Standard tires with a tread pattern will often see the tread blocks “squirm” under hard acceleration, causing a loss of traction. With a completely slick tire there is no tread block movement and there aren’t any ribs or grooves that reduce the amount of the tire’s contact with the racing surface. It is one continuous contact patch. For two identically sized tires, racing slicks will have more traction available than a standard treaded tire.
How Do Slick Tires Work?
As previously mentioned, drag slicks have no tread to speak of, maximizing the contact patch of the tire with the racing surface for maximum traction. Working in conjunction with this wide and smooth contact patch of the racing slicks are the drag slick’s rubber compound and the slick tire’s tall and soft, flexible sidewall. Drag slicks are made from a much softer tire compound than your production car tire found on your daily driver. This soft compound provides enhanced traction due to its “stickiness” to the racing surface. The softer the compound the more traction available, however, the trade off is increased wear and fewer drag strip runs before the tires are unsafe to use. Lastly, drag tires are constructed with tall soft sidewalls that twist, or “wrinkle” under hard acceleration. This soft sidewall provides a dampening effect upon initial shock of the drag strip launch to the rear tires. This reduces the chance of the racing slicks losing traction and spinning upon launch.
Are Slick Tires Street Legal?
Racing slick tires are often not street legal unless they have DOT (or equivalent) certification. But don’t let that DOT sidewall stamp lull you into a false sense of security, as that legality is often based on the bare minimum of tread (often just grooves) and is there for racing classes that require a DOT tire to compete. The smooth surface of drag racing slicks can become a problem, especially in the rain or loose road conditions from sand, dirt, and other debris. Because these tires for drag racing with no tread don't grip well on wet or loose roads, it can cause your car to slide unpredictably, which can make them unsafe for normal driving conditions. We know a lot of people will indeed drive on slicks, but it only takes one cold, damp morning on that drive to the track to realize they’re not really meant for the street, DOT stamp or not. Our recommendation? If you truly plan to spend most of your time behind the wheel of your ride on the street and not the track, step up to some drag radial tires and leave the racing slicks for track use.
What Are the Best Tires for Drag Racing?
It would certainly be easy to say, “buy this 28x10.5 drag radial” and you’re guaranteed to win. Sadly, it is far from that easy. There are many variables to determine what are the best tires for drag racing. From vehicle weight and horsepower level to suspension, and of course any class rules you may have to abide by, as many drag racing classes specify a specific tire size and/or composition that racers must use. Here, we’ll run down the various types of tires for drag racing so you can understand what are slick tires and what are not.
Drag Slicks: Slicks are solely for drag racing and offer maximum track grip with a smooth surface and no tread. They're used in professional and sportsman level racing classes. You’ll find drag slicks in both bias ply and radial construction in many diameters and widths to accommodate your needs. Many racers prefer the traditional feel of bias ply drag slicks, which allow a much harder launch. Radial drag slicks have more stability for higher speeds but can be tougher to get them to hook on the starting line.
Drag Slicks
Cheater Slicks: These tires are modeled after vintage bias-ply slicks, often using the replicas of the original molds. The cheater slick came to be made street legal (barely) back in the day by simply adding a pair of tread grooves to the slick surface of the tire. They're great for classic car enthusiasts looking to recreate the gasser look or 1960s-era dragster. Many cheater slick offerings are offered with vintage white walls and/or piecrust styling (more on that below). You’ll find vintage bias ply cheater slick available from Firestone and under the M&H cheater slick tire line here at Speedway Motors.
Cheater Slicks
Drag Radials: While there are radial slicks on the market, as we mentioned above, for this category we’re going to focus our definition on drag radial tires that feature a tread pattern of some sort and are DOT legal for limited street use. So just what are drag radials? The typical drag radial is manufactured to appear like a production street tire from the same tire manufacturer, but with a softer rubber compound and low profile tread pattern that acts more like a slick. This way your street car can have plenty of traction at the track without the oddball mismatched brands of tires front and rear that are typical when running full racing slicks. While DOT legal, you’ll have varying levels of success in extended street applications, as they will wear faster than a regular tire and often provide a white knuckle driving experience in anything but warm, dry weather.
Drag Radials
Front Runners: Drag racing is all about getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Having a soft, sticky tire out back for traction is a must, but many drag racers will also employ a narrow front tire, often referred to as a “front runner.” These front runner tires are usually of radial construction (though bias ply can still be found) and feature a narrower tread pattern for less rolling resistance and less weight on the front of the race car.
Front Runners
What Are the Best Drag Racing Tire Brands?
There are numerous racing tires brands of which to choose from. Some brands are solely dedicated to motorsports tire manufacturing, while others are a division of a major tire brand that manufactures street tires for cars, trucks, and SUVs. Choosing a brand may be as simple as narrowing down your choices by size, compound, and bias ply, or radial construction. Or you may refer to your class rules for a specific tire or check with other racers to see what they use that works well for your class of racing.
Speedway Motors offers:
Other Major Drag Racing Tire Brands Include:
- BF Goodrich
- Goodyear
- Mickey Thompson
- Nitto
Drag Radial vs Slick Tires
We’ve discussed tires for drag racing throughout this guide, but when it comes down to it, your main decision is probably going to be should you run a drag radial or should you run drag slicks. Obviously, only you can determine the best tire for your needs, but we can run down the pros and cons of the two main types of tires for drag racing to further help you determine which is indeed the best route for you to take.
Drag Radial Tires Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- These tires look like regular street tires because they have a tread pattern
- Many can be used on public roads in addition to the track since they are DOT legal
- Good traction, especially for cars with moderate to high horsepower
- Perform better than slicks in wet or damp conditions due to their tread
- Large selection of tire sizing that will work with any rim diameter and width
Cons:
- Can be more difficult to launch on vs a softer full drag slick
- While better than a slick, a drag radial can be sketchy in heavy rain or standing water
- While firmer than a drag slick, a drag radial cannot handle hard cornering at speed
- Much lower life than a regular performance street tire, often 10,000 miles or less
- Not suitable for cold/freezing weather, as the tire compound hardens and can even crack
Drag Slick Tires Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Completely smooth surface, maximizing contact with the track
- Offers the highest traction level, ideal for high-horsepower race cars
- Excellent for harnessing high-performance car power during launches
- Can be shocked harder off the line than a drag radial
- Lighter than most drag radials
Cons:
- Typically, not street-legal, designed exclusively for track use
- Optimized for dry tracks, less effective in wet or damp conditions
- Wear out faster due to soft compounds and no tread, may need frequent replacement
- Slicks tend to be less stable at speed (though radial slicks help with this issue)
- Often require tubes and bead lock wheels or rim screws to prevent rotation on wheels
Are Drag Radials Street Legal?
Many enthusiasts run drag radials on the street, though these are usually not on daily driven cars. Many of the cars that run drag radials on the street are your high horsepower weekend cruisers that hit the cruise spots on Saturday night and are looking for that extra traction on the street while having DOT legal rubber on the car in case an inquiring officer should decide to look the car over. Thanks to the minimal tread and DOT sidewall markings, drag radials are usually a non-issue, however, it is up to you to know your local laws regarding tire tread depth and street use of such a tire. So, can you daily drag tires? When it comes to drag radials, if your daily commute isn’t far and it is not in freezing temps or heavy rain, we’ve seen many do it with no issues. Keep in mind that drag radials are built for better traction at the drag strip and may not last as long or perform as well in all weather conditions, especially heavy rain or freezing temps, as regular street tires.
What Are Cheater Slicks?
A cheater slick refers to the 1960s process of simply giving a slick tire a simple tread pattern (usually a pair of circumferential grooves) to make the tire legal for street use. This was the best course of action in that period for maximum traction on the street while maintaining a street legal tire. Today’s tire technology makes cheater slicks all but obsolete, but they are still used by builders looking for a period tire for their 1960’s hot rod, gasser, or front engine dragster build.
What Are Pie Crust Slicks?
The term “pie crust slick” refers to the molded sidewall pattern used in many vintage racing tires, usually a cheater slick design. The molded pattern mimics the look of a pie crust with raised and lowered alternating indentions. Since early slicks, including cheater slicks, were built by recapping a standard tire with a new tire cap, the molding process created this pie crust “edge” to the tire sidewall. Again, today’s tire technology has surpassed the original pie crust slick’s ability, but many enthusiasts love the look of a pie crust slick on a period gasser or dragster.
Drag Tire Pressure Recommendations
You will find that there is no simple hard and fast tire pressure to run in racing slicks or a drag radial tire. The conditions that dictate the best tire pressure can vary widely due to factors like type of racing, tire type (bias ply or radial), vehicle suspension setup, vehicle weight, horsepower output, and of course track conditions (is the track hooking or is it a greasy mess). We can provide some food for thought however on what pressure ranges to use and what is a good starting point.
Remember too that some racing slicks must be run with tire tubes to maintain consistent tire pressures and that a quality racing tire pressure gauge is a must for consistent tire pressures. In the end experience at the track will best tell you what is the best tire psi for drag racing.
- The heavier the car, the more air pressure your slicks or drag radial will need
- The larger the diameter of your tire the less air pressure you will need
- The wider the tire the more air pressure you will need, narrower tires need less
- Drag slicks typically run from 4 to 12 psi of air pressure
- Ensure you are running the same tire pressure in both rear tires
- Drag radials generally run 3-4 more psi than a bias ply slick, but can be as 20 psi
- For street use, drag radial tires should be run in the low 25-30 psi
- Use a quality tire pressure gauge that can read in half psi changes (or a digital gauge)
- Start with as low a pressure as possible and work up until you break traction
- Keep a log of track and tire temperatures and what worked best for that day
- Your burnout tire temp should be 30 degrees higher than the track temperature
- Adjust for track conditions, colder tracks have less traction, same is if they’re too hot
- Don’t be afraid to chat up other racers for tire pressure, burnout, and launch advice
- Don't go too low on pressure, as it can damage sidewalls and reduce stability
How Do You Store Racing Tires Like Drag Slicks or Drag Radial Tires
This is more for those dedicated drag cars that might sit in a shop or trailer for a period of time during the off season or if you hurt your car and you’re not going to be racing for a while. Drag slicks should be stored on their sides off the vehicle. Adjust the tire pressure to 5 or 6 psi (just enough to hold their shape) and do not store them in extreme heat or cold. They should be stored out of direct sunlight in a cool and dry environment. This will usually mean in your garage, shop, or basement. Place your tires on wood or cardboard versus directly on a cement floor and between tires when stacking. A large black trash or lawn bag is a great way to protect the rubber from sunlight.
Drag Tire Wheels and Accessories to Put You in The Winner’s Circle
We’ve discussed racing slicks and drag radial tires in depth, but there’s one last step to winning races and that’s mounting the tires for drag racing on your ride. While not as popular today, the use of rim screws used to be an extremely popular method of securing slick tires to factory steel and aluminum wheels. This is still a viable solution and can be very period correct for some builds.
Today you will find most racers using a beadlock wheel to secure their racing slick tires or drag radials on the street. Whichever method you choose it prevents rotation of the racing tire on the rim at low tire pressures.
Don’t forget our invaluable WheelWise tire fitment tool product line either. These wheel fitment tools allow you to determine the maximum tire that will fit in your wheel opening based on wheel width and backspacing. If you decide to back half your ride, or even just decide to add mini tubs, knowing what you can fit with that newfound room in your rear wheel wells makes our WheelWise tools invaluable for their price point.
Lastly, while we mentioned the importance of tire pressure gauges earlier, we highly recommend picking up an infrared thermometer to record tire temperatures after your burnout and track surface temperatures as well. These laser thermometers allow you to quickly check tire and track surface temperatures and record them for your testing database.
