Loading…
The difference in tire circumference between the left and right sides of the car. Primarily used on oval tracks, a larger outside rear tire creates a natural tendency for the car to turn toward the smaller tire, aiding corner entry.
Haney explains in The Racing and High-Performance Tire: "Cars racing on oval tracks only make left turns. To help the cars turn, tire manufacturers make rear tires of different diameters and mount the big one on the outside. Since rules mandate a solid rear axle (no differential action), the outside rear tire wants to go farther each revolution than the inside tire, creating a torque on the car toward the left. When racers used bias-ply tires, they could overinflate the tires and stretch them to the desired stagger." Today's Technician: Automotive Brake Systems confirms: "Most race cars are set up with the right rear tire larger than the left rear tire. The racers call this selective tire sizing stagger." On road courses with both left and right turns, stagger is typically minimized, but small amounts can appear naturally from tire wear or manufacturing variation — making tire circumference measurement part of routine setup.