Why do jet drag cars use wide slick tires?

To better transfer power to the road. Jet drag cars transfer quite a bit of power to the road using the wheels. The rotational power of the turbine is transmitted through a transmission to the road. read more

The top speed determines the type of tire on a jet car. But you missed the better question: the reason “big fat slicks” are used has nothing to do with grip. Physics says that the coefficient of friction would be the same with skinny tires. read more

Soft compound tires are required to be wider in order for the side-wall to support the weight of the car. softer tires have a larger coefficient of friction, therefore better traction. A narrow, soft tire would not be strong enough, nor would it last very long. read more

The tire manufacturers have a wheel rim width recommendation range for each size drag slick. They usually allow for a 2-3-inch tolerance. “Rim width is related to drag slick inflation pressure,” Bickel said. “The wider the rim, the more tire pressure you can run while maintaining the same footprint area. read more