Just a heads up here.
$440 is starting to sound cheap ? Look ahead (and back) for a minute. Looking back.. this is a bias ply tire and durability is at hand, like it or not. Looking ahead your tire bill will go up. Once everyone starts figuring out stagger you will need to have a few more tires expanded to different stagger as spares to adjust for changing track conditions to remain competetive. That is only 2 extra tires if you get lucky and not ruin a tube from a bumper snagging a tubes valve stem, goes flat and cuts a sidewall before you get to the pits, snag someone's running board and cut a sidewall, guard rail and so on...
Your tire bill is now at least $660 and pending your luck maybe $1100 for the season ?? You might get lucky and not cut any tires down. Just think though.. if the tire doesn't last what the waste of having a hard compound was, when a softer compound would have promoted better racing and/or improved avoiding the fore mentioned tire ruining accident.
Not meant to offend anyone... just sayin' they should have approved the 53 in this light of a chassis
- Gimpster -