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:So how do wider tires create an advantage in straight-line acceleration through traction? they don't necessarily. at a dead stop, the tire patch is very large, therefore more grip to get the car moving... once that 12" tire gets rolling, centrifigal force makes the contact patch smaller and smaller until your contact patch is the same as a 7" tire.I know there's probably a simple explanation that I'm not thinking of, but I can't think at all right now. wide tires are best for road racing, because as you begin to corner, the contact patch rolls with the tire... where as a thinner (7") tire will start to ride on it's side wall where traction (contact patch) is significantly less due to the stiffer sidewalls. hotrod magazine had a great article on this... i'll see if i can dig it up.
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