Racing slick

The reduced deformation allows the tyre to be constructed of softer compounds without excessive overheating and blistering.

Modern day slick tyres have now developed particular performance qualities in a specific window of temperatures, becoming sticky when accumulating enough heat, and thus give much greater adhesion to the road surface,[6] but they also have lower treadwear ratings; i.e. they wear out much more quickly than the harder rubber tyres used for driving on the streets.

It is not uncommon for drivers in some auto sports to wear out multiple sets of tyres during a single day's driving.

Some use very low pressures to maximize the tread contact area, producing the typical sidewall appearance which leads to their being termed "wrinkle wall" slicks.

Inner tubes are typically used, to ensure that the air does not suddenly leak catastrophically as the tyre deforms under the stress of launching.

"Wrinkle Wall" slicks are now specifically designed for the special requirements of drag racing, being constructed in such a way as to allow the sidewall to be twisted by the torque applied at launch, softening the initial start and thus reducing the chances of breaking traction.

As speed builds, the centrifugal force generated by the tyre's rotation "unwraps" the sidewall, returning the energy to the car's acceleration.

When other forms of auto racing similarly instituted classes which require DOT approved street tyres, some manufacturers similarly began to market tyres which superficially resembled their high performance street tyres, but with the least tread pattern permissible and with very soft, sticky rubber, intended specifically for competition because the soft tread would wear too quickly for street use.