Auto Racing: What should I run for tire pressure in my front wheel drive dirt track car., dirt track car, stock car racing

Question

94 Grand Am I have a 94 Pontiac Grand Am dirt track car. I am running 14 inch tires all the way around and tubed. Front left has 22 psi, rear left and rear right have 20-40 psi depending how the track is and the front right has 25 psi. It has about 6 races on it and the last 2 weeks Ive blown the right front tube and rolled the tire off the bead. The front tires are Power Star Kumho tires with tubes. What tire pressure should I run or how can I keep the tire from blowing/rolling off the bead? The track is a 1/2 mile semi banked dirt/clay. Thanks in advance.

Answer
Look for a product called "Bead Lock" you may find it in catalogues that cater to winged sprint racers, or World of Outlaw people. I'm not sure where I heard of it. If you can't find it or it doesn't help, you may have to buy some "real" racing wheels from one of the stock car racing suppliers.  I'm being specific here because the local parts houses are not likely to have anything, or even understand your problem.

You determine the proper air pressure with tire temperatures. Take a temperatures with a tire pyrometer from 1" inside the outer edge, then the center, and 1" in from the inside edge.
If the center is cooler than the rest , there's not enough air pressure, in the center is warmer, then you have too much.  

This is a GREAT simplification of the tire temp subject. you need a book called
"How To Make Your Car Handle" by Fred Puhn - - -it's a bit dated, but easy to understand and will help you immensely as you read through it.  Any book store can order it, some keep a copy or two. Read through it, try some stuff, then read it again. - - -I'm still reading it after 30 years.

Good Luck
Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Florida