Hypothesis. Experiment. Verdict.
The loop
Carroll Smith, Tune to Win (1978) · Milliken & Milliken, Race Car Vehicle Dynamics (1995)Every entry below runs the same closed loop — the tire-temperature-driven development procedure race teams have used since Smith codified it. One documented baseline, one variable, a measured comparison, a verdict.
- Baseline. A known, documented setup. Constant fuel. No changes. Smith, Tune to Win Ch 16; Milliken, RCVD p. 380
- Stint. Long enough for tires to stabilize — hot pressures flat, lap times repeatable. Smith, Tune to Win Ch 2
- Tire fingerprint. Read temperatures across each tread straight off the track — the chassis' fingerprint. Smith, Tune to Win pp. 18–20
- One change. A single isolated adjustment, chosen from the symptom map. Never two. Smith Ch 16; Milliken p. 380
- Identical stint. Same fuel, same conditions. Compare best-10, sectors, tire data — not the hero lap. Milliken, RCVD Ch 11
- Verdict. Keep with evidence, reject with reason, or carry an open question to the next controlled test. Smith, Tune to Win Ch 16