Coolest thing you learned at the Challenge?

So if im to understand this, one free set of tires. After that, any and all tires/wheels used count towards the budgetime, regardless of whether or not they're on the car during the run?

Right. For example next year were bringing 6 tires on 6 wheels. My four most expensive tires are going to be my exempt set. I went as far in my thinking to remember that I bought my autocross tires in two different transactions. That means my exempt set might be 2 autocross and 2 drag. That's the full combo I'll use in the drags. So my budget will be the 2 cheapest tires and all 6 of my wheels. At least that's my thinking if anyone sees a problem with this let me know.

In reply to mndsm:
Yep. So a pair of drag slicks and the wheels they're mounted on would have to be in the budget if used, even though they weren't on the car during the autocross runs. Finding the two extra tires and wheels and fitting them in budget is a major challenge, just like finding a cheap engine, or a decent suspension system.This isn't susposed to be easy.

I'm still kicking myself for not bring drag slicks as I had the room for at least a used set and the two wheels in half budget.

They way I understood the rules was that one set of tires only is exempt. But you still have to count all your wheels in your budget correct?

In reply to Ovid_and_Flem:

Yes. The car I'm building has 4 suitable wheels on it, so they're in the purchase price. If I were to buy different ones then they would add to my budget.

Who's going to be the first one to bring tools to mount/balance tires so that they don't have to take the hit for the fifth and sixth rim? Just unmount AX and remount drag tires between events.

In reply to the_machina:
It won't be me, but that's a perfectly legitimate way to avoid the cost of the wheels. I have, in the distant past, changed passenger car tires with two steel pry bars. I'm not sure that would be possible with drag tires, or high performance tires with stiff sidewalls. Best bet is still to find cheap wheels.Craigslist is full of sets of three around here, just buy two sets and have six.