To shave or not to shave

[Mystic_Cobra]

I am getting ready to purchase a set of 275/40-17 track tires for my spare set of 17x9 Cobra R rims for my Mystic.
I am going to start racing American Iron sometime in 2004 (summer at the earliest) or 2005.
Instead of buying a two sets of track tires over the next year or two, I figured that I should go ahead and get the Toyo RA-1s - AI's spec tire. ** My goal is to save money by making the tires last as long as possible. **

Now, my dilemma is whether I should get them shaved or not. I have been told that these tires get faster and faster up until the time the cords come through and you have to toss them. I figured it would be a good learning curve for me to get faster gradually as the tires do - if that makes sense.

I do an average of one track weekend per quarter (4 or 5 per year) until I start racing. So, I will use them for roughly 4-8 days of track use before I start racing on them. I am thinking that I can drive to close events instead of having to change tires at the track (200-300 miles per weekend) if I don't shave them. This would only happen one or two times before I get a tow rig. Is this a bad idea?

Will the chunking associated with "driving school use" significantly decrease their life?

Asked another way, (and the ultimate question) will a set of UNSHAVED RA-1s last longer than a set of SHAVED RA-1s?

Jimmy

[svt_coupe]

Go shaved. They'll last longer. Get them shaved to AI-spec, which I believe is 4/32" (or is it 5/32") or SLIGHTLY taller. A full tread depth RA-1 is AWESOME for the rain but will not last as long as it's shaven brethren.

[flynfink]

Jimmy, the reason they will last longer if shaved is that they generate less heat because there is less tread squirm.