Auto enthusiasts flood NHTSA docket

WASHINGTON (June 12)—"Don't take away our specialty tires!" auto enthusiasts are telling the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Nearly 4,000 private citizens sent almost identical e-mail notes to NHTSA, asking for an exemption for specialty tires in the pending upgrade of federal tire testing and performance standards. Hoosier Racing Tire, Specialty Tires of America Inc. and Denman Tire Corp. filed the original comments asking for such an exemption, followed by the Specialty Equipment Market Association, the Tire Association of North America and the International Tire and Rubber Association. NHTSA's proposed tests are unnecessary for specialty tires—many of which go on antique and collector cars—and would either price these tires out of reach or cause their manufacturers to go out of business, commenters said.