Interesting tid-bit. Talking to IMSA and Viper Racing League stewards. found HRE's are banned ...

[AUJ]

'Just thought I would get back to everyone with an update. I contacted VRL, the apparent source of these wheel failures, and this is what I heard tonight.

"Chris,

HRE wheels - yes we have had failures in the past and they have been banned BUT we now hear that they have come out with a competition wheel. If this is fact the whell will be allowed. They will also have to comply with our dating procedss as we required wheels be stamped or plated with date of manf. We have a two year rule for for all cars on race tires. "


There you have it'

[Mike S]

I just heard what I heard and listed it here.

Leslie, my GF, had terrible problems with her HRE's and my calls/emails on her behalf (two years ago) wen't very poorly.

Her wheels bent, corroded and fell apart in 15 months.

She has the order form where she specifically ordered clear coated wheels, but they didn't clear them. The barrels corroded so badly after 2-3 exposures to salt on the roads that they were pitted beyond a point of safety for motorsports or DE driving, in our opinions.

Most car clubs call HRE's "fashion wheels", which is what they are im my opinion. Great to look at, but not strong, certainly no made as ordered and they didn't stand behind their $7000 wheels at all with Leslie.

I have heard of countless other horror stories with HRE as well, and I DO see them break very often at events.

It's a running joke. "Oh, he's got HRE's! I wonder when he'll be going home?"

Sad.

Mike S

[Mike S]

He wrote the Viper Racing League a note and asked, and they responsed to their HRE ban and he quotes their reply.

The VRL rece director replies that they will look at allowing HRE's new competion wheel and may allow it if tests show it's ok.

Interesting. Why would HRE have to make a competion wheel if they weren't having problems with their normal wheels in competion use? Hmmmmmm.......

Mike S

[AUJ]

personal reputation here at Audiworld. It only adds credibility to your position.

[Mike S]

in the Viper Racing League.

Take care,

Mike S

[RMNixon]

IMSA, including ALMS, has no brand requirement or ban on any brand, except in GT3 Cup, where BBS is the "spec" wheel due to a business contract, not due to any technical requirement or magic ability to defy the laws of physics.

PCA not only has no ban on HRE or ANY wheel brand, they have experienced breakage of all brands of wheels on track, and have made an effort to educate racers about inspecting their wheels, as they will break from track usage sooner or later.

So far, you've done little to educate anyone, but rather have stirred up a ridiculous debate without substance or educational and responsible purpose.

If you were a professional racer, you'd already know that you can and will break your wheels, of all kinds, along with pretty much everything else on the car. HRE started as a racing wheel company before making street wheels, and has only a few peers in the wheel world with as much experience. You might be too young to know this, but I'm not. The fact that you or anyone writes off any brand as a "fashion wheel" or something like that, shows that you're more interested in gossip than technical detail or facts. If you really cared about racing safety, and also had any regard for the companies that spend money and time to supply the driving enthusiasts with quality engineered products, you'd look into things, learn, educate and share thoroughly, rather than sensationalizing a rumor and misleading others. Very irresponsible. All wheels break, being aware of this and also looking out for safety is a good goal. Being a gossip king is not.

[Mike S]

You made MANY accusations that are total guesswork and pure BS.

I am far from a gossip hound, and had you been here for more than your THREE posts, you'd know that.

I'm actually the 20th member of this forum (you are # 93,028, by the way) and I am not known at all for gossip.

I noticed how you COMPLETELY dodged the FACT that the Viper Racing League has BANNED HRE wheels (your wheel company, without a doubt as your IP address is traceable, dear sir).

You say all wheels break. Sure! All can break. But why are ONLY your wheels banned from a major race series? Hmmmm, because they BREAK MORE THAN OTHERS!

Yes! Your wheels have been banned by a racing series!

Yes! IMSA officials have stated they do not approve your wheels!

Yes! The PCA has had failurs with your wheels!

What you totally skipped was the FACT that YOUR wheels fail FAR MORE OFTEN THAN OTHERS in many applications and series, hence the BAN!

Sure, every manufacturer has likely had a wheel failure. Small to large, all have had it. But few have had the pure numbers HRE has had, which has caused your wheels to be BANNED in major racing series.

All I did was post what I heard and list where I heard it. I worka t track events and races 250 days per year (on track). I've never seen a wheel fail likes HRE's, period.

Sorry if the facts paint a terrible picture of HRE wheels, but that's the case.

As for misleading others, everthing I said was accurate. Sorry.

As for irresponsible, well, coming here with generalizm's and making a defensive post under a brand new user name, with no facts or merit and with tons of personal attacks and inaccuracies, THAT's the definition of irresponsible.

So according to you, telling the truth and notifying friends of a products problems is irresponsible and gossip!

IF SO, THAN I WANT TO BE IRRESPONSIBLE AND BE FULL OF GOSSIP! Give me a break. Sitting back and not telling friends about such a dangerous thing is irresponsible, and protecting someone's safety BY TELLING THE TRUTH is not gossip, but morally correct.

Keep on making those wheels! They sure look great when there in one piece.

Mike S

[RMNixon]

Nice try! Now you're the one making assumptions, and I'm not surprised they're incorrect. Never been an employee of a wheel company.

And rather than "lurking" like many do, I'm stating my view, rather than just sitting back and bitching about something I disagree with and not participating. If you want no new community members, or only ones that will side with you or keep quiet, maybe you should change the forum name to include your name. Perhaps you should have the forum include a disclaimer informing newcomers that they must "toe the line" and fall in behind those with tenure.

I just love it when somebody at a track spreads discussion as if it's official regulation. Happens all the time. It's like a giant "sewing circle" for men. The fact is that VRL has dating requirements for all wheels used in racing. VRL officials don't want "fashion wheels" on the racecourse--that's a subjective interpretation rather than a rule, and the dating requirement applies to all wheels, that's a fact. IMSA doesn't ban any wheel brand, save for requiring a spec wheel in GT3 Cup. And PCA also doesn't ban any wheel brands. These are facts. Not opinion, not discussion.

You're defending your turf against an opposing view, which is totally understandable and that's expected. But, since none of the sanctioning bodies you've mentioned have any official rules that back up your "facts", one could wonder if you actually work for a wheel company and this is all some BS business tactic. But, rather I'll guess you like to feel important and that's the true impetus behind your "education" of us all.

You sound like someone with an axe to grind, an audience to stroke your ego and now that there is an opposing viewpoint from someone, you have to attack a newcomer to show that you're "right". Safety my rear, this is about you.

You should start your own race series, write your own rules and ban whatever you want. You can be the law and not suffer opposition.

If you say something, I reserve the right to disagree, just as you reserve the right to say it.

I abhor arguments, but I dislike self-righteous bullies even more. I forgot to put on my sheep outfit at the door, sorry.

I have no doubt you've got plenty of time to argue your point for days, perhaps weeks to save face. Enjoy yourself.

[Mike S]

Lurking and not posting, huh?

You are so new here you cannot even tell what users in the know can decern from your user ID.

I am not going to get into a pissing match with you.

You assume I am younger than you and inexperienced.

I am 35 years old, a retired race instructor at Barber and I work in the motorsports world. I likely will spend more time on track this year than you will in the next ten. 250 days this year? You?

You can slam me, post your inaccuracies, pretent to be a long time lurker, etc.

You have now insulted the VRL (have you ever even attended a race?), dodged and skirted the issue AGAIN and made more personal attacks.

The fact remains that the VRL has banned HRE wheels alone. No other brand.

Why?

BECAUSE THEY FAIL AT AN EXTREMELY ODD AND DANGEROUS RATE.

You either work for HRE (yes, they whined to the owners of this forum and asked to remove the post) or are one of those fools who believes everything they own is the best, hence you're offended HRE wheels have been found to be crap by a major racing series.

THE FACT REMAINS EXACTLY AS I POSTED IT. HRE WHEELS HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM A MAJOR RACING SERIES!

You say telling people this FACT is gossip and irresponsible.

Most, including everyone else of the 12,000+ readers and 100+ posters found it informative. YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE TO TAKE THE STANCE THAT POSTING THIS WAS WRONG.

Gee, I wonder why? Why would 12,000 plus people find this informative and of interest, and ONE PERSON FIND IT A PROBLEM.

Sorry I care more about the safety of our members than HRE's sales or reputation.

At $1300-$2000 per wheel, I think they'll/you'll be ok.

Enjoy your fragile wheels, whether you make them or own them.


Mike S

[Andrew C.]