My previous blog discussed braking performance and one of the little things that can affect how quickly your car can stop and how important driver skill is to braking distance. Another major factor that gets very little attention is tires. If you think about it, while brake performance is important, getting the car stopped in the shortest distance all comes down to the grip generated between the tire and the road surface. This means a performance tire with greater adhesion will offer better braking performance than a lesser tire. I've worked with my Chevelle for several years on good braking, but short of converting from drum brakes to my original set of B-car 12-inch discs, the biggest improvement I did was install a set of good performance tires. The constant evolution of performance tires is such that what was the must-have tire last year might now be second-shelf material. What this means is if you really want to see a major decrease in braking distance, bolt on a set of sticky DOT road race or autocross tires. You will be amazed at the difference. Yes, these tires cost more, just like a good set of DOT drag radials, but the difference in performance is amazing. And don't think you have to have ABS to get a short braking distance. A sub-120-foot braking distance with a non-ABS car is achievable. We've done it.