The Science

Why Do I Need a Tire Shade?

Because the sun can change your tire pressure before you ever make a pass.

On a sunny race day, your tires are sitting there absorbing heat between rounds. Black rubber is especially good at absorbing energy from direct sunlight, and as the tire gets hotter, so does the air inside it.

Hotter Tires = Higher Tire Pressure

It’s basic physics: as the temperature of the air inside your tire increases, the pressure increases too.

That means the tire pressure you carefully set in the pits may not be the same pressure you have when you pull into the lanes—especially if the car has been sitting in direct sunlight.

One Side Can Get Hotter Than the Other

Depending on how your car is parked, one side may be baking in the sun while the other is in the shade.

That can create different tire temperatures—and potentially different pressures—from one side of the car to the other.

A tire shade blocks direct sunlight from reaching the tire, helping both sides of the car stay closer to the conditions you actually set them for.

Consistency Matters

In racing, you're constantly trying to eliminate variables.

Weather changes. Track temperature changes. Air changes. There isn't much you can do about those things.

But you can keep the sun from cooking your tires between rounds.

A tire shade helps:

  • Reduce direct solar heating of the tire

  • Reduce unwanted tire-temperature changes between rounds

  • Minimize pressure changes caused by sitting in direct sunlight

  • Keep left and right tire temperatures more consistent

  • Make your starting tire conditions more repeatable from pass to pass

It's Not About Making the Tire Cold

A tire shade isn't a tire cooler, and it isn't going to magically maintain an exact temperature.

Its job is much simpler:

Stop direct sunlight from adding unnecessary heat to the tire while the car is sitting.

You spent time getting your tire pressure where you want it. A tire shade helps keep the sun from changing it before you get back to the starting line.

Shade the tire. Remove a variable. Make a more consistent pass.

 

Tire Shade Research & Resources

Tire shades aren't just for looks. Racers and automotive publications have discussed the effects of direct sunlight on tire temperature and pressure for decades. Here are several independent automotive sources explaining why keeping direct sunlight off your tires can matter.

HOT ROD — Why Do Some Drag Cars Shade One Wheel?

HOT ROD explains that racers commonly cover the sun-facing tire while waiting in the pits or staging lanes. Direct sunlight can heat one tire more than the other, increasing its pressure and potentially creating unequal traction at the starting line.

From HOT ROD:

“Air pressure is very sensitive to heat.”

The article goes on to explain that the sunny side of a race car can increase in pressure while sitting in the staging lanes, which is why racers use towels, covers, or magnetic tire shades.

Read the full article:
HOT ROD — Why Do Some Drag Cars Shade One Wheel?

HOT ROD — Inflation Fighter

Originally published in the November 1998 issue of HOT ROD, this article discusses how important equal tire pressure is with drag slicks and how direct sunlight can upset that balance.

HOT ROD reports that even a relatively small side-to-side pressure difference can affect starting-line traction and directional stability. The article specifically identifies direct sun exposure as a source of unequal tire pressure and mentions a tire cover as one solution.

From HOT ROD:

“Direct exposure to the sun can throw everything off.”

Read the full article:
HOT ROD — Inflation Fighter

Tire Rack — Temperature and Tire Pressure Test

Tire Rack conducted a particularly useful real-world test. Two tires were stabilized overnight and set to 35 PSI the following morning.

One tire was placed in the shade while the other was placed directly in sunlight.

As ambient temperature increased from 67°F to 85°F:

  • Shaded tire: 35 PSI → 36.5 PSI

  • Tire in direct sunlight: 35 PSI → 40 PSI

The sun-exposed tire therefore reached 3.5 PSI more pressure than the shaded tire in Tire Rack's test.

Tire Rack concluded that radiant heat from the sun can temporarily increase tire pressure beyond the increase caused by ambient temperature alone.

Read the full test:
Tire Rack — How Does Temperature Change Affect Tire Air Pressure?

Tire Rack — Competition Tire Recommendations

In its recommendations for getting the most out of competition tires, Tire Rack specifically advises racers to keep their tires out of direct sunlight between track sessions.

From Tire Rack:

“Shade tires from direct sunlight between sessions as much as possible.”

Tire Rack explains that the reason is straightforward: the sun's heat raises tire pressure.

Read the full article:
Tire Rack — How Do I Get the Most Out of My Competition Tires?

Dragzine — Tire Sun Shades at the Racetrack

Dragzine discusses tire covers and sun shades as common pieces of racing pit equipment. The publication notes that racers use covers when tires are exposed to direct sunlight specifically to help control unwanted increases in tire pressure.

When discussing tire sun shades, Dragzine describes them as a product commonly seen during a weekend at the racetrack.

Read the full article:
Dragzine — Reviewing JEGS' Popular Pit Products for Racers

Holley — EFI Tire Shade

Holley Performance also manufactures a dedicated racing tire shade. Holley describes its purpose as protecting race tires from direct sunlight and helping maintain more even tire pressures during sunny race days.

From Holley:

“Helps maintain even tire pressure at the track by shading the tire from direct sunlight.”

Holley's shade uses suction cups to attach to steel, fiberglass, or carbon-fiber body panels.

See the product:
Holley — Holley EFI Tire Shade

The Bottom Line

Direct sunlight is an additional source of heat. When a tire absorbs that energy, its temperature can rise, which can also increase the pressure of the air inside it.

For racers trying to maintain consistent tire pressures from one pass to the next, shading the tire removes one unnecessary variable.

Block the sunlight. Reduce unwanted heat. Help keep your tire pressures more consistent.