03-27-2007, 12:49 PM
Assuming wheel width and tire pressures are static, getting wider tires changes the tire patch shape. The tire patch area stays the same but the leading edge of the patch is now wider which is where the tire's work is being done. So going wider helps but only till a certain point. After that, the increased weight and inability of the tire to build up heat outweigh the gains of a wider leading edge irrespective of rubber compound e.g. these rules apply for both R-Comps as well as street tires. There's a whole book on tire engineering. I'll try to find it when I get home.
Two feet.