The bottom line on tubes and racing slicks is this: tubes are expensive, but the decision on whether or not to run a tube should never be a financial decision. It should always be a safety and performance issue -- as with anything else on your race car.

We've always had David Geddings of Campbell Tire in Alpharetta, Georgia mount our slicks, and he has the routine down pat. First he lays the slick onto a standard tire-mounting machine, then places the tube on top. He then fills the natural rubber tube with about 10 pounds of air, to ensure there are no wrinkles in it (lead photo). Then David deflates the tube.

The trick to a flawless tube-and-slick mount is to use baby powder as a "dry" lubricant, to ensure the tube doesn't stick to the inside of the slick. Mickey Thompson engineers say DO NOT use wet lubricant inside the tire, such as a light machine oil. It will attack the rubber and cause the tube to stick. Any cheap talc will do here. Notice how David has just about filled the inside of the slick with baby powder.

David mounts the tube inside the slick and aired it up -- standard operating procedure for any tube and tire.

Then he checks the balance on a rotating balancing machine.

The tube valve stem is then checked for its "seat" and leaks. All Mickey Thompson tubes come with their own locking nut, to ensure the tube doesn't slip inside the slick.