Update on tire issue. I took the screw out of the tire one night last week just to see how bad it was and expected to hear air leak as I removed the screw.
To my surprise, no leak. I put some soapy water on the spot and no air bubbles! The screw did not puncture the tire.
It was short enough that the tip only dug into the rubber a little bit. It was stuck between treads in a groove. I have kept a close eye on the tire pressure every day since then. No pressure drop since tuesday night. So yesterday I took the car out for a drive to test it. After about 20 minutes of "casual driving" the pressure did not drop.
I then tested it at high speed (read 100mph
) and it was just fine. Presure this morning is still holding steady.
I feel confident the tire is going to be okay. However, it is my baby and I don't trust the tire on the track. :( So unless I do something crazy like buy a new set of rear tires soon, I will not be racing at the Fall Brawl in Nashville.