Originally Posted by TTT
Why? Why does more rubber mean better traction? The weight of the car will just be distributed over a greater area. Yes, I agree that if the roads were horrible then a wider tire would make a difference, but unless there are potholes all over the place, and you're launching in a big pile of gravel, then I doubt it would have any effect in something such as a 1/4 mile time.
More surface area one the ground does yield better traction. Try doing a burnout in a vehicle on rubber tank treads, or rubberized steamroller wheels, then come back here.