Successful tire warming is about heating the "core" (inside surface and belted core) of the tire up to operating or race running temp. Tire warmers do this very well.
Without tire warmers:
The Core of the tire helps maintain the temp of the tire and once heated maintains the temp stability of the tire. As the contact surface is exposed to air flow it cools and heats literally in seconds with ranges (depending on size and location, IE front/rear.)of 120-400F depending on downforce/horsepower/tire size/compound/construction. The core operates as the balancer of the heat retained in the tire and when operating at running temp, change temp slowly in comparison.
Heat is generated from several sources with varying degrees of input. Braking has the highest amount of heat generation as most brake rotors will reach 800-1000 F in normal operation. As the calipers, rotor and hub are attached to the wheel, they heat the wheel up in temp. In turn the tire is attached to the wheel and receives the heat from the wheel. The inside wheel surface also heats the air, in turn generating heat to the inside. The wheel also radiates heat to the air inside. These temps are very high and radiate heat very well to the tire.
A another important heat generator is the movement of the contact patch through elasticity of the contact patch (braking,cornering,acceleration) Through friction of the movement of the rubber and cords, heat is generated internally. The heating of the tire in this method is directly related to the amount of work and stress put into the contact patch. An ambient tire will not produce enough work UNTIL heating of the outside (contact patch) surface occurs and the amount of friction (grip) is increased. This is a non linear curve from ambient to running temp. It takes much longer for heat generation to occur, as the outside temp has to migrate to the inside and "allow" greater elasticity work to take place.
The last one and the longest one is acceleration generated heat. A spinning drive tire, will generate heat, though again takes time to migrate from outside to inside. If no lateral G and only long G is present, the time will be longer than with Lateral G involved.
A combination of all three used at the same time is the fastest route to a hot tire and a core that is at running temp. IE- turn (in a weaving motion), as you start a weave, apply brake (creating brake heat,and force to the contact patch, mostly fronts), on the way out of the weave, apply throttle, spinning the rear tires or *front, if drive is there though a problem for heating the rears* (small smoking burnouts
), repeat. BTW, doing this "on line" lest you pick dirt and whatever as the tires get hot.
Having a set of tires, "on fire" at the start of a race, is a great advantage. IMHO
"Driving a car as fast as possible (in a race) is all about maintaining the highest possible acceleration level in the appropriate direction." Peter Wright,Techical Director, Team Lotus