Directional tread for a tire

An all season radial pneumatic passenger or light truck tire having a radially outer tread, the tread having a plurality of tread elements defined by grooves arranged circumferentially around the tread between a pair of lateral tread edges to define a tread pattern, the tread comprising:

• a directional tread pattern wherein the plurality of tread elements extend across the width of the tread between the lateral edges and include central tread elements and shoulder tread elements each tread element having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a first line extending along the leading edges of laterally adjacent central tread elements forms a generally “V” like or chevron shape laterally inward of the lateral edges extending to an apex where the apex of the “V” or chevron first enters a contact patch of the tire as it rotates in a forward direction prior to the remaining portions of the leading edges of the central tread elements,
• a pair of circumferentially continuous grooves, one on each half of the tread separating the laterally adjacent central tread elements and the shoulder elements;
• a plurality of lateral grooves extending from each tread edge TE toward the center portion of the tread, the lateral grooves adjacent the central tread elements are curved in shape extending along a line, the line extends toward the center to form an apex from the center of the tread extending outwardly across the tread pattern changing in an opposite direction at an intersection of the circumferential groove along a second line adjacent the shoulder tread element;
• and
• the shoulder tread elements are arranged in two circumferential rows, one row adjacent each lateral edge, wherein the leading edges of each shoulder tread element is inclined directionally opposite to the leading edges of laterally adjacent central tread elements and a second line extending along the leading edge of the shoulder elements is connected to the first line and axially outer portions of the leading tread edge of each shoulder element enters the contact patch prior to an axially inner portion of the leading edge of the shoulder elements and upon exiting the contact patch the axially outer portions of the shoulder elements exit prior to the axially inner portions while the central tread elements have the apex and axially inner portions of the central tread elements exit the central patch prior to axially outer portions, and wherein the tire has a tread footprint pattern that has a footprint shape factor of 1.25 or less approaching 1.0.