Abstract: In a tire having a tread with cap/base construction, a regulated amount of partially crosslinked natural rubber in a tire tread compound increases the uncured ("green") stiffness, tensile strength and tear resistance of a green compound used for the base without adversely affecting physical properties of the tread after it is cured. Such green stiffness is particularly useful in the construction of a tread for a pneumatic tire, which tread is of cap/base construction because stiffness provides requisite dimensional stability of both cap and base (in the tread) during the curing of the tire. The amount of partially crosslinked natural rubber used in a tread compound depends upon the extent of crosslinking in the natural rubber, the non-crosslinked remainder being virgin latex.