...many times even wider.

Now I have seen "pro stock" drag cars on the street that had skinny front tires, but they aren't built to go around corners.

What you get with lower profile tires is more responsive handling, while sacrificing "comfort." You have less sidewall that flexes, which improves handling, but at the same time that reduction in sidewall reduces the "shock absorption" of a taller sidewall. It just doesn't absorb the bumps nearly as well. I laugh when I see kids driving little Honda Civics with giant wheels that have tires with an inch (or so) of sidewall. That's practically riding on solid rubber tires. They must get the crap beat out of them driving down the road...lol