Track Tire Options

[PaddyPrix]

I plan on getting to a track day or two later this year. Are track tires necessary just to go fast? Or for other purposes?

The previous owner put on some Hankook Ventus v12 evo2 I think. What are the main things I'd be losing out on at the track. Is it just lap times?

They're not necessary, no. Your lap times would lose out, mainly as a result of lateral grip. Street tires are pretty good for those first few times to the track, as they have very audible feedback, as a squealing tire is their way of telling you that you're right around their limit. As you up your game with R-compound, their chattering is still there, but largely goes away, and slicks pretty much gone, as you should pretty much know how to drive to your car's limit by that point. If you go in with super top notch race brakes, it is also easily possible to outbreak your tires, so having brakes and tires that are respectively close in performance is also a good thing.

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[luc]

They're not necessary, no. Your lap times would lose out, mainly as a result of lateral grip. Street tires are pretty good for those first few times to the track, as they have very audible feedback, as a squealing tire is their way of telling you that you're right around their limit. As you up your game with R-compound, their chattering is still there, but largely goes away, and slicks pretty much gone, as you should pretty much know how to drive to your car's limit by that point. If you go in with super top notch race brakes, it is also easily possible to outbreak your tires, so having brakes and tires that are respectively close in performance is also a good thing.

This graph is very misleading for people they are not tire/race experts, Slip angle and lateral grip are 2 different things and you can have a lot of grip and a high slip angle
Slip angle is the deformation of tire carcass and thread and my experience with both slicks and R compound, such as nt01 for example, is that NEITHER “sing” at the limit

 

[PaddyPrix]

This graph is very misleading for people they are not tire/race experts, Slip angle and lateral grip are 2 different things and you can have a lot of grip and a high slip angle
Slip angle is the deformation of tire carcass and thread and my experience with both slicks and R compound, such as nt01 for example, is that NEITHER “sing” at the limit

Perhaps I should have better explained that it was a general example to somewhat illustrate the point, but it still somewhat served my point that street tires are more forgiving. I doubt somebody on their first track day would be showing up on NT01, much less driving them there.

 

[EuroKllr]

I run RT660 on both my track cars and they perform as good or better than SC2's in every way. They only down side is if they get wet or if it's really cold.

 

[jmn444]

I run RT660 on both my track cars and they perform as good or better than SC2's in every way. They only down side is if they get wet or if it's really cold.

interesting! you run them on the 350R? how many days or sessions do you get out of them? lap times? no drop in lap times as they heat up during the session?

 

[Hack]

I plan on getting to a track day or two later this year. Are track tires necessary just to go fast? Or for other purposes?

The previous owner put on some Hankook Ventus v12 evo2 I think. What are the main things I'd be losing out on at the track. Is it just lap times?

It's a very personal choice, but my opinion is that since I'm not losing a sponsorship or a cash prize, I'd rather go with a good street tire than something really sticky. Costs of everything start going up really fast when you try to get past a certain point in performance. It's annoying and expensive to carry extra tires and wheels around, and tires with really short life are even more annoying.
I really liked the Pilot SS tires on my 2016 GT350. I think they were fine for track outings and they lasted quite a while on the street. I got ~16,000 miles mostly street with some track in there. And I still passed a lot of people at the track.

I'd pick a good ~300 treadwear tire if it were me.

 

[lunatect]

It's a very personal choice, but my opinion is that since I'm not losing a sponsorship or a cash prize, I'd rather go with a good street tire than something really sticky. Costs of everything start going up really fast when you try to get past a certain point in performance. It's annoying and expensive to carry extra tires and wheels around, and tires with really short life are even more annoying.
I really liked the Pilot SS tires on my 2016 GT350. I think they were fine for track outings and they lasted quite a while on the street. I got ~16,000 miles mostly street with some track in there. And I still passed a lot of people at the track.

I'd pick a good ~300 treadwear tire if it were me.

pilot ss

 

[EuroKllr]

interesting! you run them on the 350R? how many days or sessions do you get out of them? lap times? no drop in lap times as they heat up during the session?

Yes 350R and a Subaru WRX. I have 6 track days on the 350R since switching to the RT660's and about 1,000 miles of back county roads, and still going strong. Performance wise the RT660's out perform the SC2's especially in corners (they give me more feedback before breaking loose). I took 2 seconds off my best lap time at Button Willow, but that's probably due to more than just the tires.

 

[jmn444]

maybe i'll give them a shot then.

 

[honeybadger]

Yes 350R and a Subaru WRX. I have 6 track days on the 350R since switching to the RT660's and about 1,000 miles of back county roads, and still going strong. Performance wise the RT660's out perform the SC2's especially in corners (they give me more feedback before breaking loose). I took 2 seconds off my best lap time at Button Willow, but that's probably due to more than just the tires.

What kind of lap time are you running around button willow?

 

[EuroKllr]

What kind of lap time are you running around button willow?

My best on CW13 is 2:12....not gonna win any awards with that time, but huge improvement over where I started.

 

[honeybadger]

My best on CW13 is 2:12....not gonna win any awards with that time, but huge improvement over where I started.

No worries. Not trying to be judge-y, lap time is just helpful to gauge how much heat you might be putting into the tire. Tire wear can vary so much, it’s hard to gauge how someone else’s experience might translate to you.

Even in my own experience, I’ve corded cup 2s in two days and I’ve gotten 7 days - same time and same track.

I’ve heard good things about the Falkens from a few folks, but I’ve yet to see them on a heavy car at the tracks I’ve run.

 

[EuroKllr]

No worries. Not trying to be judge-y, lap time is just helpful to gauge how much heat you might be putting into the tire. Tire wear can vary so much, it’s hard to gauge how someone else’s experience might translate to you.

Even in my own experience, I’ve corded cup 2s in two days and I’ve gotten 7 days - same time and same track.

I’ve heard good things about the Falkens from a few folks, but I’ve yet to see them on a heavy car at the tracks I’ve run.

I think my subi WRXi is even harder on tires because of of the all wheel drive, but it's a square setup so I can rotate them. I have 3 track days on the subi and many more street miles (daily driver) and the RT660 still have lots of life. What I like best is the price. As good or better than SC2 but lot less money.

 

[lunatect]

My best on CW13 is 2:12....not gonna win any awards with that time, but huge improvement over where I started.

Small world! I personally hold a NASA class (GTS4) lap record for CW 13 at Buttonwillow. 1:56.782 in a modified 2001 330ci BMW.

 

[svttim]

No worries. Not trying to be judge-y, lap time is just helpful to gauge how much heat you might be putting into the tire. Tire wear can vary so much, it’s hard to gauge how someone else’s experience might translate to you.

Even in my own experience, I’ve corded cup 2s in two days and I’ve gotten 7 days - same time and same track.

I’ve heard good things about the Falkens from a few folks, but I’ve yet to see them on a heavy car at the tracks I’ve run.

Two days here too! I want to know how you got 7?

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