Ed Hughes

Oh, I've said it a few times, you haven't lived until you've spun a 911 (on the track I mean) at speed.

911vet

Hmmm... could be some sort of speed demon lives in that cat bypass.

I didn't just spin, I spun across the track, across pitroad, and down over an embankement. I, of course, chose the one place on the track where you can actually hit something. The radio call by the corner worker said, "wow, she missed the wall by inches" or something like that. And was told it got applause by the onlookers.

I drove back up the grassy hill and on to pitroad. Made the trip to Black Flag and had to explain why I decided to put the gas pedal through the floorboard like I was Speed Racer in the Mach 5. I'm not sure why I did, but now that I think about it, I bet it was that demon living in the bypass.

You are correct, you haven't lived until you've safely spun a 911.

Ed Hughes

Wow, that would make for some good video!

tabasco

+1000

I had the MPSCs as well on my 993 (which lasted way longer than yours !), and have those cheap sumitomos (HTRZ3) on my street wheels.
I wanted to see how the sumitomos would perform on the track, and high chances of rain for the DE weekend sealed the deal.
So I went to the track with the Sumis instead of the MPSCs. I thought I'd be super slow, I'm in the advanced group where most other people have R-compound.
I thought I'd be giving many passing signals, but did not care, it was to be a learning experience.

Guess what ? I've not taken the MPSCs back at the track. I had so much fun with the cheap sumitomos, and my driving improved a lot.
My lap times with the sumitomos are now pretty close to what I was doing with the MPSCs.

At $99 a rear, $79 a front for the 993 sizes (17"), that's a no brainer compared to the MPSCs. It's more than 2 x less !
Track got cheaper for me, I'm having more fun, and my driving improved.

If you're on stock suspension, invest that money on stiffer torsion bars + bilsteins instead of expensive tires.
The car will be easy to control, you'll learn a lot. Lots of fun.

-Guillaume

Ed Hughes

If we use your logic, we could infer that R compounds are not faster than street tires. My guess is you're just getting better at driving, and your times on the MPSC's now would be that much faster than those on your street tires.

I do agree on the wisdom of learning on street tires-I did two plus years of DE's before switching to R's. There's no way I'd go back.

g-50cab

I actually flip back and forward - I have to say that I am very happy with the NT05's I have on there now - street tread - Almost R type grip. Does not "go away" even with a full session on hot pavement. I think the new breed of under 200 UTOG tires really bridges the gap between street and R comps. (I do have a second set of RA1's that I'll mount whenever I get my 2nd set of wheels)

aeshultz

" I'm not sure why I did, but now that I think about it, I bet it was that demon living in the bypass."

So that's the excuse, huh?

Really, it could have been ugly (as someone else found later that day in T4).
But - no harm, no foul.

tabasco

I did say that my driving improved. I definitely got better, and yes I should be even faster now on R compounds.
But I agree, my message was maybe not clear.

My point is that switching back to street tires after a few years of R-compound may bring your driving to another level.

Why am I not going back to R-comp tires now ?
I'm having fun with the street tires, they're cheap, I don't trailer my car and everything is so easy when you're driving to the track on street tires.

But most important, I still have things to learn on those.
There are a few things I'm working on and the learning will be quicker with the street tires.

I will go back to R-compounds, maybe in a year or 2. But even then I'll probably switch back and forth from time to time.

You say you won't go back. I challenge you to do so. Try it, you may come back from the track with an even bigger smile.

911vet

You guys are determined to confuse me even more than I am already! Street... R... Street... R... what to do, what to do?

I'm taking the car to the shop that did the alignment and tire install just before Putnam. After an inspection, we'll discuss the choices. My guess is, if two of the MPSCs are ok, he'll tell me to just replace the two that flat spotted. He's a fan of R-cmpd and runs BFGoodrich GForce R1 (wear rating 60 - made out of bubble gum) on his street/autocross 911. Then again, it may be a mute point since Michelin has discontinued the tire in my size. I'm not sure I can get them even if we decide that's best.

I don't know if I was "ready" for R-cmpd tires. It depends on who you ask. Maybe they do encourage you to go faster so then when you make a mistake it can be more costly. But, wow, they sure felt great while they lasted. Once they were flat spotted I found driving the car very disconcerting. I couldn't read what was happening... couldn't "feel" it anymore.

I'm as ambivelant as ever about whether to put MPSCs back on if I can or switch to Dunlop Star Spec or Bridgestone RE11.

Yes, I know -- I need a set of track wheels and tires, a truck, and a trailer. I'll get those right after I win the lottery.

Ed Hughes

Alright, now I'm confused too.....R Compounds ARE my street tires....

Daniel Dudley

Personally, I would try the star specs. They are good in the dry and better than most in the wet. I have yet to hear anything bad about them, and they compare favorably with some very expensive tires.

Why don't you go over to performance and competition, and ask the fellows over there if anyone is running them ? Strictly speaking, I will never be the fastest at a DE, I need predictability and control. When I went to Skippy school, they used some BFGoodrich tires that wore like iron. Fine for the purpose, and easier on the wallet.

Daniel Dudley

Oh yeah. The Kumho Ecsta XS is a super dual purpose tire - in the dry. I am expecting that they are pretty able to deal with hot track temperatures as well. Cold, not so much.

911vet

I did and I got some good feedback. But the thread degenerated into a discussion of camber.

Kumho XS doesn't fit car. Nitto doesn't either.

My options are: Dunlop Star Specs, Bridgestone RE11, Kumho MX, Toyo R888, MPSC, Yoko AD08

g-50cab

I would go with the cheapest tire in that group - not sure you could "go wrong" with any of them. ( I would lean towards the Dunlops myself)

The last three in that group are much more dependent on tire pressures.

911vet

The Dunlops certainly have a lot of good customer reviews. And they are the cheapest of the bunch. Unless my mechanic talks me into MPSC again, I'll likely get the Dunlops. (he's not a fan of the Dunlop brand).

My understanding is the Star Specs were designed as an autocross tire and are known for being sticky on the first run. There's some thought they may overheat at DE events.