Nick Wong

I've run on M+S tires because they were cheap. Only slowed me down a couple of seconds a lap at GingerMan but it was a much more dramatic drive.

These guys are buying race tires for DE so to be honest they are not really in it for purely DE (let's face the truth, R compounds on these cars is quite entertaining). I just think it's silly to risk an expensive car on marginal tires- if improvement is what they are after they should just stick to street tires and learn to drive that.

No shame in wanting to drive the car home.

Fritz Flynn

Been doing it for 12 years on every kind of tire you can imagine so at some point you are wasting time and not learning but if you're still having fun on bald hoos go for it

Best place to learn car control rent the skid pad with a small group and have at it.

deputydog95

This is all great info. Thanks for sharing.

Veloce Raptor

Nick: I see your point. However (speking generally here, not abvout any specific people), in many cases, fresh tires and horsepower are hiding poor lines and weak skills. I would rather see someone, who wants to improve thheir lap times, go out on older tires, at a slightly reduced pace (for safety), and really work on staying more ahead of the car. JMHO...

deputydog95

What are M+S tires?

Clearly you've never heard of the Serbring GT3 DE Cup Series. Street tires won't cut it

deputydog95

That makes sense. But when you're trying to keep Randy off your bumper you need every advantage you can get

Nick Wong

M+S. Mud and Snow rated tires.

They were $50 a pop. New. Mounted.

People couldn't figure out how I was going so quick with them, in a street car. It's all about controlling the slip angle and judicious use of throttle, attacking apexes earlier to compensate for mushy tires.

About Sebring- I'll get a good first glance at that end March. But I'll be on street tires.

Fritz Flynn

Yep, similar to driving in the rain with less traction you must be smooth and SMOOTH IS FAST!

Veloce Raptor

F'ing A +1.

This weekend, I took a bunch of folks out in the mornings before the track went green at Road Atlanta in my rental -- 4 cylinder Chevy Malibu on utterly crappy street tires. Ask one of them how quick you can go through 1, 3, 6, 10A/10B, and 12 in crap equipment on ****ty tired.

P.J.S.

I have swtiched to primarily michelin slicks and have found that they "last" as long as hoosiers and perform better through out the life of the tire. Of course they cost a bit more, but I think it is worth the extra cost.

Hoosiers were basically $1500 per set delivered and the Mich were $2100 last season... 255 fronts and 335 rears on the hoosiers... and extra $600 per set is only $30 per session or so... and when I even think about what I am spending per day, $30 is a fart in the wind so to speak.

I trailer the car to and from so driving home does not concern me... if it did, I would be on RA1 or the like.

I guess that I am not in it "purely for de" as you say... If I am going to dabble in "track narcotic" I want un cut, pure, high grade experience -- including data analyisis and coaching.

Nick Wong

Oh, I'm not arguing with you on any of those points. It's just that the reality of DE is beyond that of Driver's Ed- in today's world weekend warriors treat it as a defacto time trial race.

Like I said, if they were really intent on learning- street tires would be the way to go, but it's not about learning per say but fun and as long as they're having fun, does it really matter? I'd rather see people out there having fun and coming back than the alternative...

Nick Wong

Nothing wrong with that perspective at all, and for those that do that, just keep track of your tire wear, that $30 for "one more session" could be a car write off...

Izzone

Most people I see on slicks / Hoosiers dont belong on them anyways. I have been to many tracks and met many people (some on this forum), most could learn better car control by stepping into a lesser tire an dlearning to drive the limit at a slower pace.

You will know when you need Ho Ho / slicks to go faster, if you dont know you are not going fast enough on the tire you have. I cant tell you how many students I get that show up on sticker Hoosiers, most the time I convince them by the end of the weekend to switch to a more progressive slip tire.

For DE a Toyo RA1 type compound is the perfect compromise. The softer the tire higher the grip limit is, but they also snap quick.

What fun is a 2:16 or so at Sebring when you sit waiting for a point by by another GT3 doing 2:25's in the same group as you.

Its more fun chasing a GT3 on sticker slicks and passing him

Fritz Flynn

LOL. Once you're addicted why not shoot the best stuff there is Only problem I have with that is I'd need to completely set the car up for slicks which isn't exactly a fart in the wind for my broke ***

Now that's a good way to practice car control rolling around on rocks talk about increasing your slip angles

Fritz Flynn

Getting more from less is always a good ego boost