sjfehr

ZII* is a legitimately great tire and I'm amazed isn't getting more respect/use in SCCA national competition.

PedalFaster

To be fair, I'm pretty sure there hasn't been a single national-level event since the Z2 Star Spec became legal, so it's gotten exactly as much in use at national-level events as any other tire.

cretinx

I have about 10 hours of wheel-to-wheel endurance racing on the ZII* so I feel like I understand this tire very well.

Reality Check:

1) It's a great tire, but it's not as good as the RS3v2 (which I ran last year on my RX-8 and currently run on my 911).

2) Dunlop does not offer contingency, so you will not see large scale use at national events.

edfishjr

I never mentioned it: the 265/35-18

edfishjr

The lack of contingency did make me think for a minute. (I really got spoiled last year. Probably never win another tire anyway.) The other shot in the dark tire choice would have been the Bridgestone RE-71R, but it would have been a 275/35, so it would lose much of the (possibly useless) gearing advantage while sacrificing even more width compared to the 295 I ran last year. (The 275 RE-71R tread width is listed at 10.0" while the 285 Dunlop is 10.7"

Anything else you can say about the Dunlop and it's characteristics that might help me tune the car for it?

sjfehr

It's a stiff sidewall and takes overtiring very well, so that may come into play. It grips well cold and (unlike ZII) gets faster as it warms. I still spray when it gets too hot, but I wasn't sure if it was necessary; given Cretinx experience road racing, it probably does need sprayed to keep from overheating. It works better at higher slip angles than ZII. It was "the tire to have" at the NASA Chillycross at Virginia Motorsports Park last month (big asphalt lot, 50F & sunny, 8 runs) with those of us running it doing way better than those without.

cretinx

I'd take the ZII* over any other EPT in the rain.

edfishjr

I guess I'm praying for a cool spring and a rainy summer!

edfishjr

Thanks for that info. I've come around to thinking it's better for auto-x to have a tire that works good cold and warm, even if you have to work hard (ice water) to keep it from over-heating. Can't make a hot-blooded tire work cold.

Being able to throw down a fast and clean first run upsets some less experienced, but possibly fast, competition. I found that out last year, more or less by accident after I made it a policy to not even look at anyone else's times. Shock and Awe doesn't do much of anything to the pros, of course. They come after you tooth and nail no matter what, confident in their ability to overtake.

Joe Ricard

This weekend will be my "put up or shut up" 1st AX in a car in 5 years. People hate the kart, so much so that I have my own group of one for FTD. They have FFTD for fendered fast time of the day

So now I am going to whoop em in the M3.

burglar

It was -6°F here this morning. There's nothing on my calendar until April. I have cabin fever so bad.

edfishjr

Come over to Dixie Tour and run in STU! There's a good class with one M3 from Birmingham (good up&comer driver).

edfishjr

One word: Adel

Joe Ricard

I told you...... Co-driving a FOST in G-street as a tire warmer. #90 FYI. I will definately come see you. But I should be easy to find near the box. :thumbup

Burglar: it be 55 here today and should be 70's this weekend with a chance of rain Sunday. Just sayin. "NANNER NANNER"

PedalFaster

Could be worse: my new local club doesn't even have a 2015 schedule posted yet. In 2014, their first event was at the end of April and their second event wasn't until the beginning of June.