Racing slick life
06-07-2018, 04:58 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Racing slick life
I'm new to racing slicks and interested to hear what others find as the competitive life of racing slicks. At this point in time I want to make sure I have my next set of slicks on hand and ready to fit by the time my current set of slicks lose enough grip to warrant changing.
I'm running Yokohama 250/650R18 A005 N2371 on my 944 Turbo.
On these tyres I've done 2 qualifying sessions, 1x20 minute race, 2x30 minutes races and 1x60minute endurance race over 2 weekends.
My setup has provided a pretty even wear pattern and temperature spread across the tyre so I don't consider there to be any adverse setup issues to reduce the tyre life.
I'm running Yokohama 250/650R18 A005 N2371 on my 944 Turbo.
On these tyres I've done 2 qualifying sessions, 1x20 minute race, 2x30 minutes races and 1x60minute endurance race over 2 weekends.
My setup has provided a pretty even wear pattern and temperature spread across the tyre so I don't consider there to be any adverse setup issues to reduce the tyre life.
06-07-2018, 07:50 PM
#2
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I'm new to racing slicks and interested to hear what others find as the competitive life of racing slicks. At this point in time I want to make sure I have my next set of slicks on hand and ready to fit by the time my current set of slicks lose enough grip to warrant changing.
I'm running Yokohama 250/650R18 A005 N2371 on my 944 Turbo.
On these tyres I've done 2 qualifying sessions, 1x20 minute race, 2x30 minutes races and 1x60minute endurance race over 2 weekends.
My setup has provided a pretty even wear pattern and temperature spread across the tyre so I don't consider there to be any adverse setup issues to reduce the tyre life.
I'm running Yokohama 250/650R18 A005 N2371 on my 944 Turbo.
On these tyres I've done 2 qualifying sessions, 1x20 minute race, 2x30 minutes races and 1x60minute endurance race over 2 weekends.
My setup has provided a pretty even wear pattern and temperature spread across the tyre so I don't consider there to be any adverse setup issues to reduce the tyre life.
From my experience, slicks heat cycle out before you see a distinct wear pattern if you have the right setup. Also, unless you are measuring the temperature spread across the tire live, you are wasting your time with respect to tire temps. Ideally, you will want to optimize your setup to where tire temps are evenly spread at the maximum grip point in a particular turn. To measure that, you will need live IR sensors.
06-08-2018, 11:21 AM
#3
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The radical SR3 has run on bespoke Dunlop slicks, and I get 20ish good heat cycles.
Radical has moved to Hankook, and haven't run on them yet so jury is out.
Very dependent on variables as post above .
Radical has moved to Hankook, and haven't run on them yet so jury is out.
Very dependent on variables as post above .
06-08-2018, 04:05 PM
#5
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Short story -
At the track working with a personal coach and I start driving like crap. He asks me what's up and I say my tires are used up.
We swap seats and he starts doing lap times, with me in the car, that beat the PCA lap record for my class.
All the while he is saying "See, just drive the grip. Drive the grip that is available to you."
As you get more experienced you learn to adapt to the condition of your tires and extend their life. New tires are awesome but you need some serious bank to just throw them out after one race.
Drive the grip!
At the track working with a personal coach and I start driving like crap. He asks me what's up and I say my tires are used up.
We swap seats and he starts doing lap times, with me in the car, that beat the PCA lap record for my class.
All the while he is saying "See, just drive the grip. Drive the grip that is available to you."
As you get more experienced you learn to adapt to the condition of your tires and extend their life. New tires are awesome but you need some serious bank to just throw them out after one race.
Drive the grip!
06-08-2018, 05:33 PM
#6
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Thanks for the feedback gents. I acknowledge that there are many variables at play which will influence the responses that people provide - that said, your feedback is still appreciated and does provide a left and right of arc to consider as I go forward in my rookie year. Lots of lessons have been learned already, even after 15 years of DE/Super Sprints.
06-08-2018, 06:02 PM
#7
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On Yoke slicks I get 2+1+3, for a total of 6 HC's. After that they're hockey pucks
2 full pace HC's (qual and 1 race)
1 good pace (race at approx. 1 sec off best)
3 practice sessions (slippery, but still utile; way off pace)
Car is a 2,600lbs 996 @ 300bhp.
2 full pace HC's (qual and 1 race)
1 good pace (race at approx. 1 sec off best)
3 practice sessions (slippery, but still utile; way off pace)
Car is a 2,600lbs 996 @ 300bhp.
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06-08-2018, 06:45 PM
#8
RL Community Team
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This is an interesting topic to me as I am currently making the swap from R compound (advan A050) to slicks as I’ve purchased a 996 cup. I can’t get my head around the heat cycling yet as the A050 used to stick until they went to the canvas. Other racers in my class say one race meet (10 min quali and 4x12 min races) is all they are competitive for. They will use them for 1-2 practice days after this at about 1-2 seconds off the pace. I can’t stomach throwing away a 3k set of tires after one race meet so I’ll stretch them out and have fun driving by myself in the mid pack. That is with Pirelli. Hankook and Kumho are 2/3 and 1/2 the cost of Pirelli respectively and have a shorter usable life.
06-08-2018, 07:09 PM
#9
Short story -
At the track working with a personal coach and I start driving like crap. He asks me what's up and I say my tires are used up.
We swap seats and he starts doing lap times, with me in the car, that beat the PCA lap record for my class.
All the while he is saying "See, just drive the grip. Drive the grip that is available to you."
As you get more experienced you learn to adapt to the condition of your tires and extend their life. New tires are awesome but you need some serious bank to just throw them out after one race.
Drive the grip!
At the track working with a personal coach and I start driving like crap. He asks me what's up and I say my tires are used up.
We swap seats and he starts doing lap times, with me in the car, that beat the PCA lap record for my class.
All the while he is saying "See, just drive the grip. Drive the grip that is available to you."
As you get more experienced you learn to adapt to the condition of your tires and extend their life. New tires are awesome but you need some serious bank to just throw them out after one race.
Drive the grip!
My goal this year was to break 2:00. I did a 2:02.44 last August and it was hot as heck. This March, the best I could do was a 2:03 on some scrubs. Monday, I managed a 2:02.33 on 12+ HC. I improved by another tenth Tuesday and had another 2:02.xx in the second session even with hotter temps and about a 7 mph drop in top speed. In my mind, the car and the tires had nothing left...
Serendipitously, I was parked next to a street E46 M3. Laguna Seca Blue with some very tasteful mods. The owner was Pro Racing driver Scott Heckert. We got to chatting and he offered to put down a data lap for me after lunch which was even hotter. I kinda explained my goals and we went through some braking points pre lap.
I watch him go out and after second lap I see him dropping back. I am thinking uh oh. I went back to my pop up but I can see he's still going at it. Turns out he was just trying to get free of traffic. He runs the full session which I am wondering how since A7's tend to get greasy after 4-5 laps. Checker comes out and he comes in. I help him get out of car and he's like "what a blast!" He then tells me that car probably has a 1:57 in it with the tires I have on it. I am like WTF. The TT3 track record is 1:59.x and that was under an old and faster rule set. He did 1:59.1 with some traffic exiting hog pen! 3 seconds faster than my best. Video below.
Scott was extremely cool. He sat down with me and we looked at AIM data as well as the smartycam video. I basically did what he did but he just did EVERYTHING a LOT better. I'll be watching his video and studying his data for weeks to come.
I told him that he took away every excuse I had - too hot. Not! Tires all used up. Not! Too much traffic. Not!
Peter Krause was also there Monday doing turn by turn virtual track walk.
Enjoy...
06-08-2018, 11:10 PM
#10
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This. Scuff and two, maybe three heat cycles. Get about 60-65 miles on my car at the highest performance level. Then, maybe another 60-90 at a lesser level, then the balance goes away (one end loses grip before the other) and I know they’re done.
06-09-2018, 07:49 AM
#11
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I watch him go out and after second lap I see him dropping back. I am thinking uh oh. I went back to my pop up but I can see he's still going at it. Turns out he was just trying to get free of traffic. He runs the full session which I am wondering how since A7's tend to get greasy after 4-5 laps. Checker comes out and he comes in. I help him get out of car and he's like "what a blast!" He then tells me that car probably has a 1:57 in it with the tires I have on it. I am like WTF. The TT3 track record is 1:59.x and that was under an old and faster rule set. He did 1:59.1 with some traffic exiting hog pen! 3 seconds faster than my best. Video below.
Scott was extremely cool. He sat down with me and we looked at AIM data as well as the smartycam video. I basically did what he did but he just did EVERYTHING a LOT better. I'll be watching his video and studying his data for weeks to come.
I told him that he took away every excuse I had - too hot. Not! Tires all used up. Not! Too much traffic. Not!
Scott was extremely cool. He sat down with me and we looked at AIM data as well as the smartycam video. I basically did what he did but he just did EVERYTHING a LOT better. I'll be watching his video and studying his data for weeks to come.
I told him that he took away every excuse I had - too hot. Not! Tires all used up. Not! Too much traffic. Not!
06-09-2018, 08:05 AM
#12
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A little derail, but Scott Heckert is a gem!
His father and I have raced together for almost thirty years and I’ve worked with him in preparation for a few races. He’s a wonderful driver and, more importantly, a wonderful person and a good teacher.
His “best execution of fundamental skills” is superb, as I’m sure you see in his data and in this video. THAT is where the 1:59.1 comes from...
It was good to put a face with a name, too, Thundermoose!
His father and I have raced together for almost thirty years and I’ve worked with him in preparation for a few races. He’s a wonderful driver and, more importantly, a wonderful person and a good teacher.
His “best execution of fundamental skills” is superb, as I’m sure you see in his data and in this video. THAT is where the 1:59.1 comes from...
It was good to put a face with a name, too, Thundermoose!
06-09-2018, 08:12 AM
#13
Race Car
3-4 HC tires and see the blue on the side/edge
Were they running too agressive?
Too low/high pressure?
Too much or not enough camber?
Nice video, looks like the same lap time i pulled last year at the race
Attachment 1283195
Were they running too agressive?
Too low/high pressure?
Too much or not enough camber?
Nice video, looks like the same lap time i pulled last year at the race
Attachment 1283195
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Miatavi (06-23-2023)
Yes I think there could be a correlation there.