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#1 |
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Looking for 'fun' tires for HPDE. (long post)
Not sure where to post this... so please forgive/ ignore multiple posts.
Most tire discussions center on grip, longevity, heat tolerance, and price. While all these are important, very few discussions have discussed an important topic (to me): how they feel. GRM has an extensive review of tires, but doesn't cover this topic. Most forum discussions don't either. I drive a BRZ in the advanced groups, so I have pretty much given up on getting impressive lap times. What I want to do is be the guy who is getting the most out of his equipment and having the best time at the track. And part of the enjoyment of driving is how the car feels in the corners. I like driving so I can feel the car just starting to slip and get loose. And then controlling it with a little throttle or steering input. It is a wonderful feeling to throttle steer through Big Bend at Lime Rock or the Carousel at Summit Point. And I have found that how that feels is dependent on tires. a 'good' tire will let me slip and slide in a controlled fashion, be easily correctable, and generally forgiving. The car is a street car that I drive to the track. My old (and sold) E36 had NT01's, and it was a treat to trail brake into corners and feel the car rotate and how the rears would start to slip, but I was always able to control it easily and safely. The tires were 'playful', the car was tail-happy, but I always had confidence that I could trust the tires to do what I asked. With my BRZ, I started with Falken 615K's after ditching the Primacy's. Loved them. Tire Rack described them as ' easiest to drive in the whole test. It seemed happy anywhere near or over its limit, with neutral balance and progressive, gentle breakaway that was easily caught and brought back." The only reason I changed from the 615's was that I was looking for a tire that was a little faster. I got a set of R-S4's and was immediately disappointed. The had a reasonable amount of grip, but no personality. They gripped until they broke away, and then it was a chore to manage the car. I don't know how to describe it, but it was always challenging to drive at the limit. I changed the R-S4's to a set of V730's and LOVED them! The had all the good characteristics of the 615K's with a little more grip, and still were fun, slip-happy, and inspired confidence and trust. They lasted forever... or at least long enough. However, they functionally became slicks after a few days and were a problem in the rain. Because I do not have a trailer or tow vehicle, I have to drive to the track on my track tires. And if it rains on the way, I have can have (and have had) a few white-knuckle moments. No fun hydroplaning on the highway. So I got something new after the V730's. Enter Continental ECF. They have decent grip, but they feel like the R-S4's to a slightly lesser extent. Driving at the limit is more of a challenge than a joy. The car gets squirrely quite easily and requires a lot of work to keep it on the track. Less than the R-S4's, though. So I need help finding the right tire - if it exists. Criteria are: Fun to drive. Easy to control at the limit. Can be driven in the rain. Won't hydroplane on the highway (Sorry, V370 and NT01) Reasonable grip and longevity. I'm in the 200TW enduro section because that seems like the sweet spot. Your suggestions/ experience would be welcome. Maybe I should be happy and slow with the Falkens, but I'm sure that there is a tire out there which would give me the track experience I love. I guess I could get a tire trailer and swap tires at the track, but I'd rather not go that route. Thanks in advance. |
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#2 |
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A052
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#3 |
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I been happy with my Potenza race tires for getting me to and from the track then having no issues on track Wet or Dry.
They seem to be wearing well after 4 events and 2k street miles. Tire rack and GRM have done reviews on the Potenza Race so as always do your own research to make sure it makes sense for you
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#4 |
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Running Maxxis on my Enduro Miata and FRS (light track).
Call Maxxis, if you said that you are driving ChampsCar they might do a 20% discount. Maxxis runs good up to the chords. They wear faster than RS-4 |
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fun, hpde, slip, tires |
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