track tire recommendations

[tmctguer]

i have a stock 911E that i have begun to take to track events. for the time being, i plan to keep the stock rims on the car.

i am looking for recommendations from the group on what tires would work well for my application.

[lsolon]

When you mean "track car" do you mean that you will be using this car only on the track or do you want to run it both on the street and track? If track only, go with hoosier. If both, i was just at S_CAR_GO and they do a lot of high end mods on all porsche's. If you go into their shop, they are typically working on about 6 race cars at once. They reccomended toyo's Proxes RA-1 tire and the Kuhmo's Victoracer for both street and track. The RA-1's should be shaved he said.
Good luck and have fun

[This message has been edited by lsolon (edited 09-28-2001).]

[Z-man]

If you are just beginning to get involved in track events such as PCA's Driver's Education program, I suggest that you keep a good set of street tires on them. A couple of reasons:
1. If the conditions aren't ideal (mainly rain/slick surfaces), you'd need more tread, especially if you're a beginner, which you state you are. If it's raining, and you only have race rubber, you'll be forced to stay off track.
2. Cost factor: no need to buy more rubber, more wheels, jack, hitch...etc, if you keep your street shoes on.
3. Most important: while switching to R-compound rubber will definately improve your lap times, it will not improve your driving skills. For a DE program, the emphasis is improving driving skills, not car capabilities. At this point, I am assuming that you have not yet "out grown" your tire's grip or your suspension's ability. Give it a year or two, and then switch to the R-compound rubber. Same applies to suspension upgrades: while they can help in lap times, they aren't necessary to improve your skills.
And just think: once you are able to push your car beyond it's current limits, and THEN you upgrade tires/suspension, you will be able to take advantage of those upgrades better! (Also: if you think you've outgrown your tires and suspension, just ask a person running in a higher rungroup to take your car out for a spin!!!)

Note: I have also just recently gotten into DE and track events, and have choosen to keep the stock tire setup.

Just my $0.42.
-Z.

------------------
PCA NNJR
My Toy:


[This message has been edited by Z-man (edited 09-28-2001).]

[ChrisBennet]

I agree with Z-man. Stay on the street tires a few years. You'll learn things that you might not learn for years if you went to sticky tires immediately. With what you learn you'll be faster than a lot of drivers who have track rubber and bigger engines.

[gaijinda]

If you agree with z-man, he mentions the need for a "good set of street tires". We are limited in our tire choices for an older, narrow bodied car.
I just got a set of 205 60 15 Yokohama AVS Intermediates for my '73 coupe and am very impressed with them. (They have a wear rating of 160 compared with 50 for Yoko AO32Rs).
The diameter is within a few points of stock, so your speedo and engine speed is mostly correct at highway speeds. They look good, and performed better than I did at Lime Rock this past Wednesday.
They are cheap too! Like $70 from Tirerack.com

[campbellcj]

Well here's one problem with street tires -- full tread street rubber is likely to chunk and overheat with serious track use.

Also, you have less grip available for braking which can make it easier to lock up the wheels and flat-spot your tires.

I have seen guys pretty much destroy their $150-250 (ea) Dunlops, Michelins etc. in a single track day, by either chunking and/or flat-spotting them.

The Yoko A032R or Toyo Proxes RA1 (or is it R1A?) are both DOT-R tires that are street legal but are designed for track use, and will last much much longer than the more "serious" DOT-R tires such as the Kumho V700 or Hoosier R3S03.

I guess it really depends how much track driving you plan to do, what type of events and how often. If you get really into it you will soon find yourself wanting at least one spare set of wheels with "track tires", even if they are still technically street tires, so your daily driver wheels & tires don't get thrashed.

Cheers,

------------------
Chris C.
73 914 2.0
70 911E Targa
campbell.chris@gte.net

[jeff parker]

For a dual purpose tire the Yokohama AVS Intermediates are pretty sweet. Cheap and I have never had one chunk. That is with autocrossing twice a month and some DE's with 2 hours of track time in a weekend. They will not be as fast as Hoosier, Kumho or Yoyos, but are great for learning.

------------------
Jeff Parker
72t

[Reg]

I have just purchased my first 911, and it came with a new set of AVS tires on them that are as well 205 60 15's. They are a good tire choice and are reasonable in their cost as stated above.

I have autocrossed for some years and must say the R tire is much much better than ANY street tire, but is more expensive and will not last nearly as long.

If you have good street tires now in terms of life left in them, and they are a dog of a tire... but a set of wheels and a set of 032r yoko's and use them for the track.

If you have almost no tread left on your existing street tires, finish them off at the track and then buy a cheap good set of AVS for next year and in the meantime.

R tires do have great grip. Even on wet roads they provide grip BUT they break very easily and once they do you are a goner.


[This message has been edited by Reg (edited 09-28-2001).]

[Jack Olsen]

I'll join the chorus, here. Use street tires for at least the first year. A new driver is kidding himrself if he thinks he's going to be driving ahead of the capabilities of just about any street tires. And even more importantly, street tires give a lot of warning before they break loose. If you value your sheet metal, you'll do your learning with tires that give you some safety net. Save the R-compound stuff for when you're very comfortable with track speeds.

------------------
Jack Olsen
My Rennlist page • My Pelican Gallery page • My Porsche Owners Gallery page