Matt RX8

Does anyone autocross on the stock tires (w/ 6 speed, Sport Package)? I think they are Bridgestone Potenzas.

If so, how are they?

On another post, someone said the tires were not good for autocross but I wanted to get some more viewpoints.

I've only done 4 autcrosses and they were in a couple of BMWs with all season tires. I would think the Potenza would be much better than the Michelin Pilot All-Seasons that I've autocrossed on before.

I'm not out to be super competitive. Just out to have some fun and kill some cones :p .

PUR NRG

I've autocrossed with the OEM tires. They seem to work okay until they get warm. At that point they start to slide around a bit more.

"Not good for autocross" is cancelled out by "just out to have some fun".
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Mexico City Hotels

AlexCisneros

So true...

you can always try out STU instead of B-stock. The mods that you can do aren't half as advantageous as having a good nut behind the wheel and everyone is limited to tires with treadwear 140+

...then again, you will have to compete against EVOs and STIs

om-nc

I autox'd 4 times on the OEM's with my son as a co driver. They took a beating and we should have cooled them off between runs. That said, I didn't do too bad against the 350. I was about 1-1.5 seconds behind and he was running staggered S0-3's. I was 2-3.5 seconds behind the S2k who was running Hoosiers.

With all af that said, I have mounted Pirelli's for this season in 265-35-18. I think the tires will be better than the nut behind the wheel! I too am just having fun but I want to be at least close to my competition. The OEM's were just not sticky enough for the faster courses but they provided waaay fun. I can't wait for the season to start next month.

Paul

124Spider

I've done two autocrosses in my S2k, both with stock tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE050), and four track days with the stock tires. Believe me, the limiting factor in my mediocre performance was not the tires :p .

I've gotten hooked, though, and I have only one more whack at novice, after which I have to do A-Stock , so I will be getting some better tires. Besides, I've killed the first set of tires anyway (but that was mostly track-caused, not autox).

But for just having fun, Potenzas are fine.

epitrochoid

improve the driver, then improve the car.

but yeah. the bridgestones are great for cone killing!

Matt RX8

I'll actually probably compete with the local BMW club and local audi club for now. I'm a member of both. For both I'll be in open class competiting with all non BMWs (at the BMW clubs) and all non-audis (at the audi events).

Competitive in the open classes is tough because I'll be up against cars like Dodge Vipers with R comps and heavily modded 911s on R comps with expert drivers.

As long as I beat my BMW friends in their 330s and E36 M3s and my audi friends in their S4s then I'll be happy.


I've only done 4 events but I did take one 1st place trophy for my class at a BMW event last year. It was raining a lot, a bunch of the good drivers stayed home and my all-season tires + DSC on my E46 BMW worked like a champ.

Matt RX8

Oh, and of course, if I autocross an 8, I'll have one of the coolest looking cars out there which is very important IMHO.

speedweasel

Yeah...Drew was really checking out the drifting abilities of those stock tires eh?
Cant wait to see how the new rubber works for ya!

wera100

I ran stock tires on my 8 and won my class by almost 3 seconds over an MR2 Turbo. They had good grip and held up well. I have run all season tires on my Protege 5 at a track day and they started to chunk when pushed to the limits. It's my understanding this is one of the problems with all season tires which the 8 dose not have stock. Besides in the region I run you get a 1 second handicap for running on stock tires. Which means you get a whole second off your best time. It's hard to make up a second even with comp tires sometimes. So I'm going to run the stock tires till there worn out. Then I'm not sure what I will run. Thanks and good luck. Just get out there and have fun!!!!
:D

PUR NRG

Stock tires are not "fine". They are okay. General rule of thumb is slicks take off 1.5-2 seconds in a 60 second autocross run. Your mileage will vary but my region has a large number of national champions and averages 250 entrants per event.
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PiercingsPussy

wera100

To me fine and okay have very close to the same meaning. I wrote they were fine in response to the thread. It sounded like this individual did not have a lot of autocross experince and might be on the fence weather to compete at all without comp. tires. I think it is more important to get out and try it, test the limits of your car on stock tires. Then if you like it go out and spend the big bucks for some comp. tires. Obviously your better off on comps.
I'm very happy to hear you have over 250 entrys and so many national champs. We on the other hand had only 48 entrys and 60% or more were running modified class and only a few nat. champs. I would like to see more people participate and get to learn their car and enjoy. Most would be running stock class and I'm afraid it is people like you that may be scaring some away by thinking they have to spend $1000.00 or more just to be competitive or even have a good time. My point is just get out and try it we need more drivers here.

124Spider

At the risk of partially hijacking this thread, I want to agree with this post. I just did an autocross on Sunday (we call it the Slush Series, and it was wet). Frankly, I suck at autocross (this was my third one), but I enjoy it anyway, for some reason, and I am getting better. It is fun to see all those cars out doing what they are designed to do, and to talk to all the other enthusiasts, and to see the really good drivers do their thing. I am not "competitive" in autox, either in the sense of hoping to win, or having any realistic chance to win a local event, but I just want to get better, and have fun. Maybe I've been giving up 2 seconds by using stock tires, but the gap between me and the good drivers was more like 5 seconds anyway. :p

I just bought some R-compound tires (for use on the track, really, but they might help a bit in autox also), so now I lose an excuse for my mediocre performance, and will have to admit that I suck. But it doesn't matter, I'll still have fun.

PUR NRG

You're new to the board so you probably don't know much about me. Scare people away? Do a search for keyword "autocross" and user "PUR NRG" and you'll see how often I try to encourage people to participate regardless of experience or equipment. My original post to this thread reflects as much by saying that given his autocross objectives he shouldn't worry about tire choice.

PS. I have never raced on slicks and my car's current setup (NA engine) is hardly competitive in street mod. I autocross primarily for personal improvement and fun.
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Donato Coco

rxsleeper

Is it a bad thing when you passenger starts yelling "DOOOORIFTO!!!!"?

This season I get to kill MY potenzas ^_^


rxsleeper

wera100

Sorry PUR NRG I guess I took your reply as a slam. Had a really bad day dealing with our wonderful US postal service. Shipped an item to Japan and it was damaged. I had insurance on it. But don't even try to call the automated 800 number they give. What a joke. Their not going to do a thing. So much for my bad day. This is a little bit about me and a post I did on the 8. Thanks.
The 8 handled like it was on rails. Was topped out in second gear a lot but hit 3rd also. The power was fantastic since I was in the rev's. Pulled like a banshee! What a blast!!
I ran stock tires and had a passenger in the car for all runs. I have ran a few solo's over the years my 1st in my new 1980 corrola and than my new 1994 Corvette. I did well in those winning a couple. While the vette had plenty of hp and handled well the smallest bumps or pot holes would totally upset the chassis makeing it impossible to do well unless you had a billard top type course. Well this course is pretty ruff with some holes and crumbling asphalt. I was amazed how the 8 took it all in strid. Did not even notice them even in some nice 4 wheel slides.
This same course had my vette studdering and sliding and even a coulple of 360's after letting go without much warning! I never felt this in the 8 and was quite comfortable at all times. My brother was running his 300ZX and rode with me on 1 run. He could not belive how the car stuck and how fast I was going, almost 10 seconds faster then His run.
If you go make sure and work the corners if they ask. It helps to get to no the course before you go out.
I have been roadracing motorcycles for the last 10 years. I am expert ranked and have won 3 regional titles. I'm only telling you this not to boast but because I cannot belive I could go out spend 20 bucks, some gas and a little tire ware and have such a great time autocrossing. You have to try it. Then and only then can you really appriciate what the 8 has to offer, when pushing the 8 near it limit's you will be amazed at the power and handleing almost perfect. And it won't cost you $600 to $1200 a race weekend like it did on my bike! Thanks and rev on!

wera100

Oh just for the record. The solo I did was in November in Indiana. It was a very balmy 62 degree's so heat was not a real issue as far as the stock tires were concerned. The next event is the 27th of this month. Probly be lucky to hit 39 degree's so again should not be a problem. I'm sure on 90 degree days will be a whole different story! Thanks again.

Ophitoxaemia

take a sprayer and cool the tires if they start to feel at all warm. even halfway through my first run they start to get too warm.

james

speedweasel

Drew,

Congrats on the new ride!
Hopefully you will be taking out the 350Z this year!
See you at the next race!!!