Spin9k

That's one of the goals for the event....love to get it to 1:55 (from 2:03), but we all know how dear those last few seconds become What'll be easier is a direct comparison from a handling perspective to the NT-01s, since I know that track running with those like the back of my hand. Exit speed...exit speed...ummm

Spin9k

In short, no, only managed consistent 2:04 times

But there are some extenuating circumstances ...aka excuses I'll offer

... Tires needed to be (according to BFG) at 160-220 deg range...but due to the cold damp weather and therefore track I never saw more than 120+ deg and often more like 100 deg in the tires back in the pits. At WG 2 wks ago (also cool) I was seeing 140+ .... so somewhat better. So tires never got to best working temp ... and I'm sticking with that story

On the other hand, now that I've done two different tracks with the R1s I can, with confidence, say they are the best tires I've had on the car yet. The NT-01s were fine tires, great on the track, but these offer more grip, later breakaway, and more precision. Basically, even more of the goodness the NT-01s have plus some extra finesse the Nitto didn't possess..

How can I describe in words the difference? Using MT as an example as you're familar with it.... well, everything I asked the car to do on track, it did with less effort, less drama. Where I might have had to work to finesse a tricky feeling turn (T2 or T10), now the car simply tracks through. T10 I stopped downshifting to 3rd, just powered thru in 4th off the straight. The difficult transitions of (T4/T5) are dispatched with a turn or two of the steering wheel. T7 held little difficulty now, esp. with a bit of late apex so I can just quickly power on through with a slingshot effect to the straight and T8.

T8 itself was a real blast, after braking not so much as usual, I was back on the power (full to the floor) either at or even before the apex. Picture full power down around that 180deg turn and that's how much grip the tires had, and still some left over as it was so easy and fun to do. That extra speed brought my 90mph 3rd-4th shift point back considerably to just after T8's exit rather than nearer T9.

You know how the NT-01s in corners tend to track the rear out? I think they have relatively high slip angles at the limit. That was gone with the R1s.

If you want to see this play out watch this last session of the weekend and notice the points and places on the track I mention during each lap. Repeatedly I could fly up on the other cars during some of these critical points. It was really amazingly fun! At this point in the weekend, most of these guys were just letting me fly by

http://vimeo.com/6945270


Starting as the 1st lap yellow goes down at turn 14 you can easily see the result, no one passed me the whole session, I was flying! The vid is a bit long at 21 minutes, but notice that even in this advanced and instructor group, the speeds I could get in the straights let be fly up each successive cars back. I think these new R1s have added the final crowning touch to my momentum track toy - ultimate grip levels!

Matt RX8

The BFG's really do transform the car. I had done about 25 track days with my car on street tires (stock Bridgestones, Falken Azenis, Kumho's, Bridgstone S03's) so I was used to driving the car hard and near the limit. The R comps really help to expand that limit.

My instructor (a notorious hotshoe that is crazy enough to race full stage rally) described the cornering ability as "Kung Fu Grip". He speculated that we were taking one of the turns faster than any other car all weekend (including the instructors, some with fully prepped cars). He said for this particular turn, he wanted to shout for me to brake more each time but he just bit his lip and held on and was amazed that we were about to make it through so fast.

RX-8 + alignment + BFG R1's = Kung Fu Grip

Highway8

iTrader: (11)

I finaly made it to the track with my new track tire set up. Thunderhill raceway in willows california. New set up: RPF1 18X9.5 +45 with hoosier koni series tires 275/35/18. I never got around to weighing them but the wheels are supposed to be 17.4 LBS and the tires are 21.7 lbs for a total weight of 39.1LBS. This is an 8LB per wheel reduction from my last track set up (245/40/18 nt-01's on enkei gtc01 18X8.5 +30).

I had nitrogen put in the tires and started out with a cold pressure of 38PSI all the way around and the pressures on went up by 3-4 in the front and 2-3 psi in the rear. I lowered the right sides down a little and my hot pressures stayed around 39-40 all day.

Comparing 245/40/18 nt-01's to the 275/35/18 hoosiers: Thunderhill 3 mile course. previous best lap 2:16.
From the first lap I could feel the increased grip, I ran 2 seconds faster then my previous best on my very first lap and I had no tire squeal or over/under steer. As the day progressed and I learned the limits of the tires I was able to take another 3 seconds off for a total of 5 seconds off my previous best and that was with a 200LB passenger in the car. I believe with no passenger and some additional practice 2-3 seconds could come off my times.

I run a camara in the car and upon reviewing the film I found that 4 of the 5 seconds I shaved off was on the front side of the course which is 90% turns. only 1 second was removed from the high speed portion of the track. I also found that in the highspeed turns my exits speeds were virtualy the same and most of the time I did shave off was from later brakeing. With my previous tires I was activating the ABS very easily, with the wider hoosiers I only occasionaly activated the ABS. The highspeed portion of the track is where I feel I have room for the most improvment. I need to trust the tires on the highspeed turns and increase my entry speeds. On the tighter slower portion of the track i was pushing the tires in almost every turn and finding the limit was mush easier.

Conclusion: I love 275 hoosiers and lightweight wheels.

Spin9k

Good writeup Hw8...I'd be interested to hear more on how those wide 275s wear over time and how many sessions you get from them. Gotta love sticky tires! Keep us posted.