Summer Setup, opinions plz
 

Alright so I've got a nice set of RPF1's 18x9.5 +45 that I will be using for track days this year. I have been having trouble figuring out the right tire for track days and occasional street driving.

I was looking at the following
Dunlop Direzza Star Specs
Hankook Ventus R-S3
Bridgestone Potenza RE-11
Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD08

I plan on doing 4 HPDE's this summer. I did not want 275/35R18 tires, i want 245/40R18. The roads up here are shitty and I don't want to damage my rims from PennDOT not maintaining the roads properly.

Star specs would be my choice off that list. Great grip and good price.

^+1 I'm getting Star Specs as well

think im gonna try the r-s3

ventus RS-3, my friend has it and is pretty happy with it, he had NT05 before that and direzza starspecs before that. I drove it once and it feels pretty good also, grip level is comparable to my re01r when new, and road noise is not that bad

What is your location? How hot do summers get?

For track tires, you need something that likes heat. That's not the RE11s, but the Yoks are better in that regard. RS-3s are awesome, and while they need heat to perform at their best, I've heard they do fall off rathery quickly if they get too hot.

If I were buying track tires I'd get Nittos or Toyos. Toyo RA-1s rock on the track, and NT01 or NT05 would be a good choice as well. NT01 will last longer on the street but hold up to heat well. They generally are not favored by autocrossers becuase they NEED heat, but track guys tend to like them.

You might try posting over in the Competition forum to get some good track-guy input. I'm an autocross-guy so take what I say with a grain of salt. :)

[edit] When I say Toyo I mean ONLY the RA-1. The R1-R is a great autocross tire, but they overheat quickly and would not be a good choice for track days unless it's cool and/or raining.

You sure your not talking about me? Ha I currently have the Star Specs and the NT05's. I'm about to purchase the RS-3's because I feel they have better grip then the other 2.

^For autocross, sure. But for track days I think the equation shifts a bit.

I've used the NT05's on numerous track days and they've held up great, awesome grip and I could never get them to overheat. I havn't used the Dunlops on track yet.

I think it was Chike who said the RS-3s fall off when they get too got. If an autocross driver says this about a tire, it gives me serious pause that they would be a good track tire.

My 2 cents. I have street tires and track tires, I never use one for the other.

When it comes to performance, tires are the most important part of a race/track car, so why use street tires?

I use 275/35/18 hoosier grand am take offs. A good used set can be had for $400-500 shipped and will last 12-15 hours of hard track time.

not everyone has room to stash extra sets of tires at thier place, i live in a 800sqft condo and only have 1 parking space (really need to buy a house with a garage haha), also i feel while R comps are all good and grippy, the car needs to be setup properly to fully take advantage of the extra level of grip, so your tires wont over power your brake/suspension, and the extra load wont also result in accelerated wear.

i live in PA. It doesnt get terribly hot. I dont want legit r-comp's because by the time i get the tires warmed up...i'll be getting off the track.

So I shouldn't even mention hoosier rain tires?? :) I know several car guys that live in small places who rent a storage space to keep their tires, tools and parts.

R-comps will work great even on a stock setup. Accelerated wear, do you mean on the brakes and suspension? If so, yes the brakes will quickly become your weak link if you dont upgrade the pads.


Even on cool days they are warm enough after 1 lap.

i heard the opposite...that it takes ~5 laps for them to get nice and sticky...

^Depends on what compound you are using...

Lets consider the hankook's. I like that they are inexpensive but grip well. I will be doing HPDE's this year until i have enough under my belt to qualify for a TT license.

This is pretty much a test of my current setup for TT. In TT i'll be doing several heats of ~15 laps. On my S.Drive's they were really sticky by the 3rd lap...but by the final lap (15th-16th)...i couldnt push them as hard.

I don't think i have to skill or the demand to warrant a legit race tire or any r-compound. This is to get me through a summer of HPDE's. And if they run well...I plan on stocking up on them for TT's.

And tire pressure. It took me a while to realize I had to start at 30psi cold on the hoosiers

Yup, more sidewall flex = more heat :)

The laws of friction.

I've been following the input, and this is a good answer, except for someone like me that has a 4hour drive to the track. Trailering the car is optimal but a pain in the butt crossing the border. I've even considered making a tiny trailer just for tires, but for the meantime the posts have been useful. I have been looking @ those + the michelin pilots and toyo's that were mentionned.
I had the yokohama's and they were great but got trashed after a week in the smokey mountains, so i'm not going there again (yoko advans).

I have a 2.5hr drive to NJMP and watkins glen is ~4 hours. I don't have a truck that can tow my 8 on a trailer for track days...yet.

So for now, it needs to have mild street manners. I think i am leaning to the hankooks.

Take out the back seats and you can fit a set of 275's in the back...All your jack's and supplies in the trunk, and a pretty lady in the front with you..

My pretty lady is coming to the track with me, so lol, awesome. And no, my car is not the pretty lady :lol:

When is there a Glen event? Basic track day? I really want to drive the Glen.

http://www.nasaproracing.com/event/1213

I can't make that one because of work and school.