I track my 05 S often at a local 2.5 road course. As my skill has increased with instruction and practice, now comes the modification questions. I have upgraded pads, lines, fluids, engine damper and have the pulley to install.

My question is this; Some of my fellow trackers have recommended the switch to compound (dot racing) tires as opposed to a high performance street tire.

The compound folks say the feel, fun and performance is worth the short life and pain of the change.
The other folks say save your money.

I presently run 225/45/17s Any thoughts from fellow track rats would be appreciated
Thanks
JW

 

if you don't have an lsd, it's something i covet. i'm pretty happy power wise with a 15% pulley, cam, exhaust, cai, header, lighter wheels and tune....i just need more grip on the road.

btw, i have loved dunlop direzza star specs and bridgstone re-01 pole positions on the track.....i still feel like i've got a lot to learn before i go full on race rubber

decisions, decisions ......have fun!

 

Well I can promise Race tires to be faster than the high performance street tires. BUT if you are still learning I highly recommend you stick with the street tires. Because the race tires will cover up small mistakes you make. If your still learning you will learn alot more without the street tires. When you finally to transfer to race tires you will notice how much more speed you carry and easy it is to drive.

 

What tire do you run right now?

 

Yup. R-compounds will make it harder to see / feel / hear when you are making little mistakes. But, they will make you much faster.

The Toyo RA1 or the newer Toyo R888 are great track tires. They're one of the lower performance R-compounds, but that's good. They're still way stickier than street tires, just not as stick as Hoosiers. But, compared to most of the other R compounds, the Toyos are cheap and last a long time.

I'd say put off going to R compounds as long as you can. Once you do make the switch, it's pretty much impossible to go back to street tires.

 

Currently I'm running through some worn out Kumho V710's. I really like the hoosiers, but the price is crazy on them. Also used the new Yoko Advan's and they rock, plus they wear really well.

 

No High Performance street tire will lap anywhere near what any of the top R-comps will do. Probably the best and most R-comp like street tire I've used is the Advan AD07. I hear the AD08 is even better but I'm yet to test on one.
Some of the back marker R-comps (Toyo RA1, R888, NTO1, A048, V700 etc) are only marginally better then some of the cream of the crop Street tires (AD08, RE11 , Ecsta XS, etc etc.)
But as far as a A6, R6, V710, R1 . They are way out front. In fact I'd rank the A6 almost as fast as some full slicks. The problem is the faster the tire, the higher the rate of consumption. My theory... if your not competing, No point in spending money on tires. So for a HPDE. Whats the point in buying tires your going to kill in one weekend to go faster. You don't win anything.

 

The one big reason I switched over to a r-compound mounted on a separate set of wheels was to not have to run expensive street tires both on and off the track. I run the Toyo R888 GG compound (track compound) and the sidewall is much stiffer and it wears a lot better out on the track compared to the Dunlop Star Specs I used previously. Plus, now I can use much more run-of-the-mill street tires instead of getting expensive extreme summer performance tires for two duties.

However, Ian does have a good point. If you aren't competing, then it does get cost-prohibitive...especially if you don't have sponsorship/discounts for r-compound tires.

 

I agree with all of the above--I just switched to R-compounds, and I'll never go back. But I'm so glad I started out on street tires; in fact, if I try out a new track, I'll probably go out on street tires first--it reenforces the line; with r-comps, you can make a mistake, like turning in a little too early and still manage to get the apex with all the grip, can't do that at speed with street tires, IMHO it's a better way to get the line unless your really, really good. They are MUCH quieter; I'm still finding the limits, but trying to get there slowly--they squeal a little, but not much--much easier to drive by the noise of street tires than R-comps.

I slightly disagree with the post two posts above--I went to the NT01's, and I am quite a bit quicker on the clock than I was with Ultra high performance street tires. It's not even close....The NT01's (or R888's, the compound is identical for both tires--it's manufactured by Nitto) I think are a reasonable compromise--they're relatively cheap (although not as fast) compared to Hoosier's, and hold up great--for a hundred bucks a tire, they're pretty hard to beat....

 

Actually, while the compound is quite similar between the Nitto and it's parent company, Toyo, the R888s are considerably lighter as a tire and once the soft compounds for the R888s arrive, it will be an even better entry level R-compound.

Another plus point is that if you do any wet weather racing, the R888s will be able to sipe water away unlike the Hoosiers or other slick tire.

 

Thats why when you get serious you have a set of A6's for qualifying, R6's for the race and Hoosier wets.

 

I now have Sunny brand on the car. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go track tires so I bought these cheapies til I made up my mind.

 

Just to clarify it was also my instructors who suggested a tire upgrade. We change instructors daily and most feel I am driving my car pretty much to the max in it's present set-up.

But I also know you never stop learning.

 

I would get a set of Star Specs first, not terribly expensive, a good upgrade over what you have now and they still leave you room to grow in terms of getting grip by upgrading rubber.

 

If your not compete ting and your just learning. Get something with a stiffer sidewall then a normal street tire, so you don't chew the corners off the tire, and get something that will last a long time. Toyo RA1's. They're good till the cords show. Not the fastest tire in the world, they get faster as they wear, they'll be ok if it rains till they start to get bald, fastest when they are completely bald.

 

Good luck finding RA1's though, unless Toyo started making them in quantities again--I thought the R888 was the RA1 replacement. I'd probably go with R888's over RA1's anyway; the tread depth is better--the RA1's probably should be shaved...

*Edit--looks like the RA1's are widely available again.

 

Yep, Spec miata voted to change back from the R888 to the RA1 for next year. I expect to see RA1's become very available soon. From what I understand all the Spec miata guys hated the R888 and found it to be slightly slower.

 

Wow, that's very cool that Toyo did that! I'd heard/seen some of the grumbling about the R888's, but figured it would all blow over. Interesting, thanks for that!

 

Where are you finding the RA1s available?

 

Tires Direct, for one. But when I googled today (My parents always told me if you google too much I'd go blind, but after Maitland's post I figured it was worth the risk), they were all over the place. A few months ago, they were impossible to find, which is why I bought the Nitto's instead.

Thing is, I'd still buy the Nitto's over the RA1's for the simple fact that the RA1's really should be shaved at least to 6/32...Which is where the Nitto's start at, not to mention they're about 25 bucks a tire cheaper. And the compound is the same anyway. Besides, I'm having so much damned fun on them I'm worried I'd be bummed out on something else (well, except for maybe Hoosier's)...

 

Cool! Thanks! The r888s on the 949s I might get might not fit over my wilwoods; if that's the case, then it's decision time about RA1s or NT01s. Price will probably win the battle.

mb

 

Which R888s are you planning to get and how wide are your wheels? I guess they are 8.5" for the 949s?

I run 225/45/15 mounted on 15x7 A-tech Weapons ET35 and they fit over the 11.75" wilwood kit with no spacers.

 

The set for sale is 225/45/15 R888s on 15x8 949 6UL wheels - +36 I believe.

The fit is going to be _tight_ if it fits at all. Right now my rota slipstreams (15x7 +40 I think) barely fit.

mb

 

Ah, that's a good buy! You should be okay, the spoke design and that offset should work. Probably just a small 3mm or 5mm spacer in the back.

The Rota Slipstreams I tried before had far less clearance from the spokes to the caliper face than my current wheels. (Rotas had probably 2mm clearance and my A-techs have at least 15mm).

 

Thanks! I hope it works because it really is a good buy - wheels and used twice R888s for $700. Fingers are crossed - I'll know early next week if it fits.

And I have no problem using a bigger spacer than I already use up front (5mm) since I'm going to need one in the rear for the 15x8s.

mb