I have a 2011 MCS. The car is all stock except for Magnaflow exhaust. I am going to a PCA DE at Roebling Rd next month. I have Conti extreme contact DW 17" tires on the car. I have read that they aren't the best choice in dry conditions. I also have a set of 16" Mini wheels, so I could buy a set of 16" tires and mount them for track use.

What is a good track tire on a budget (around $100 each)? I have tracked Yoko S-Drives, but they squealed in the corners when ever pushed.

What tires do you recommend?

 

For your 16" wheels

Any Extreme summer tire that will fit your wheel and your budget-
Tirerack test results-
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=118


Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec 200 treadwear
225/50-16 $148 each, fits rims 6-8" wide, 24.9" tire diameter is slightly taller than OEM


Kumho Ecsta XS 180 treadwear
215/45-16 fits rims 7-8" wide but can fit a stock MINI 16x6.5" wheel for a driving event. $114 each, 23.6" tire diameter is smaller than stock for lowered gearing- good for acceleration at lower speeds, not as good at top speed but should be OK for you.


Toyo Proxes R1R 140 treadwear
205/50-16 $127 each, fits rims 5.5-7.5" wide, 23" tire diameter


Hankook Ventus R-S3 140 treadwear
225/50-16 $124 each, fits rims 6-8" wide, 24.9" tire diameter slightly taller than stock, less good for lower speed acceleration but OK for top end speed.


Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 180 treadwear
205/55-16 $156 each, fits rims 5.5-7.5" wide, 24.8" tire diameter


Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 180 treadwear
205/55-16 $164 each, fits rims 5.5-7.5" wide, 24.9" tire diameter

Unless you can find something on special pricing in general 17" tire sizes are going to cost more.

The exception would be-

Michelin Pilot Super Sport (Max Summer tire) 300 treadwear
215/45-17 $169 each, fits rims 7-8" wide, very good street tire, works on the track or driving events.
Tirerack test results-
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=162

Yokohama S.drives are Ultra High Perf Summer tires, 300 treadwear.

 

A local former Mini owner has a set of Hancook Ventus V12 Evos for sale, 17" on a set of aftermarket rims. How would these compare to the tires recommended above?

 

I have used these Sumitomo's (17") on another car for track days. Great value at $95 each. Should fit your 17" rims, but tire rack can let you know for sure.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....odel=HTR+Z+III

 

I destroyed a new set of Conti DW's with ONE track day. Great tire for the street, but I wouldn't use them again for the track.



As to the used Hankooks you ask about, I too have run those at the track. After a few laps they start losing traction. Also they have really soft sidwalls, so they don't feel great.

Personally, my next set of track tires will be the Hankook RS3. Have heard many good things about this tire!

 

Honestly, I'd look online for a used set of R compound autocross tires, like the Kumho V710's. A lot of serious autocrossers use a set of tires for 1-2 events and then get rid of them. Lots of meat still left and TONS of stickyness. You won't believe how much grip your car will have.

 

How worn out are they? Check tread left. They aren't as good as the tires mentioned

Ventus V12 Evo is a Max Summer tire. 280 treadwear. 10/32nd" tread depth when new.

tirerack test results-
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...y.jsp?ttid=149
look at slalom time, lap time and cornering g force.

If you can "rent" the tires and wheels then it might be less expensive than buying your own set. Or if it is really cheap.

New R compound tires are about $200+ each in various sizes.

If you want to check on used R compound tires then contact-
From GT Racing tires (corvette forum)-
Greg Miller and myself sell race scrubs. We carry Pirelli, Hoosier, Michelin, Toyo and others. Our inventory often varies but we will almost always have tires in Corvette sizes. Our belief in what we sell is easy, If we wouldn't run it on our cars we won't sell it. Most everything we sell will have only one heat cycle and 75% or better rubber remaining.

If you need something we do not have. We will try and get it for you.

Most tires are $100.00 each or two sets for $700.00 plus shipping.

PM or call me at 414-350-6303. Greg's # 414-640-7218.

You can ask for-
Toyo R888
Hoosier R6 225/45-16 and 225/50-16

Rarely they will have a new set for sale.
No racing slicks, you want R compounds for tracking

 

Why not go down to 15's? I get r-comps for 140ish or lower per tire, and 225/45/15 is hard to beat on a MINI...

 

That's what I did too, but I run 205/50/15, which is a very common size, and easy to find. You have to be careful about choosing wheels though, as many 15" wheels don't fit the R53 JCW/R56 front brakes.

 

205/50/15 is good too. There are many 16's and 17's that don't fit the JCW brakes either--offsets are a huge part of it too. But you' re right in that the selection of 15 inch rims that'll clear is fewer.

 

The OP has a 2011 MCS with access to 17" wheels and has a spare set 16".

15" wheels may not clear his front brake calipers, and he would have to purchase another set. Hard to tell if it will fit or not, offset and inner spoke pattern are all factors.

For R compound tires in 16" and 17" tire sizes there aren't the same values as in 15"unless you go with used tires.

 

There is a 15 inch Team Dynamics in a +38 offset will work, there are several others as well (Kosei's makes a rim that will clear too). 949 racing also makes a VERY nice 15 inch rim that will clear.

Missed that he already had 16's. Unfortunately 16 inch is kind of no man's land, but you can get a good setup, it's just that tire choices are limited unless that's changed over the past couple of years since I seriously looked at that size.

Me, I'd sell the 16's and get 15's. In fact I already did that years ago.....

 

I expect tires to squeel if you're doing it right, all the one's I've tried have. The best I've used so far are the Bridgestone RE-11s, but they're a little out of your budget. I tried the Dunlop Star Specs, they grained a lot.

 

Don't run a set of new street tires in the dry on the track. You will likely chunk them pretty badly after the first few sessions. I always try to run them down about 1/2 before running them on the track. Wet tires can be run at full thread in the wet.

Op, how many track days do you have and what run group are you in? That will help us with better recommendations.

 

I learned that the hard way $$$$

 

Been there and done that. $$$

That is why I used to buy up used Dunlop star specs.

 

This particular event is a 2 day event, and in the past you got either 4 or 5 20 or 25 minute sessions each day. I am leaning towards the Hankook RS3's. I am hoping I get more than one event out of them. I will put my street tires back on the car after the event. Has anyone that may have used them have any feedback?

Thanks

 

I have used the RS2s. You should get at least 3 events out of them. Rotate them at the end of each day for longest life.

 

has anyone had experience with BF Goodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 tires on track?

 

These are Ultra High Perf Summer tires so they are made to compromise handling and grip for some ride comfort and longer wear.

Read some of the owner's comments from tirerack's reviews-
http://www.tirerack.com/survey/Surve...irePageLocQty=

Several mention that they do hold up when driven hard and there is good grip.

So I would expect they to be OK for a day at the track or a HPDE day or two.

One of the common problems with running any street tire on the track is overheating the surface rubber doing hard laps too quickly, this can lead to chunking- the loss of blocks of tread. Just warm up a few laps and be smooth, both on braking and on acceleration and the tires will be much better for longer.

 

The BFG's seem to have a stiff sidewall, at least in the previous gen tire which I have on my car now. Run them at higher pressures and don't slide the car like crazy in the tight sections of the track and you should be OK.

 

I run the sport comp 2's on my car at the track and on the street they do wear kind of fast and are just ok for me but over the donlop runflats the cars came with they are awesome and i has pilot sport a/s tires on and the bfg's are a world of diffrence and they are a good comprimise if you only want one set

 

I was looking to get a Track Setup. I've heard a few people say they only replaced the fronts for the track. Anyone have experience with that? I was going to purchase two new rims and a pair of Potenza Re-11s to go with Hankook Ventus V12 Evo rears.

 

I would not run two different types of tires for the front and rear. I have the hankook v12 and they are fine. Why don't you run them all around.

 

They are pretty good on the street but I was thinking they wouldn't be too great on the track, maybe I'm mistaken since I haven't tried these out on the track yet.