Ok, so I ordered new Hankook Ventus R-S3 tires for the track event at Roebling Rd later this month. Any thoughts on tire pressure(s)?

 

What is your prior track experience?

What mods do you have on your MINI now?

When is the last time you aligned your car and was it to stock specs?

see
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...oss-setup.html
Look at posts #7 and 9.

Start with cold tire pressures above normal for the MINI. 4psi or about 40 is a good start and adjust using a probe style (not infrared) tire pyrometer ideally as it will give you the temps of your tire's inner middle and outer treads. You want the temps to be the same on middle and one of the edges.

If the middle is too hot then decrease pressure, if the sides both are hotter then increase pressure.

Commonly on the track if you are turning hard and fast left then your right front tire will be very hot- you may need 2 psi more on that tire vs the other tires.

Some drivers will use more pressure in the front some more in the back, it depends on your tires, how you drive, the track itself, your alignment, etc.

If you have a stock MINI, no or little track experience, and stock alignment or never checked it- then relax and have fun. Just learn from an instructor if available, ride along with more experienced drivers, get an instructor to drive your MINI, and try to be smooth on everything- braking, steering, acceleration.

 

+1

Also, measure your tire pressures before and after every session. It is not recommended that you exceed 50 psi hot or whatever the max temp is that is listed on your tire wall.

Most people I know with street tires on the track start their tire pressures in the low to mid 30 psi. They rise substantially during the sessions. The fronts are going to get much hotter than the rears. What you want to do is to test for the best hot temp that makes you tires handle best and have the starting cold temp that gets you to that hot temp. You would eventually want all 4 tires at that hot temp so you can start every corner at different cold temps to get the same hot temp all around.

So inspect the tires after each session for wear patterns. Rotate the tires from front to back if needed. If non directional, left to right as well.

 

Forgot to mention, pm orangecrush (Mark) on NAM about the insights about that track. He is not on NAM much anymore but he should answer the PMs. He is a Roebling road veteran and runs a r56 JCW on the track.