THSCC Forums

Jeb, I didn't realize that your car comes stock with 17" wheels. I did a quick online check of your gearing and with some 17" tires, here is what I found...

205/40-17 60 mph Falken
215/40-17 61 mph Falken
215/45-17 63 mph Falken
205/50-17 64 mph Yokohoma <= stock size?
225/45-17 64 mph Yokohoma

If you are like me, you may find that the gearing will be on the high side for autocross purposes. And that picking a tire with an overall smaller diameter might allow you to run up higher in the rev range and closer to your torque and hp peaks.

Also, with you expecting to run Novice class and your stated goals for this year is to get experience, I would go with the cheapest tires that are still considered to be good (save money for something else such as Evolution Autocross school or entry fees) And with your saying that you are only going to be for autocross use only, then I would do either shaved Falken FK-451 (cheap) or the full tread RT-615 (not as cheap, but generally inexpensive).

But if you are getting free tires from work or something like that, then I guess, get the best that they will give you (such as the Yokohama - assuming you like the size that is available).

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Richard Casto
1972 Porsche 914
2013 Honda Fit Sport
2015 Honda Fit EX
http://motorsport.zyyz.com
Money can't buy happiness, but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than a Kia.

Were the tires used for this test the same size in all 3 brands? (I think the only size in common between all three for an E36 M3 would be 255/40/17, and that typically requires spacers to fit up front). If the tire sizes were different, that could easily play into the results.

FWIW, Grassroots Motorsports compared these same tires a few months ago on a couple courses at Tire Rack's facility and found the RT-615 to be the quickest, at least on the autocross course (don't recall if the same on the 'road racing' course, which was really just a fast autocross course). I believe they were all shaved, though - sorry I don't have the mag in front of me.

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Keith Q.
2008 Top Gun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmX8XuZ_DCo&NR=1

First of all, thanks to everyone for thier input. The powers that be at Discount Tire have spoken. Hankook has donated (?) a set of the RS-2s for me and Discount is sending me a set of "house" brand wheels. So, in essense, I am "sponsored" by my company. I was really flattered by thier decision. Again, thanks to everyone for thier input and if you are looking for the same tire or others, or R-comps, give me a shout.

Jeb

That's exciting news for me as i just got my RS-2s earlier this year and have yet to put them on the track. (Actually i think it's supposed to be R-S2...but whatever. )The only impression i have of them on the track is when we did the HPDE at VIR in Feb and i got one 20 min. session before they call off the whole thing because of the weather. I found out that they are definately not rain tires.

I bought mine for daily driving as well as track school events. Plus it was dang hard to beat getting them for $100 apiece in 245/45-16.

Keep me posted on your thoughts and congrats on the sponsorship.

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'93 Mazda RX7, touring ed., 5 spd.

Just got back from the VIR-N HPDE. Love the tires, but at any sign of rain you have to back waaaaay off (as i found out at the top of turn 7 ). So far i'm really happy with them. But then again, i'm only a green driver. During the last session they seemed to get a little greasy over the last few laps when i was finally figuring out how to push the car and keep the line like i should be. But i guess that's true of almost any street high performance tire on track...?

Any feedback on those tires, yet?

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'93 Mazda RX7, touring ed., 5 spd.

I ran the HTZ's on Saturday. They worked as well as can be expected in the rain. I never had a confidence issue with them. But my instructor felt we were getting as much out of them as possible. On Sunday, I switched to V710's. That was a mistake...now my HDPE/TT bill just got a lot bigger

I have a set of Good Year GS-CS coming for the Camaro. There are 3 used tire dealers that can supply my addiction.

For Rockingham in May, I will slap the 451's on for Saturday to finish those off and free the rims up. Probably run the HTZ's for Sunday.

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Jim Pastorius
2008 Silverado VortecMax
1992 Camaro CMC#92
2002 BMW R1150R

2009 3rd Place CMC Mid-Atlantic Championship
2009 CMC Hyperfest Winner

Jim,

Got some contact info or website for the GS-CS? I'd like to get a used set to try out. Are those DOT legal tires or pure slicks?

Graham

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http://www.greywinds.com

John at John Berget Racing Tires is getting me the GS and has access to Hoosiers and Kuhmos for the Camaro.

Robert Chick @ RC Enterprises (email: usdrctrs at aol dot com) can get Hoosier RS04's for me.

These are all DOT legal race tires. The cost is about $60 for tires with 70-75% tread. You can get ones with 50% for around $30 each. We shall see when they get here. For that cost, it does not make much sense to use street tires. New GS-CS for the Camaro run about $200 each.

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Jim Pastorius
2008 Silverado VortecMax
1992 Camaro CMC#92
2002 BMW R1150R

2009 3rd Place CMC Mid-Atlantic Championship
2009 CMC Hyperfest Winner

Guess I will have to let you know after Sanford!

so Jim, i like the V710's on track. my first experience with a R compound. did you list your request on the Berget forum to get tires? i can't seem to navigate the website.

on a side note, Mark told me he is now a Toyo dealer and is expecting a shipment of RA-1es. i talked to a guy with a M3 that drives them up and around the track and then back home. they too, unfortunately are over $175 each.

BTW, i will probably have a bunch of 16" 's for sale soon. brakes won't fit a 16" wheel, tire choices suck, damn M3's they have ruined everything.

Thanks Jim.

I sent John an email with the sizes I need. We'll see what he comes up with.

FYI, FWIW, I was told Bob Chick is no longer in the tire game. Or at the least he is not getting sizes for Vettes anymore. But I'll send him a note anyway just incase.

Graham

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http://www.greywinds.com

The V710's got pretty slick the longer the session went. They were fast out of the gate. Turn 7 was the tell-tale corner. As the session went on, I developed wheelspin and was getting loose.

I did start to lower the starting pressures and that prolonged the time before the wheelspin developed. I started 33/31 and for the TT had them down to 30/28. I know I can go with even lower starting pressures.

It was my first time on track with r-comps. But that is not saying much since it was my third time out. It took my instructor about 3/4 of the first dry session to get a feel of the car on the street tires. We had to adjust to allow earlier turn in. But Sunday was a whole other story! He was impressed with what a red-neck, 14 year old, bone stock, not-real V8 Camaro could do.

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Jim Pastorius
2008 Silverado VortecMax
1992 Camaro CMC#92
2002 BMW R1150R

2009 3rd Place CMC Mid-Atlantic Championship
2009 CMC Hyperfest Winner