What tire to get for track days only???

[jon6.0]

For road course track days. Tried a road course last weekend and caught the bug. I was looking at the Nitto NT-01 which is still a D.O.T tire. Don't really know what else is out there. Thanks.

[bijanmaleki]

Falken rt 615s are fantastic. They got rated higher by some magazine than the nt01 (dont know if i neccasarily believe that), but they grip great. They are also about $100 bucks a tire cheaper (vulcan tires website). DOCGTO roadcourses with them... Only complaints ive ever heard is that they tend to become hot and slightly slippery more quickly than say a nt01 or a khumho etc.

[Swede]

I have been recommended Hankook Ventus Z212.
Mostly because the reasonable price and good grip (in dry). After all price is a factor, since a track day will use more rubber than daily transportation.

I haven't tested them my self thou.

[2Cool]

The Falkens are good, as are Kumho MX's. Both make for very good street/track tires. Both are fairly affordable.

[kfrey1]

The NT-01's are a very good tire for track days but the bad thing about the GTO is that is pushes in the corners. Which means that the front corners wear out faster than the tread and you can't turn the tire around (there is an inside and outside) for even tire wear. I've got a set of the Hoosiers R-6 ordered in 245-40-17. I'm hoping the lower side wall profile will be a bit stiffer and the sidewall will rollover less. These R-6's can be de-mounted and turned around (no inside or outside) for longer tire life. :-patriot:

[Displacement]

The NT-01's are a very good tire for track days but the bad thing about the GTO is that is pushes in the corners. Which means that the front corners wear out faster than the tread and you can't turn the tire around (there is an inside and outside) for even tire wear. I've got a set of the Hoosiers R-6 ordered in 245-40-17. I'm hoping the lower side wall profile will be a bit stiffer and the sidewall will rollover less. These R-6's can be de-mounted and turned around (no inside or outside) for longer tire life. :-patriot:

Wouldn't some neg camber in the front wheels help that? Is there a camber plate kit for our cars?

[kfrey1]

Noltec makes an adj strut bushing which I have purchased form Midwest. That takes care of any strut rub and allows a little camber. You have to be careful changing from track to street tires. All tires are not the same width. So if you set the camber as far as you can with your race tires and your street tires are wider or have a more squared tread design they will rub. If you want more you'll have to go down on tire width, which won't help for traction. This is why I'm trying a 245-40-17. Hopefully tire rollover/pushing won't be as great with a stiffer sidewall, the lower profile tire should allow a little more camber. Not to mention lowering the car a hair. I also have the Noltech radius rod bushings from Midwest too.

[Lugnut]

Definitely stay in the very-aggressive-street-tire category until you have at least a couple dozen hours in the seat on the track. It is so much easier to start out when your tires talk to you, both by making noise and letting you feel when they are approaching the limit.
The Kumho MXs are great, as are the Falkens. I have run both of those myself. I have a set of MXs on my car right now, in fact. I am thinking about replacing them with the Ventus (Venti?) when these are done. I haven't used them myself but I have heard very good things about them.
Anyway, as a long time racer/instructor/track-driver, my advice is to stick with street tires until you can chew them up in a couple of days. Then you are ready for the R-Compound, grasshopper.
Good to see you caught the bug!

[Doc GTO]

Falken rt 615s are fantastic. They got rated higher by some magazine than the nt01 (dont know if i neccasarily believe that), but they grip great. They are also about $100 bucks a tire cheaper (vulcan tires website). DOCGTO roadcourses with them... Only complaints ive ever heard is that they tend to become hot and slightly slippery more quickly than say a nt01 or a khumho etc.

Falken RT-615s work nicely like stated above. They hold up well but once worn they do get greasy quicker.

[jon6.0]

Anyway, as a long time racer/instructor/track-driver, my advice is to stick with street tires until you can chew them up in a couple of days. Then you are ready for the R-Compound, grasshopper.


Hopefully after next months track event I will be ready to snatch the pebble from your hand...

I've got in narrowed down to the Falken's or Hankook's. They are both within a few bucks of each other. What do you guys think of running a 255/40r17 in front and back? My wheels are 17x8 and 17x9 with a 40 offset, so I should be able to get a decent amount of camber in the front. It's also still a shorter tire than stock. 25 inches vs. 25.6. Let me know what you all think.

[St.Mary]

Hopefully after next months track event I will be ready to snatch the pebble from your hand...

I've got in narrowed down to the Falken's or Hankook's. They are both within a few bucks of each other. What do you guys think of running a 255/40r17 in front and back? My wheels are 17x8 and 17x9 with a 40 offset, so I should be able to get a decent amount of camber in the front. It's also still a shorter tire than stock. 25 inches vs. 25.6. Let me know what you all think.

If you don't mind a quick hijack....what wheels are these that you got a 17x9 (F-body?)

[jon6.0]

If you don't mind a quick hijack....what wheels are these that you got a 17x9 (F-body?)

I don't mind. They are Voxx Misano that I bought from Discount Tire. They are a 5x120 wheel in a 40 offset. The only bummer is I don't have hub rings right now. I get a little wheel shake from 45-55 mph. But since I usually never drive that speed, it doesn't really bug me. If I got some hub rings it would probably cure it, but I am lazy and as I said it really doesn't bug me.

[berjet]

Noltec makes an adj strut bushing which I have purchased form Midwest. That takes care of any strut rub and allows a little camber. You have to be careful changing from track to street tires. All tires are not the same width. So if you set the camber as far as you can with your race tires and your street tires are wider or have a more squared tread design they will rub. If you want more you'll have to go down on tire width, which won't help for traction. This is why I'm trying a 245-40-17. Hopefully tire rollover/pushing won't be as great with a stiffer sidewall, the lower profile tire should allow a little more camber. Not to mention lowering the car a hair. I also have the Noltech radius rod bushings from Midwest too.

I am running that strut bushing. Between that, my pedders coilovers, ARP 3" wheel studs, and spacer I am running -2.8 camber and barely keeping the front hubcentric.

On the track all I have run so far is KDWS (throw away tires). I rolled them halfway over on the sidewalls at HPT. I since have gotten a set of Goodyear GS-SC's I am going to try next time.

[berjet]

I don't mind. They are Voxx Misano that I bought from Discount Tire. They are a 5x120 wheel in a 40 offset. The only bummer is I don't have hub rings right now. I get a little wheel shake from 45-55 mph. But since I usually never drive that speed, it doesn't really bug me. If I got some hub rings it would probably cure it, but I am lazy and as I said it really doesn't bug me.

what is the weight on those? also pm csijason. he sales rings cheap.

[jon6.0]

I tried looking up the weight, but couldn't find it. Since I got chrome that probably adds five pounds to the wheel.