racing tires

[third_shift|studios]

I don't get that at all? Why teach yourself the wrong way to do things?

[0verkill]

when you teche you self with less grip to start it makes you lern to use the right line and control with the brake and gas.

[Feffman]

Contact Eric Frisby at Frisby Performance Tire (www.FrisbyRacetire.com) for your autocross or racing tires. His number is (800) 798-7201. Good luck!

Mark "Feff" Pfeffer

[mitchntx]

I don't get that at all? Why teach yourself the wrong way to do things?

It's called car control.

Also, R compounds tend to give a lot less feedback about where the edge of grip is. Having the tire howling at you is a good indication that you are approaching the edge of grip.

This helps translate that feeling into your seat.

R compounds, in many cases, only "talk to you" when the edge is found and by that time it's too late. Then you are along for the ride ... And you don't learn much that way.

[01 SS Vert]

I say going w/ the R-s......b/c everything is different with the additional grip. Thats like going to the drag stip on 245 street radials so you feel what it's like before going with slicks....it makes no sense if you know you'll spin all the way through 2nd.

Trust me, after autocross racing for a few years, your driving style on R-comps is different that on street tires. You can brake harder, turn in harder, power out quicker, and the feather the throttle more. If you can afford the R-comps, go for it.

There is some to be learned by using street tires first, but even the lines are different once your car is set up and you're running on good, sticky tires.

[01 SS Vert]

This post is full of good advice.

R-comps are not cheap. If you get buy some used, great. But remember they were taken off for a reason, most likely because the owner felt they weren't as fast anymore. But if you can get some that aren't corded and can get them mounted cheaply, used is a good way to get onto a set of R-comps.

If you want to be competitive in any class with an F-body, you need r-compound tires. The car is not very competitive in any of the street tire based classes as we need the stick to try and hook the power and deal with the weight of the car.

Coming from you, that means a lot. Congrats on another SCCA Championship F-stock win, BTW.

[Eugenio_SS]

I say going w/ the R-s......b/c everything is different with the additional grip. Thats like going to the drag stip on 245 street radials so you feel what it's like before going with slicks....it makes no sense if you know you'll spin all the way through 2nd.

Trust me, after autocross racing for a few years, your driving style on R-comps is different that on street tires. You can brake harder, turn in harder, power out quicker, and the feather the throttle more. If you can afford the R-comps, go for it.

There is some to be learned by using street tires first, but even the lines are different once your car is set up and you're running on good, sticky tires.

not quite... drag you just have to control the 60' and then you can fall asleep for the rest of the run... not quite the same thing when you are autox-ing or road-racing.
I still think its better to learn and focus on car feedback and control, so that when ready to have more grip, one has the proper tools to handle the extra grip and not just go hill-billy approach and be overwelmed while creating bad habits, not making the driving go as fast as he could, had he had the proper techniques mastered.

Among other things, do you master heel-n-toe, do you master threshold braking, do you master transitions and proper line as well as being able to read your car when it will snap, understeer, oversteer, etc.
chances are its not a yes to all of them.. so adding grip and speed will make you overwhelmed and chances are you won't act properly under overwhelmed conditions... i guess you'll learn the hard way.

[Sam Strano]

I think newbies should spend some time on street tires because you learn car control and to feel what's up.

R-comps are so sticky they mask a lot of mistakes that are still mistakes. And frankly it's no different than anyone learning any new skill. They don't tend to start out with the best of the best.

Can you imagine a guy just learning to ride a bike going out and getting a Trek like Lance Armstrong rides? Someone who's never shot a gun might not want to start with a .40 Glock, as they are harder to handle than other handguns. Insert your own thing, it works about everywhere. Premium stuff if often lost on newbies (no offense I was a newbie too, that's how I know this).

If we were talking about something you don't replace like the shocks, the story is different... But tires wear out, and you'll always need more. Might as start with a kick ass Street Touring type tire first like the Dunlop Direzza D1 Star Spec if you need tires. Or just run what you have. Hardly anyone is actually close to competitive in a real sense when new anyway. That just MHO.

[third_shift|studios]

Bringing back this thread. I'm realizing that i need a tire more oriented for street/highway comfort that won't feel like skiing on the track. So i'm between these two:

BF Goodrich GForce Sports

or

Nitto NT 555's

[Killer_bluebird]

Nitto's get my vote. Unless you go to the G-Force T/A® KD I would not bother with the BF Goodrich. There is a reason for the $100 (per tire) price difference between the GForce Sport and the KD.

PS. I didn't realized that those are the Older style Nitto's and I have not had any experience with those. If you can afford the extra $30 the "R II Extreme" model is worth it, but I see that you are looking at tires in the $150 range so I guess you can't go wrong with either one also an alternative might be the Azenis RT-615 which are in the same price range but I have not had any experience with them either. Some here might be able to chime in.

[01 SS Vert]

Bringing back this thread. I'm realizing that i need a tire more oriented for street/highway comfort that won't feel like skiing on the track. So i'm between these two:

BF Goodrich GForce Sports

or

Nitto NT 555's

I've run both on the street and both are good. I've also autocrossed on both and I would say the BFGs did a bit better....however the tires were on different cars and different sizes so it's an apples to oranges comparison.

[third_shift|studios]

thanks guys!