Track day: new street tires or old R tires?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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April 10, 2010 9:30 p.m. wcelliot Reader

Signed up for a track day May 3, but won't likely have my Stinger ready, so I'm planning on taking the Fiesta.

I'm not planning on using the Fiesta at the track much after the Stinger is finished, so I don't want to invest a lot of money in stuff I'm not going to use anytime soon.

I have the 5 year old R-rated 225/45-13 autocross tires that came with the car (maybe 50-60% worn), but pulled them off to mount new street tires (H-rated Sumitomo HTR200's 215/50-13... highest non-R performance tire I could get in an appropriate size).

To run the R's I'd have to pick up a set of rims... but I don't mind that investment since rims don't age like tires do... I just don't want to drop $600 on tires I don't plan on using again anytime soon.

So, do I run the street tires or spend $250 on a set of cheap race wheels and run the old R's?

Not a competitive day... just out to play.

Thanks! Bill
April 10, 2010 10:02 p.m. Tommy Suddard SonDork

Have you ever raced before?
April 10, 2010 10:22 p.m. wcelliot Reader

Not as much "race" as a "fast autocross" ... no real wheel to wheel..., but yes, I have a reasonable amount of track time. I've just never used R tires this old and don't know how'd they' compare to fresh H rated tires. (I'd likely take a fresh V or better set over old R's, but H's are not exactly high performance to start with...)

Bill
April 10, 2010 10:47 p.m. Streetwiseguy Reader

Performance wise, you are probably faster on the Sumos than the R's would be. I've run back to back on old Hankooks and Cooper Zeon 2XS, and I was faster on the Coopers. Downside- I ate the outside edges off the tires, due ot three things, I think- poor setup, full tread, and havin' too much fun.

Edit- fourth thing- Gimli is an old RCAF training base, and 1940's mil-spec pavement is HARD on tires.
April 10, 2010 11:07 p.m. ww SuperDork

I agree. Old R compounds are NOT your friend.
April 10, 2010 11:20 p.m. wcelliot Reader

Thanks... that was the way I was thinking as well, but wanted some confirmation. I don't mind chewing up cheap street tires... but these things feel really slippery and I wondered if the old R's might be a better bet.

At least the HTRs will be predictable....

BTW, I just upgraded the Fiesta brakes from stock US spec with Ferado street pads to UK spec XR2 brakes with Ferado race pads... the difference is night and day.... the stock brakes were so bad (but still better than standard) that I thought my booster was bad.... these now lock so easily I'm going to have to modulate them... typically in a Fiesta you just stand on the brakes and they modulate themselves... ;-)
April 10, 2010 11:27 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

Formula V?