Help school me on track night tires

I am changing out tires on the Dodge for track days an dour exhibition races to standard NASCAR slicks on 10" wheels. The tire size is 27.5/12 15. The issue is wanting a second set of street legal (yet track day ready) tires that are comparable. If my math is correct (and feel free to fix it if I am wrong) this would be in the neighborhood of a 295/50/R15. About the only tires that I am finding in that range are Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 and BFG Radial TA. I run the BFG G force tires now on a 16" and freaking love them so I am trying to get something compatible. Just curious if any of you have a favorite brand or can say if the Firehawk will last for some fun at Daytona. 

If you like the G forces, you'll love the Indy 500s. I have the 500s on my C5 Corvette and they were an upgrade from the BFGs. The only area where the BFGs were better was in the rain, oddly enough.

The only street-legal tires that will give comparable grip to the slicks would be...DOT R-comps. That said, the Indy 500s will stand up to track use and are decently sticky, they're the cheater tire of the 300TW rating and offer similar grip to some of the longer-wearing/less sticky 200TWs.

In reply to obsolete :

Thanks man! I try to avoid the rain... even here in FL! 

obsolete said:

If you like the G forces, you'll love the Indy 500s. I have the 500s on my C5 Corvette and they were an upgrade from the BFGs. The only area where the BFGs were better was in the rain, oddly enough.

I have not driven any tire as good in the rain as those BFGs.  The Conti ECSs are a little better on damp roads but hydroplane way, way too easily, making driving over 60mph in the rain a sketchy proposition.  One could drive the BFGs in a downpour as fast as your windshield wipers could work, which seemed to be about 90mph for me before the wind would lift them off the glass.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Yep, I had total confidence passing people in the rain with the C5 on 285 BFGs. Pretty unbelievable. The Indy 500s are better in every other kind of weather, though :)

VegasNick said:

I am changing out tires on the Dodge for track days an dour exhibition races to standard NASCAR slicks on 10" wheels. The tire size is 27.5/12 15. The issue is wanting a second set of street legal (yet track day ready) tires that are comparable. If my math is correct (and feel free to fix it if I am wrong) this would be in the neighborhood of a 295/50/R15. About the only tires that I am finding in that range are Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 and BFG Radial TA. I run the BFG G force tires now on a 16" and freaking love them so I am trying to get something compatible. Just curious if any of you have a favorite brand or can say if the Firehawk will last for some fun at Daytona. 

Just get some 245 40 15 Hankook rs4.  

I'm running that size on 15 x 10 rims and they are pretty damn good.

Ok, thanks to you guys and a few other guys running in our Street Legal Stock Car group, I made a decision. I went with Nitto NT555RII P275/60R15. I have to trim/roll the front fender a bit and will most likely trim the flat area out of the rear as well. 

 

I've read a bit about guys running Drag Radials up front. Interspersed to hear how they perform. Seems like the best way to get a correctly sized front.

In reply to buzzboy :

One of the guys that recommended to me had ran them up to 180 on his Petty car on VIR and said they performed flawlessly. 

That tire also comes in a 325/50R15. Dang, that's meaty. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

It is a beefy tire, yet still slightly smaller than the Goodyear 27.5/12 15!

In reply to VegasNick :

Are you headed to Daytona this weekend for the Track Sprint? I'm doing the autocross both days. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

No sir. Was supposed to be headed to Dillon SC for a short track event, but work called. One of your guys contacted me about Daytona, and right now it looks like I won't be back there until the May 5th event. Planning on Charlotte March and April as well. 

I'm late to the discussion, but can comment on the Indy 500s. 
They have pretty good grip for a 320 treadwear tire (edit: 340 TW, it's in the picture) but the sidewalls are pretty soft.

 I have done some autocross events with my Ralliart wagon, most recently the annual night event last weekend. 
At 42 psi, I gave up on stopping roll over. 

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

Thanks man! I had a fellow racer send me towards the Nitto's so we will see how they do.