Tyre choices for track days.......

[Andy-Runner]

Hi all,

After finally getting my car track prepared i'm looking forward to driving most of the UK tracks next year i.e silverstone, donnington (again!), Anglesea, Rockingham etc ..... however i have found an alarming lack of tire choice for my 16" (7" & 8") track wheels, ideally i would be wanting 205x45 and 225x45 or as close as possible to this set up.

Ive checked Camskill, blackcircles( ) etc where the most prominent option is still the Proxes T1-R(!). Ideally i wanted to try Advan Neova or perhaps even full slick tires (i have another set for wet weather with rainsport tires on so an intermediate isn't really required)

I just wondered what you "track veterans" prefered to use and what options you had tried?


Any info would be gratefully recieved


Thanks in advance,


Andy

[MartG]

I don't think any trackday company will let you out with full slicks unless you have a full rollcage fitted. You should be OK with a set of road legal semi-slicks like these http://www.ears.co.uk/motorsport/acatal ... ck_59.html

[Rogue]

Did Donington yesterday on R888s and had a fantastic time. The track was exceptionally greasy in the morning, and the R888s offered no more grip than other similar tyres, but were not particularly worse.

Once a dry line emerged, and then again when the track dried almost completely they really came into their own. There was an Evo IX FQ320 in the advanced session that had to let me past on more than one occasion!

Patrick

[Andy-Runner]

Nice one - thanks for that Patrick.

(Still saving for the engine job planned for the white one!)


Thanks again,

Andy

[dan g]

Try www.Tyretraders.com for r888, the cheapest I have found so far. around £300 delivered for a full set of for 15". Camskills will also beat any price you find online aswell....

[Quigonjay]

you could get 225/45/16 front 245/45/16 rear hancook RS2's for £320 from camskill
(or your preffered sizes for £280)

[Andy-Runner]

Thanks lads!


mmmmm the Hankooks sound reasonable, i may give them a try.. thanks Jay

[skinthespin]

Ive had Hankooks Andy, there probably the worst 'performance' tyre Ive ever used, avoid.

Try Kumho V70A's if you can get them, heard very very good things about them.

[Andy-Runner]

Cheers Si - will do!

Hope your well - look forward to seeing you on track early next year?

PS: - No rubbing on the arches when we ran at Donnington last month - thanks mate

Andy

[skinthespin]

Ey up mate,

I'd like to get out early but will be prepping the challenge car too so might not get much time, the Turbo is tucked up in the garage at the moment but would like to get it out early feb, how you get on at Donny? You time yourself?

[Andy-Runner]

We did really well at Donny - every one had a good time and we didn't damage the car at all.

Not the best start to be honest (a nightmare loading the car on the trailer!), then arriving just as the rain came down and the fog set in (yes we had R888's on still!)

A spin on the second lap doing . . . . . 35mph quick recovery and then started out as you recommended. It fined up in the pm and i was really begining to feel the limits (IMO) on the corners. Still struggle as to where to put the car from the "spark plug" to the far corner but i'm getting there. Managed 129 under the bridge on the straight.


Thanks again Si,

[System-G]

Ive had Hankooks Andy, there probably the worst 'performance' tyre Ive ever used, avoid.

Try Kumho V70A's if you can get them, heard very very good things about them.

Simon have you tried the RS2's? Not refering to their kack "road performance" tyres...

Apparently the RS2 is specifically designed for track (although road legal)and a complete breed apart from all their road tyres.

[Squizz]

Yokohama Advan A048R any good? (look very similar to Toyo R888s)

Only we've come into posession of a couple of sets of 205/50 x 15...

[System-G]

Yokohama Advan A048R any good? (look very similar to Toyo R888s)

Only we've come into posession of a couple of sets of 205/50 x 15...

Better than the R888's I've been told by a number of very reliable sources, but then you are paying more of a premium too.

[skinthespin]

I can't remember what Hankooks they were tbh, they were new and were £120 a piece and were there highest performing tyre according to the muppet in the tyre place, all I remember was really struggling with them, and this coming from a guy who normally gets his track tyres from Kwik Fits skip (no seriously).

[System-G]

LOL!

How long ago was this Simon?

I am led to believe the RS2's are a very recent launch.

I'm tempted to buy a set of the RS2's based on the blurb and at £40 a corner, not too bad. But if they don't live up to the blurb, I'd be pretty p!ssed off...

[Sharpey]

I have a set of SR2's on my track car which I use when its really cold or wet, they are OK for the money (getting better now scrubbed down a bit) but not in the same class as R888's or 048R's which I have used in the past its the same old story you pay for what you get.

Slicks are so much better again than R888's or 048R's, book a track are the only organisers who have asked me to change back to road tyres because of no roll cage. BMTR have a sale on
for slicks at the moment

[System-G]

Thanks for your views on the SR2's May give them a try.

Slicks are so much better again than R888's or 048R's, book a track are the only organisers who have asked me to change back to road tyres because of no roll cage.

And rightly so. Slicks will offer soooo much more grip and if/when they let go, you'll be carrying a lot more speed than on regular tyres. And the consequences can obviously be a lot worse - they have no place on a track day IMO.
Different story for test days or racing though

[Sharpey]

I have had no problems using slicks at track days for about 17 years now once warmed up they are just as manageable as any other tyre.

[System-G]

I have had no problems using slicks at track days for about 17 years now once warmed up they are just as manageable as any other tyre.

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