Time to get a real set of tires for track-only use, What are your favorites?? Options

[aircooledtechguy]

For full disclosure: This is for my modified VW Squareback and not the 914. Weight distribution for this car is very similar to a 911.

I'm looking to use a spare set of Boxster twist wheels that I currently have snow tires on as my permanent track wheels. They are a 17X7/8.5 staggered set. I'm looking at getting 225/45 in front and 255/40 in the rear. I'll pretty much will be using these specifically for events and not daily driving.

The tires I'm currently looking at are:

1. Toyo R888
2. Toyo RA1

These seem to be very popular at auto-x events and could be used at an occasional track day. I'd be interested in thoughts on these or even other brands that are sticky and work well with these types of events.

[toadman]

I do an occasional autocross and an occasional DE weekend each year with my stock 914-4 but it is always just for fun.

As I understand it the rubber compounds used for autocross tires are different from the compounds used for track tires. Autocross tires need to heat up and get sticky quickly as a typical run is about 45 - 70 seconds with a peak top speed around 50 mph. I don't think it would be good for an autocross tire to be subjected to multiple 30-minute track driving sessions at a typical DE weekend where peak top speeds, at least in my case, approach 90 mph and the vast majority of each 30-minutes session is driven at speeds above 50 mph. Similarly, I think you would be hard pressed to "heat up" a track tire to a point where it gets nice and sticky if you only run it for about 60 seconds at a time, six or eight times over the whole day.

I use my street tires for autocross.

I use Hoosier Sports Car DOT Radial race tires for my DE events. I believe the current part number is 46502 in size 205/50/15. I have got to say there is magic in those Hoosier tires. It is almost unbelievable how well those things hold the pavement.