The car won't see the street and it won't see autox, at least for now. Only track time. Doesn't matter that I raced karts at the big tracks for years, I still have to do driver's ed. So, for the first set, I'm looking for economy while I go out and get some seat time. No times are taken while instructor is in car, no need for the latest compound.

I have room for 225/50/15 on the rear and the usual 205/50/15 on front. Should I just get 205s all aound for now? What is the econo race tire to just burn up lapping? Needs to be DOT, of course. No one is gonna let a newbie out on slicks. Whatcha y'all run?

I'd recommend starting with the tires you plan to use all the time such as Goodyear 9x23x15 slicks ? When I started out I bought used Goodyear slicks from the guy in MInn that sells them for $40 each or so plus shipping and I'd use a couple of sets a year. A set of new Goodyears will last a year as long as you don't flat spot them terribly bad. Glad to hear you're about finished!!!!

I think the trusty Kumho Victoracer V700 sounds like the best fit for your planned use. Good life and pretty predictable, grippy behavior. Not nearly as easy to flat-spot or puncture as Hoosiers, and CHEAP.

I'd probably go 205/50 all around; it gives you a bit more flexibility if you want to wring the last few laps out of the tires by rotating them around the car. Plus your car sounds like it will be really balanced/neutral and not a tire-smoking throttle-steering torque-monster.

Oh, forgot. Should I shave them? Or just go out on some M&S treads?
Hah! You'll never find my NO2 bottle or plumbing. When I hit that sucker, I won't need no stinckin' 6.

While I was setting up my track car and testing suspension settings and fixing all the broken things....I used the Kumho Victoracers 205/50/15 all the way around on my car. I thought they were a pretty good deal for the price (~$135 heat cycled from the Tire Rack).

I used the Victoracers at 1 all day auto-x and (3) track days at Thunderhill. The car was driven by my wife also, so that ended up being (12) 20-25 minute sessions/heat cycles.

The tires lasted fine for 11 sessions but on the my last run they got really greasy. Up until then they were very consistent in their handling. The also exhibited more of that "melting" look after that last session.

I have heard that the Kumho Ecsta V700's have a new tread pattern but need to be shaved before track use or they chunk. I didn't shave the Victoracers, but I did run an auto-x, so maybe that made a difference.

Overall, I thought they were a great tire for the price and purpose I was using them for. My wife and I got our money's worth out of them. We're now running Hoosier slicks on 15x7's, but that's another story.

Here's a pic of the Victoracers after my 12th run with them. They were feeling greasy after that run. I haven't taken them our since, but most guys at the track running them say I have one more session and then they are greasy for good.....

Good Luck!

Bill P.

Zeke; I put in a vote for the Kumho's. My friend is running them in V5 and does pretty good.
Bill; the debri your pointing to in the pic, is that from your tires, I thought that might be debri from other cars slicks?

Who sells used race tires? Might be a good thing for me to look into for the time being...

The debris I'm pointing to in the pic is usually what I find on my slicks as well. I'm pretty much a novice at the tire thing yet, so I'm hoping others may make observations regarding the tire wear and appearance.

The tread on the tire is still there, but the handling characteristics definitely changed.

I guess a tire may look fine, but the heat cycles may kill it or degrade the handling before the tread goes away....

Bill P.

I have used the Kumho Victoracers for about 7 years now. I drive a 2 driver car and they last very well for us. We have tried the Kumho Ecsta V700's as well. STAY FAR AWAY. These tires suck!!! We tried both unshaved and unheatcycled and then shaved and heat cycled. Again, stay away.
As far as pure grip on the track, but at a price, the Hoosiers are the ticket (about 2 seconds faster on a 3 mile course). However, they last about half as long as the Kumhos, but cost at least 50% more.
We have started looking at the Michelin Pilots. The feedback on these so far is very close to the Hoosiers, but last much longer.
Our plan is to use Kumho's for practice on Saturdays and Michelins on Sunday race days...

Oh yea, we are running 205's as that's all we can run in our class..

Chris

I do know something about race tires in general. That build up is most likely from that same tire. The rubber migrates across the tread of the tire to the inside and attaches itself right about there. Can cause a vibration if too much build up is allowed. Now I don't know that car, but if it were mine, I'd put another half degree of negative camber on the wheel and/or change the tire pressure.

By the way, here is what Ecsta V700's do....

Did I mention, THEY SUCK?!

Yeah....I did have more negative camber in it at the start, but I took some out because the slicks like less neg than the dot-r's....I changed the settings at about the 4th heat cycle. I was using the kumho's to break in the car....I had basically replaced EVERTHING in the suspension and drivetrain and was shaking out all the bugs...basically breaking all the parts that hadn't broken yet....

I did a good job too! More unexpected $$$$$

That pic of the Ecsta really is great....and it looks like everything I've heard about them on a track...the AX crowd seems to like them....

Bill P.

Porsche 735...


Why is there a schnauzer in your trousers?

Bill P, That build up on your tire is NOT from your tire. It is rubber that you picked up from the track, normally on your cool off lap. Try and drive the "line" on the cool off lap and you will reduce this build up.

-Tony

Not to pick a fight, but why then is the build up only on the inside edge and "drifting" inward? I do see small amounts of "pick up" on other portions of the tire.

I guess I'll add that I am also not very fond of the Ecsta V700. I didn't have them shaved (probably should've) but they do seem to get greasy and squirmy awfully soon, like 5 laps or so. I have had no chunking or blistering probs though (yet).

I am torn between waiting for the new Hoosier and trying the Michelin for my 2nd set of wheels. I might spring for the Michelins if all the reports of comparable stick and longer life are true.

Zeke, Because even if you only have -1deg of camber, the tire will be hotter there and pick up more ruber as you are not pushing the car hard enough on the cool down lap to heat up the outer edges. If you don't believe me call Hoosier, Kumho, BFG, Yokahama and ask to speak with a motorsports tire engineer. This rubber is NOT from the actuall tire itself.

-Tony C

I have a set of ECSTA V700's and they feel good, but they are too heavy feeling to me. Definately a slower tire than Hoosiers, but is more streetable and somehow seems more "durable". but hey, it's a track car. I want to see the new Hoosiers and get some feedback from Spec Miata guys on the new Hankook tires.

Hi Tony,

I'll try to drive a better line on the cool down lap. I thought I was, but actually, maybe I was cutting in too quickly because of the reduced speeds...

so much to learn....

but it's fun!

I have often wondered where the rubber comes from and I think it is from the track and the pits. When we race at the CA Speedway I noticed there was NOTHING on my tires after a race session but at Willow Springs there are those globs of rubber all over the tires?? I have noted that the Victoracers seem to throw off chunks of rubber more than Goodyears as I have followed cars with both types of tires and I can see much more rubber from the V700s.

John, you are running the same size slicks as I am on my car.

Have you tested a 17" combo using the newer dot-r technology? I was wondering if you had any feedback on lap times....

I think I have settled on the 15" slicks...(I have too many sets of tires and rims to start over....), but there is an impending rules change that will reclassify cars in our PCA region after this year. It will be a points system much like Zone 8 PCA. I'm trying to see if I gain or lose anything by going to a different size combo...

Thanks,

Bill P.