Road legal track tyres

[DuncS3]

When I first started track days, I soon realised that I needed better brakes if I wanted to stay out on the track longer (or advanced driving lessons perhaps). I have also changed my suspension now, which doesnt keep me out on track longer, but makes the car feel better (and look better).
I think now the 'weak point' (apart from the lard arse weight of the car) are the tyres. At Donington I wondered why the stripped out 205 GTI was catching me, when I had overtaken him on previous sessions. In the end I let him pass me as my car was starting to feel pretty ragged around the corners by the end of the session. Anyway it turned out the 205, as well as being fully strippd out, had slicks on.

I am thinking my tyres are now something to look into, has anyone dabbled in tyres more suited to the track? I know JR did but perhaps not anymore? I currently have Bridgestone SO3s which seem to go off worse than my previous P-Zeros, but I think I am pushing the car more now, so not necessarily a fair camparison.

I can tell when my road tyres 'go off', as after a while on the track, the car starts to screech and slide a bit more around the corners. After a lap at Donington going through craner curves the grip was much better than after a few laps. I dont fancy going the slick route but what about road legal track tyres - a bit like the new M3 CSL comes with? Not for the winter of course but just asking as there are some good deals around on new wheels, so thinking of a track set for next year...or perhaps I am trying to make my car into something its not?

Dunc

[DavidT]

Dunc,

My answer to this problem is a second set of wheels with old road tyres which have less than 3mm tread and I use them until they wear through to the canvas.

Road tyres with lots of tread go off because the rubber in the tread moves around which builds heat which is retained causing the surface to overheat, the tread then rolls across the tyre surface and grip is lost.

Low tread minimises this problem, so they grip better and last pretty well. It is also cheap because you are making use of tyres which would otherwise be binned.

You also know your road set will not be trashed and more importantly, legal when you put them back on to go home.

Downsides are the hassle of swapping them over and transporting second set and jack etc.

I avoided the slick route because it has implications for trackday insurance because of the increase in performance.

[DuncS3]

Dave, makes sense as my tyres are fairly new, hence they seemed to 'go off' more than my older Pirellis

Dunc

[NigelJ]

When I used to race an Ultima we had to run "road legal" tyres so we had new Yokos (008 I think) buffed down to 3mm and they worked fine.

NigelJ

[VST]

Go for something like a Kumho 700.
They are road legal,have all the correct markings etc,yet have minimal tread depth and grooves and are available in a range of compounds. I have a set on my S3 engined Corrado trackday car, Compound-wise have 9's on the front(hard) and 7's on the rear(not as hard obviously).
The Corrado's not quite finished yet,so I cant give you any opinions on handling,grip etc, but I know Bill Brockbank(Badger 5) with the 340bhp Ibiza runs them on track with good results and the tyres were tested against the full race control slicks for the Punto Abarth one make race series over here,they clocked lap times within half a second of the full race slick,so they cant be bad..... [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[DuncS3]

VST - you must tell us more about your project car some time - sounds interesting!

Dunc

[jeffw]

Dunc

Have a look at the V70A on this page

Kumho V70A

[DuncS3]

Would you expect to pay more or less (or the same as a road tyre) for a tyre like that?

What would a tyre like that do to a typical lap time - anyone got any experience of that?

Dunc [img]images/graemlins/s3addict.gif[/img]

[jeffw]

A bespoke track tyre is going to be more consistant as well as allowing more grip

these people have the V70A in 225/45 17 at £142 per corner

[VST]

Around the international track at Mondello I think track vs road tyres could have anything up to 7-8sec a lap of an advantage.

I'll tell ya next season [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

The "project car" has an S3 motor running DTA aftermarket management,bespoke front mount intercooler and pipework,Carbon Airbox,custom oil cooler,Seat Leon Cupra 6speed gearbox with quaife lsd,custom driveshafts,Porsche brakes,H&R Coilovers with damping adjustment,Neuspeed rollbars,poly bushed,Speedline 16in comp wheels,Kumho trackday rubber,Wiechers Roll-cage,SPA instruments,2x Recaro SPG seats,Willans harnesses......oh and its road legal........

The other project car(S3) is getting a K26 next week by the way......forgot to mention that......... [img]images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[wazza]

K26

[img]images/graemlins/biggrin3.gif[/img]

[ChrisG]

I'm sure that I saw a Colway advert recently , specifically for track day tyres ....... cannot find it now!

[DuncS3]

Well the information in this thread has been very useful. I wont be buying the tyres until early next year as I dont see myself doing anymore track days this year, apart from the RS246 day @ Oulton Park.

With road legal track tyres I guess that also negates the need to take two sets of tyres with me to the track, as I can drive there and back on the track tyres.

I will go down the track tyre route I think

Dunc [img]images/graemlins/s3addict.gif[/img]

[Scotty]

WARNING!

Buying road legal track tyres will give you one less excuse for being passed by a "hairdresser" in an "Skoda in a party frock"!! [img]images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img]

[Riz_RS4]

Ermmmmmm do you use special track tyres scotty?
Do you use your old alloys as trackday sets?

Riz