Question about Autocrossing tires

[Ciderbarrel]

I just had my second autocross in the last week here in the DC area, at FedEx Field, and I need some recommendations for some good autocrossing tires that can do double duty on the street. Not necessarily as a DD tires, but not drag slicks either.

I got my 2005 GT in early April this year and it came with Nexen 275/40/17s and I figure if I do anything to the car, tires should be first.

Mods, not many: C&L Racer CAI (I installed), foot pedal dress up, and Borla axle backs. Otherwise, it's stock under the hood and in the suspension.

 

[jsnyng]

Hankook RS3
Dunlop StarSpecs
Bridgestone RE11
Yokohama AD08

If anybody tells you Nitto, they don't want to be competitive.

 

[JesseW.]

^^^^good opinions, he has them! i am running RS3's and they're so much better than nitto 555's

 

[jsnyng]

For the record, I'm not anti-Nitto in any way. They make some good tires for certain applications, but autocross isn't one of them.

 

[Ciderbarrel]

Oh, I forgot my other question. Should I stick with 17s or is there an advantage with going bigger with my rims?

I am completely new to Autocross, not only was this my 2nd event in 7 days, it was my 2nd event EVAR! It sure is fun though.

 

[JesseW.]

17's are cheaper to a point. if you ever step up to r-comps, i'd say go 18's cause they are about the same price there. but as it is, stay with 17's. less rotational mass and tires are cheaper.

another thing you need to do is pick up a rule book and find a class you can do well in PAX in, if you haven't already. you're already over stock class wheel size i'm guessing, so i'd run a street tire class like STU (in SCCA) if your mods allow. i'm running in SM and getting murdered in PAX in my regional events even though i'm doing fairly well on RAW times.

 

[jsnyng]

If you ditch the CAI, you're back in Stock depending on the size of wheels your running. With your current mods, you could run STX if you stay 265 or smaller width or STU if you run 285's.

 

[Ciderbarrel]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I appreciate it.

I thought of ditching the CAI and going F-Stock but I'm such a rookie driver that my raw numbers are still pretty slow. It really doesn't matter if I go STX, STU, stay in ESP, or try to go stock, I just need to become a better driver first.

In the WDCR SCCA, it seems all the Mustangs either stay F Stock or go ESP. There is one bad ass CP 1966 Red Mustang that flies like a bat out of hell.

Oh snap! I'm looking at the results and Sam Strano was there racing SS! If I knew, I would have asked him 1001 suspension/handling/grip questions! Maybe it's a good thing for him that I didn't know he was there, lol. (looking at the 3 morning heats, I was working heat 1, he ran heat 2, and I ran heat 3 when he was working. Oh well. He at least saw my slow self. I was so worried about going fast, I missed the 1st gate my 1st two runs).

With the 7 people in ESP today, I came in 7th, almost 7 seconds behind #6, and 22 behind the leader. Assume I could have run in F Stock w/ the CAI and I'd still be last in the class, but this time by 10 seconds.

By PAX, I was 149th out of 229, including carts. EDIT***nm, they didn't sort the table properly. I was 6th from last by PAX.***

Last week, my first autocross ever, I was 181st out of 186, including karts. In fact, my PAX & raw times were only faster than 2 karts and 3 DNFs. At that point, I had no where to go but up.

 

[jsnyng]

You will hear this over and over and will probably get sick of hearing it. Get seat time. Ride along with others who drive similar cars as you. It might be fun for a ride-along in a S2000, but are you really going to learn anything. Get as much seat time as you possibly can. Take an Evo school if you can. It will greatly change your driving abilities. #1 Rule is to have fun. Rule # 2 Mods don't make bad drivers fast.

 

[Ciderbarrel]

Take an Evo school if you can.

They had one earlier this year before I even heard of Autocross. Rumor has it there will be another one in the next couple of months. I REALLY want to take it if I can.

 

[cito]

The tires listed above are the ones I would also recommend. These are the things I would do if I had your car. Not necessarily saying its they are the best things to do. For the best information, contact Mr. Strano when you are ready to buy struts, shocks, front sway bar, etc and he will tell you exactly what you need.

To start with, I would run your car in F-stock if I had it especially if there is a stock street tire class in your region. I would lose the CAI, sell it and get catback exhaust, k&N filter, front swaybar (strano), koni yellows, and wheels and tires--not in that order. In fact, the order is backwards. Stock wheels for your car are plentiful if you are not on the stock wheels now. You could get a second set of wheels and put good street tires on them (I would get hankooks if available), and then have wheels available if you want to try slicks next.

This would be a relatively inexpensive way to get started. Your car will not be as fast as the Shelby's, but it would be within a stone throw of them.

All this said, the biggest difference in times is in who is driving the car. It might be better to spend the money on the Evo classes now. That will give you an idea about what autocrossing is at its best as well as teach you the most effective driving habits.

If you really like to autocross, your car will probably be getting turned into an ESP car or traded in for something else (shelby gt, 11+ gt, or Dstock 11+ V6) in the future.

 

[Sky Render]

I just put Nito NT555s on my car and love them on the autocross grid.

Note that my previous tires were all-season radials, however.

 

[Vapour Trails]

Hankook RS3
Dunlop StarSpecs
Bridgestone RE11
Yokohama AD08

If anybody tells you Nitto, they don't want to be competitive.

Have you heard about the NT-05?

Anyway, I don't recommend anyone autocross on street tires if they can help it.

 

[JesseW.]

I just put Nito NT555s on my car and love them on the autocross grid.

Note that my previous tires were all-season radials, however.

i immediately picked up 3 seconds on a 60 second course when i switched from the 555's to the RS3's. it was like a revelation in the corners.

 

[jsnyng]

I just put Nito NT555s on my car and love them on the autocross grid.

Note that my previous tires were all-season radials, however.

You also bought a package deal on wheels/tires where you didn't have much choice, right? I'm sure the 555's are a huge step up from the all seasons you had, but they wouldn't be on my list at all for autocross tires.

Have you heard about the NT-05?

Anyway, I don't recommend anyone autocross on street tires if they can help it.

I heard the NT05's haven't won a trophy in ANY street tire class at any National Tour or ProSolo in the last 2 years. Is that what you heard?

i immediately picked up 3 seconds on a 60 second course when i switched from the 555's to the RS3's. it was like a revelation in the corners.

Three seconds is a HUGE gain. There's a reason ST* cars run Hankooks, Dunlops, Bridgestones, Toyos, and Yokohamas; they win.

 

[Sky Render]

You also bought a package deal on wheels/tires where you didn't have much choice, right? I'm sure the 555's are a huge step up from the all seasons you had, but they wouldn't be on my list at all for autocross tires.

Yep, they were a package deal. I'll try something different when they wear out in a couple years.

 

[jsnyng]

Yep, they were a package deal. I'll try something different when they wear out in a couple years.

They really look good on your car by the way. My Enkeis from Strano will be here tomorrow. I'm putting 285/35 RS3's on all four corners.

 

[Towelly]

Between the Dunlop and Hankook, which is better? They appear to be the most reasonably priced of your list. Would you mind divulging what your new setup set you back? Also, 18x9.5's?

 

[Ch4r1ie]

They really look good on your car by the way. My Enkeis from Strano will be here tomorrow. I'm putting 285/35 RS3's on all four corners.

What size Enkei's did you go for?

 

[jsnyng]

Between the Dunlop and Hankook, which is better? They appear to be the most reasonably priced of your list. Would you mind divulging what your new setup set you back? Also, 18x9.5's?

I posed that same question on a more hardcore site. For an informative and interesting read, see this --> http://roadraceautox.com/showthread.php?t=35009

What size Enkei's did you go for?

PF01 18x9.5 45 offset

I paid $1,379 + $80 for shipping. I got the RS3's from a guy on another forum for $900 shipped.


Untitled by jsnyng, on Flickr