Let's Talk Track Tires

[John Strauss]

I hope this helps some of you decide on which way to go. Been tracking my 500 now a SS for over 2 years now and have learned a few important things.

1) Your tire wear is directly proportioned to your driving experience. (more experience less wear) get a lot of seat time.

2) The wear rating has most to do with dry traction. ( lower the # the sticker the tire) use a low wear # tire for best traction.

3) Tire pressure makes it safe or unsafe. ( under inflated is unsafe) keep the tire at the side wall pressure up or down a few pds. HOT.

4) I have been using the stock F1 285s all around. 220 wear, 42 to 44 hot psi. ( work great on a stock suspension or just a few mods)

5) The 18" F1s are better then the SS 20" Pirellis as far as side load feel. ( went from 85-90mph to 105-110 on Daytona's infield left sweeping turn)

6) The Hoosier R6s made the whole SS package come to life. ( Totally put back the feel of control on the rough high banks of Daytona)

7) Race Suspension needs race tires to take it to the limit.

8) Stock F1s should be enough for almost any track event short of full competition.

 

Tires make a difference, but I feel only at the very extreme. There not going to make you a better driver. I found that out first hand at Sebring. I invited a guy I meet at a car wash to come up to watch me run the SS. He showed up with his wife and stock 500 a said he was going to run with us. I thought he was nuts. They let him run in the solo group with my friends and I. The guy was almost impossible to catch in the corners. I could only out HP him down the straights. Come to found out he races formula one cars in Canada. What a great guy. Oh he also races Jet Fighters. You couldn't even tell by his tires that the car had been tracked hard all day.

 

Hope this helped. Remember Smooth Smooth Smooth !!!!!!!!

John

[frydguy79]

I hope this helps some of you decide on which way to go. Been tracking my 500 now a SS for over 2 years now and have learned a few important things.

1) Your tire wear is directly proportioned to your driving experience. (more experience less wear) get a lot of seat time.

2) The wear rating has most to do with dry traction. ( lower the # the sticker the tire) use a low wear # tire for best traction.

3) Tire pressure makes it safe or unsafe. ( under inflated is unsafe) keep the tire at the side wall pressure up or down a few pds. HOT.

4) I have been using the stock F1 285s all around. 220 wear, 42 to 44 hot psi. ( work great on a stock suspension or just a few mods)

5) The 18" F1s are better then the SS 20" Pirellis as far as side load feel. ( went from 85-90mph to 105-110 on Daytona's infield left sweeping turn)

6) The Hoosier R6s made the whole SS package come to life. ( Totally put back the feel of control on the rough high banks of Daytona)

7) Race Suspension needs race tires to take it to the limit.

8) Stock F1s should be enough for almost any track event short of full competition.

 

Tires make a difference, but I feel only at the very extreme. There not going to make you a better driver. I found that out first hand at Sebring. I invited a guy I meet at a car wash to come up to watch me run the SS. He showed up with his wife and stock 500 a said he was going to run with us. I thought he was nuts. They let him run in the solo group with my friends and I. The guy was almost impossible to catch in the corners. I could only out HP him down the straights. Come to found out he races formula one cars in Canada. What a great guy. Oh he also races Jet Fighters. You couldn't even tell by his tires that the car had been tracked hard all day.

 

Hope this helped. Remember Smooth Smooth Smooth !!!!!!!!

John

 

Great info John!!