Track Tyres

[fly]

I am looking for a set of track tyres to suit stock NA rims (14 x 5.5 in).
Top of the list at the moment are the Kumho V700 185 x 14 in a 60 profile.
Any recommendations for tyres and suppiers in Brisbane would be appreciated.

Dave

[CapitalF]

Search this forum (from down the bottom of this screen) as there has been much discussion on this topic.
.....

Another option (one of few for that size) is the Toyo Proxy R888's from Tyretech at Albion - see:

http://www.toyo.com.au/motorsport_dealer_list.htm

and more info on Toyo Race Tyres here:

http://www.toyo.com.au/Pit%20Lane.htm

Im really impressed with the grip from my R888's but have little real experience compared to many on this forum and on the track.

EDIT - See this thread for previous discussion...
http://www.mx5cartalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=28469

Peter

[JBT]

Any recommendations for tyres and suppiers in Brisbane would be appreciated.

Contact Doug at Qld Raceway.

[timk]

Any recommendations for tyres and suppiers in Brisbane would be appreciated.

Contact Doug at Qld Raceway.

Contact Doug if you want advice biased toward Dunlops, but they are meant to be pretty good anyway.

[JBT]

Not Dunlop.........but very affordable..........and very sticky by all accounts.

[~Noddy~]

... But where is the line drawn in terms of tyres affecting class ranking?

For the NSW Club Trackdays it is stated:

NOTE: The definition of a standard car is one in the “spirit” of, as it would have left the factory. i.e. No performance enhancing modifications including tyres. Yokohama A032R’s or similar will classify a vehicle as modified

I also have a spare set of 14 x 5.5in. sitting around, and want to shoe them with something a bit better than the C-Drives I'm currently using. I am still a trackday amateur, and don't want to be put into modified class at Wakefield.

The V700, RT-615, R888 etc - which of these tyres would be considered \"in the spirit of\", or would you have to backdown to Bridgstone GIII and the like?

PS- I hope this isn't hijacking your thread

[JBT]

... But where is the line drawn in terms of tyres affecting class ranking?

Not relevant to our track days as it is an individual sprint. Overall score is based on attendance and how the individual improves throughout the year.

[SPy vs. SPy]

To answer the original post

Kumho's
are available through Hornibrook Motorsport out near the airport probably in the vicinity of $250 each, phone call rqd

Uber goooey Dunlops

Gooey

in your size around the $250 each mark, again phone call rqd

or as JBT said speak to Doug @ QR about the alternative tyres, I think you'll be happy JBT will also be better placed to comment in a week or two after he observes what these can do.

To answer Noddy's question, if your car isn't running in the modified class in NSW you'd probably be racing in a very lonely class, those boys take their Wakefielding seriously.

To better answer the question, if you want to run road tyres, source some half knackered ones. For the same money as top end road rubber, or less, you can have very good track tyres which will easily out perform the road tyres.

You also won't need to lug several dozen sets of wheels to and from Wakefield, which in the balance of things, answers 60% of the question.

[Charlie Brown]

Noddy, to run in the standard class you can’t have R-Spec tyres. ie V700, 888, D01, D02, etc are out.

The whole idea of a standard class is just that. Standard. No sticky tyres, no exhaust mods, no CAI, no suspension mods, just plain standard, as it came from the showroom. You can fit a high performance road tyre and there has been plenty of posts relating to what people perceive to be good and bad if you do a search.

Basically the standard class is very keenly fought because it is the drivers’ skill that gets the car around the circuit the fastest, not the mods. I think that there is more satisfaction doing well in this class than the modified class.

If you really get down to analysing how to get round the track fast in a standard/near standard MX-5 it comes down to two main points. Smoothness and braking.
Every standard MX-5 will accelerate at the same rate so you won’t make up time there. To be smooth obviously you need to know car control but also you need a tyre that has good adhesion and reacts quickly to steering inputs. Then there is what I consider the most important part of going quickly. The brakes. You can’t be quick if you are on the brakes.

Around Wakefield, since the resurfacing, there are only three braking corners. Turn 2 - the end of the front straight, Turn 7 - the Fish Hook and Turn 9 - the end of the back straight. Turns 4 & 5 across the top of the hill are controlled by the throttle. Turns 1, 3, 6 and 8 are taken flat out.

[Steampunk]

Kumho's
are available through Hornibrook Motorsport out near the airport probably in the vicinity of $250 each, phone call rqd

Uber goooey Dunlops

Gooey

in your size around the $250 each mark, again phone call rqd

Whaaaaat?!?!?

[fly]

Thanks for the input guys. I will go with Dougs cheepies, hard to argue with the price.

[Cal]

Thanks for the input guys. I will go with Dougs cheepies, hard to argue with the price.

What are they and how much?

[AJ]

Thanks for the input guys. I will go with Dougs cheepies, hard to argue with the price.

What are they and how much?

unpronounceable chinese R Spec Cal, suitable for road use, & quite sticky by all accounts.......at least Doug Chapple says they are & he's running them on his nissan

[~Noddy~]

To answer Noddy's question, if your car isn't running in the modified class in NSW you'd probably be racing in a very lonely class, those boys take their Wakefielding seriously.

You’re telling me: I came first during my last trackday – no points for how many others were in the class.

Brilliant responses SPy vs. Spy and Charlie Brown - thanks a heap!
And that’s exactly where my head is, Charlie - I’d rather learn the track and drive well before relying on mods to bring my speed up.

Right, so I just have to wait around for some nice 50+% treads to pop up… or just bugger up my newish C-drives… hmm. Me thinks I'll try the patient route.

[SPy vs. SPy]

Right, so I just have to wait around for some nice 50+% treads to pop up… or just bugger up my newish C-drives… hmm. Me thinks I'll try the patient route.

I wouldn't recommend trashing the C-Drives, this is not bagging the C-Drives, I'm talking about emptying your wallet of $$$'s needlessly

The biggest killer of the tyres is heat, yes you need heat in a track spec tyre, no you don't want too much of it in a road tyre. Therefore as far as 2nd handers go I wouldn't get 50+%, you want a few mm of tread depth for legality of getting there and back, you don't need the extra depth because it gets too hot and squishy. That being said don't look a gift horse in the mouth if a good set of tyres come up for good $$$'s

The next thing to do is take 2 jacks to track day so you can rotate tyres, pointless destroying the front left/right when you can even out the wear by substituting all 4 tyres over the day or even just swapping the fronts.

Another trick is even if the tyres are directional, more often it refers to how it works in the wet, i.e. you can rotate left to right etc, just put em all back to the right direction before you go home. I'll let you decide what to do if it's raining at track day

CB says many good things too, if you are new to Wakefield there will be tonnes of sage advice out there on the same day, will you feel more of a dill for throwing it into the weeds, or for not asking for some advice

to go quick
breathe
talk the lap out loud, this will help you to breathe and face it no-one else will hear you.
slow it all down, smooth = tuuuuuuurrrrrnnnnn not trn

Lastly and whether it is a mod or not, good brake pads and fluid are a must have. Bed them in properly too or some very eye opening moments you will have

One final final point, have a search about on the site or send CT a PM re wheel alignment, the difference between what Mazda says is a good spec and a "Good Spec" is chalk and cheese. CT's alignment spec is GOLD, Track or Road.

Enjoy