Bridgestone Adrenalin RE001 vs PP2 vs rest?

[PUR157]

Has anyone tried the Falken ZE329 or ZE912?

These tyres are strictly passenger car tyres... my friend got a set when he was looking for new wheels priced at $90odd ea. in 15" sizes (ZE912)
and from what I've read of the ZE329 it's largely the same story...

The interesting falkens are more the FKs? but no idea whether or not they're an appropriate size...

[Nark]

RT615s come in 195/60R14.

Thanks for the tip. However, Falken RT615 (and RT215) is an R spec tyre and would put us into the modified class. We're trying to stick in the stock class at track days.

Are you sure about that? That's not what I know. They're considered street (they're not an R comp just an aggressive tread pattern).

[wun911]

I put my enkei RPF1 / RE001 on the track today.

They are jap spec RE001, lots and lots of grip, I like the 215 rubber and 17" rim combo.

As the rubber got to operating temperature, it just becomes nice and sticky, very predictable, very happy with them.

[Charlie Brown]

RT615s come in 195/60R14.

Thanks for the tip. However, Falken RT615 (and RT215) is an R spec tyre and would put us into the modified class. We're trying to stick in the stock class at track days.

Are you sure about that? That's not what I know. They're considered street (they're not an R comp just an aggressive tread pattern).

Directly from the Falken web site:
"RT 615
Pure sports performance tyre.
Motorsport grade cap compound maintains its grip over a wide range of operating temperatures.
Enhanced wet grip and aquaplane resistance under competition conditions."

From the Club's entry form for Standard MX-5s:
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.

Obviously the RT 615 is not an R Spec tyre like the Dunlop D01, D03, Toyo R888, but then MX-5s don’t leave the factory with anything like RT 615's fitted. You could try your luck with the scrutineers but don’t be surprised if they bump you up to the modified class.

I pose this question: would you feel good if you were half a second faster than the rest of the field knowing that it was really just the tyres that put you there or conversely having the tyres on and being a second slower than everyone else because even with the sticky tyres your skills weren’t up to those who were using tyres that were similar to the ones the car had as it left the factory?

The best part of the Standard class is the tight racing times. You scramble to be just 100ths of a second quicker than the next bloke and when you are up against others with near identical vehicles you find out really quickly that you need to really drive well to be in the contest. It develops you as a driver because you start to ask why is Jack quicker that me through that corner? What’s he doing differently for me? Where and how can I improve?

[Guran]

Thanks for the comment Charlie Brown. I'm no expert on tyres and just assumed the RT 615 (and RT 215) would be considered "R spec" since the tread pattern looks like a semi-slick. Similarly the Federal 595RS is probably out, even if it were available in 14" (it's not according to their website).

I also note in the CAMS regs for supersprints class 1 that "Tyre sizes must adhere to manufacturers’ original specifications in respect to width and aspect ratio or as close thereto as commercially available." I guess that means I'm stuck with 185/60R14!

I agree with your position that the unmodified class should be all about driver skill. That's why I'm so interested in it! However, there are still plenty of things you can tweak on the car in order to improve your ability to compete in this class eg alignment, timing advance, brake linings/rotors, clutch lining, 98 RON fuel.

[Nark]

I would think that if you put really good tyres on that gave you half a second a lap that you'd happily tell all your competitors and the whole field would be switching to that tyre when they can.

Suggesting that you should choose a sub-spec tyre to be fair to the competition is a little backward IMHO. You should be trying to develop yourself and your car within the spirit of the competition.

[wun911]

I kinda have that mentality, put on really good tyres and beat the competition.

Beats spending half a day removing AC and you still can't beat the competition.

If you really want even playing field, go hire some go carts.

[Moto]

I've just done my second track day on Adrenalins, and they have been fantastic!

Once they heat up they get nice and sticky, and like Wun said, very predictable. Only after about 9 or 10 laps they start to get too hot and let go a little bit, but they will give you plenty of warning before spitting you into the dirt.

[Charlie Brown]

Suggesting that you should choose a sub-spec tyre to be fair to the competition is a little backward IMHO. You should be trying to develop yourself and your car within the spirit of the competition.

I said nothing about putting sub quality tyres on. I’d be fitting the best tyres within the rules of the class.

I’m in full agreement with developing driver and car to their full potential, within the rules.

Maybe I wasn’t clear previously in what I was saying.

Try it this way.
Class A is for stock cars.
Car A has tyres as fitted from the factory.
Car B has the best tyres money can buy to be Class A legal.
Car C fits faux R-Spec tyres knowing it isn’t Class A legal and is able to slip through scrutineering without being picked up.

Cars A & B race round the track finishing with a 1:19.6 and a 1:19.5 respectively. The drivers come away smiling, slapping each other on the back and talking about how next time the results will be reversed.

The driver of Car C races round the track, puts his/her car in the garage after each run away from prying eyes and wins the Class with a 1:19.1, or does a 1:20.1 to be third. In either scenario I’d hope the driver of Car C has a hollow feeling knowing he/she was cheating by using faux R-Spec tyres.

I play club golf and as any golfer knows there is a high reliance on honesty in the game. If you are caught intentionally cheating (the old leather wedge, poor counting of shots, etc, etc.) you may get one warning. Do it again and you’re kicked out and your name is mud.

What satisfaction is there by cheating to win a class or put down a better time? I’d rather turn in a 1:19.7 and enjoy the camaraderie of the drivers from Cars A & B and try and reverse the finishing positions next time.

[Nark]

Why would it be cheating if the RT615 is a street spec tyre. Read my first post, it's a street compound tyre with an aggressive tread and I'm pretty sure that's what the rules state as well.

You would be car B in your example.

[Charlie Brown]

Why would it be cheating if the RT615 is a street spec tyre. Read my first post, it's a street compound tyre with an aggressive tread and I'm pretty sure that's what the rules state as well.

You would be car B in your example.

Seems you missed my post quoted from directly from the Falken web site:
"RT 615 - Motorsport grade cap compound"

D01s, D03's, R888s, A032R’s, etc are all street legal tyres as well but they are not acceptable in Class 1.

I admit RT615s are a grey area but if in doubt I'd speak with the competition secretary if/when joining the Club.

[Nark]

You quoted marketing spiel from the manufacturer's website. Hardly believable.

I'd check with the rules, but as I stated, my knowledge is that they're considered street tyres. Which is different from street-legal tyres.

[Old Dude]

Hi guys thanks for all of the good info, Im about to buy new tyres for my 205/45x16 and was thinking about both tyres,
I think the PP2 are the way to go. I got 48000ks on the original ER30.

[Old Dude]

Has anyone tried the Dunlop Direnza DZ 101, I can get these for about $189 compared to $290 for the PP2's there supposed to be pretty good alround.

[sweep77]

The rt615's are allowed in standard and clubman class in vic mx5 racing as far as i'm aware. Their not an r compound tyre but they are stickier than a normal road tyre which kinda puts it in no-mans land. so if you have the money they are great but kinda leaves the people running on a budget at a disadvantage running standard road tyres. Same thing goes for the Hankook rs2.