Michelin taking over from Conti for next year. Schedule looks the same but only two classes, GT4 and TCR, ST is gone.

They need to slow down TCR, or get better drivers at the back of the GT4 class, they get munged together back there and it's not pretty at times, TCR cars are wicked fast for what they are.

More here:
https://sportscarchallenge.imsa.com...-challenge-features-10-races-two-classes-2019

So next year there should be a healthy supply of lightly used Michelin slicks around? Wish they used 19" instead of/in addition to 18".

Yeah very interested to see what happens from a take-off tire perspective...

Darn!!! That means no more discontinued Contis from Hoosier???

Or a whole bunch once.

TMSBOSS said:

Or a whole bunch once.

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Maybe thats whats happening now. I just ordered another set of 320/650-18 just in case. Price is too good! Can't import used tires due to mosquito/denge fever risks.......

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Excited to see some used Michelins , as their slicks are super quick. Just have to be cautious as the ones developed for Daytona may be like the Contis - not a very good flat course tire with the stiff sidewalls. With Pirellis and Michelins out there next year ,it could be a toss up on which one is faster on the road course circuits?

Mad Hatter said:

Maybe thats whats happening now. I just ordered another set of 320/650-18 just in case.

Click to expand...

What wheels are you running those 320/650/18s on?

Wingrider said:

What wheels are you running those 320/650/18s on?

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They fit well on the apex 18x11 wheels. With the Cortex offset struts I just needed a 15mm spacer to make them fit with space to spare..

I ran 305 contis before with a 18x10 drift wheels and that was not such a great matchup for me... At that time I only had -2 degrees camber and the wore the shoulders very quickly (and also rather slow). Now with the 320 Contis and Apex wheels with -3.3 camber, wear is very even up front.

Thank you for all of this. I don't really want to go to a taller tire than the 305/660/18 Pirelli if I can avoid it as I like how the gearing is working out at Sonoma and Laguna. I'm starting to dread delivery of the 315/680s I ordered but want width so those may get quickly consumed. Maybe I should start taking a look at the Conti so I can get the width the Apex 11's can offer and still fit with the offset struts. My problem is I really like the life and cycles of Pirelli's. Who's spacers did you get?

At least the 680 will mean less use of the weak Mt82 fifth gear! Got the spacer from Opmustang.com.

At a 150 bucks a new tire..... Its hard to beat the Contis vallue

I bought a bunch of the 305/680/18 Conti slicks for track day use, they are the G5000 Daytona spec tires. I keep hearing they will be slower than a R7 but wear better than the R7. I have several sets of the Pirelli slicks for setting a good track time but the price of the Conti was too good to pass up. They now have the 305/680/18 in the G6000 on closeout, Has anyone run them and how do they compare to an R7 or Pirelli Slick?

Anyone run the Conti G5000 in a 305/680/18? They are really about 315 or 320 wide so I had to role the front fenders for clearance. I am thinking I will be targeting 32-33psi Hot like the Pirelli but I could use some guidance on that.

Dave

The Contis are slower than an R7, since the ones you got are designed for Daytona and the loads of the Banking - but the price is nuts. If you are just using them for HPDEs they are a bargain.

Thought I would give a little feedback on the Continental Slicks G5000 Daytona Spec Tire 305/680/18. Ran at a SCCA PDX at Gateway so I could scrub in a set of tires before my next trip to Road America. The tire is somewhat disappointing unless it proves to be a long life tire. I struggled on a short track like Gateway to build enough heat in the first few laps, the tire takes forever to come in and then once it does it drives with a grip level of about half way between an R6 and a NT-01. If it wears like an NT-01 and does not heat cycle out after 15 sessions it will be a good deal for an HPDE tire or possibly an endurance race.

Last time I ran at Gateway on very used take off Pirelli DH Slicks I was running consistent 1:09.xx in traffic, with the Contislicks I was able to get to the 1:09.xx but the first three laps were an exercise in car control almost like running in the wet. Once the tire started to come in and moved about 5PSI grip was better than an NT-01 and by the end of a session the tire felt even better. It is a very hard compound and you have to work them hard to build heat into the tire. For the average guy running HPDE the G6000 is going to be a better compound to try, also the 305/680/18 is really a 315 to 320mm tire so fitment is going to be an issue. Continental has a 305/685/18 that is much closer to a true 305mm tire and the 685 is closer to the PP OEM tire heights.

If anyone is looking for a cheap set of track slicks that are little better than a R-Comp tire the closeout price is very attractive and may be worth a shot.

Dave

And surprisingly the 5000s should work better at Gateway with the banking. Flat tracks and they are just slow -- in my estimation , at least 2-3 seconds slower than an R7 Hoosier.

I asked Hoosier about the discounted slicks thay had availble and the 320/650-18 P2000 was the best candidate for normal road racing, stiffer tire body with R7 rubber compound... Made a bunch of suspension changes so not sure how they do compared to a 295/30-18 R7...... They do take for ever and a day to heat up, thats for sure. But i did get a max of 1.4G compared to 1.3 G with the smaller R7s. On the 29th I will have a good idea on how they do.