The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

Tire selection for track (not the usual suspects)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

367
1
Hi guys,

I'd really like to stay away from 19s for wheels as replacing tires is an annual thing for me. The cost of 19s will really get heavy after a couple replacements! That being said, I'd like to stick with the un-optimal idea of sticking with a street tire for track use.

I've been through it before, and have used some of the top notch stuff (Z1, RS3 et al). However, seeing that all of these (except the Rivals) make appropriate sizes in 18s for the Boss, I was wondering if anyone has tried the *bear with me* BFG Sport comp 2. These tires are known for progressive break away characteristics--something that I'm also after in such a high power car.

However, I want to know how they hold up on the track. Yes, they might have less ultimate grip than a fresh set of OE Pirellis, but that's actually less important to me. I want a tire where the initial grip doesn't fall off rapidly once they get some heat in them. Some tires are known for being great for all of 2 to 3 laps, and then the grip falls off to oblivion. Can anyone with experience on these tires chime in?

Criteria:

1) Longevity - traction remains constant for up to 25 minutes of hard on track sessions
2) Break away characteristics - progressive
3) Heat tolerance -can take heat and wont chunk away...while keeping traction in acceptable levels.
4) Wet weather grip - car will be a half street half track car. So I still need wet weather grip. Especially important when running widths as wide as these mustangs do. Hydro planes are not good!
 
367
1
edit: oh what the heck.
Turns out they arent available in the right sizes in 18. But are cheap enough in 19.
Continue the discussion :) BFG sport comp 2 in 19. Anyone tried?
I think the fords at MMP use these.
 
No experience with the BFG SC2. For a 19" street/track tire some members use either the Michelin PSS or Yokohama AD08. I believe the Yokohama is the better dry tire but the Michelin will be much better in the wet.
 

drano38

Wayne
1,130
318
Look to see if Nitto NT-05 are available for the 19" sizes you'd like.
I run them as 285/35/18, square setup and like them so far.
They have pretty good grip, and squeal big time as you push them harder.
When they stop squealing at you, they're heat cycled out and have lost their grip. But it took about 15 sessions for that to happen, so lots of mileage on them.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Interested in the responses too.

I've only tried the Sport Comp 2s on the street. So I can't comment on how well they will hold up on the track. Also note that I only had these on my GT for a few months this past winter. Part of that was mixed with P Zeros on the rear until I swapped the other pair.

Wet/cold performance is pretty good. Better than the Pirellis. Not quite as good as the Michelin PSSs. But I would definitely run this tire on a budget say in the Pacific northwest or Hilo ;)

I think the grip loss is fairly progressive. My impression is that they let go a bit quicker than the stock P Zeros. But maybe that was from when I had them only on the fronts. Grip in general is comparable to the P Zeros, perhaps a bit less in the dry.
 
I got them in 275/40r18 all around for 9.5" Nurburgrings (total was ~$1700 mounted and shipped, not bad) and so far I am happy. I tended to plow the front during AutoX (on crappy old stone filled pavement) so I figured square with the dampers set lower in the rear would work fine for my use. No track use yet, but they look good and are at a good price point. I am pretty sure if you still wanted staggered you could get 255 and 275s in the right diameter. DTD dropped the prices recently, too. But I did notice that the 19's are pretty close in price also. I almost bought Conti DWs but people said the Sport Comp 2s were comparable in grip but had a stiffer sidewall. Keep in mind that they are directional, though.

I will bee keeping a log of how they do on wear vs mileage and before/after track use. I can get G readings with my phone, just not sure how accurate that will be.
 
Finally got to do an AutoX with the tires and HP+ on the front. Tires did very well, seem to have a gentle breakaway. The course was 2 miles but I never made it out of 2nd, just barely got the rev limiter on one run. The pavement was laced with stone so I am surprised they did as well as they did. Once warm they got nice and sticky.

Tread depths after 1 AutoX: 2 drivers, tires squeeling 60% of the time :) is between 8 and 9/32, tires were at 34 front and 30 rear. Wear looks very even all the way across each tire. I was getting less than what seemed to be 1/64th difference between center and outer on each tire. Some were closer to the 9/32 than the 8/32 mark, but not quite there. They are still pretty sticky. Temps were mid 90s all day, 60% sunny. Suspension set to 5F/4R.

So, I will try to judge how long they take to heat cycle. I had around 500 street miles on them before the event, so around 20 driving sessions, not sure if street driving will heat them up enough to make them heat cycle or not. I have been driving them as-is from DTD, and found that they were at 45psi! Seems a little high, but the centers seem fine. Maybe I evened out the wear at the event:)
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top