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Tires setup for track day - NT01 2x@40% and 2x@100%

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Hi All

I'm hitting the track tomorrow for a 1/2 day HPDE session (3-4 20 minutes session) and had a quick question on my tire setup.

I had to replace a tire from a puncture, so I got two new NT01's and my others pair is around 60%-ish worn. The shoulders on the old pair are worn down a bit, but I can still see the wear indicators.

Would it be advisable to run the fresh pair on the front or rear? My thought is the front, to help with the turns, but open to suggestions.

THX in advance.
 

Bill Pemberton

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Questions.........??
1. Is your setup square, as it kind of sounds like it is.
2. Does the track you run have any special wear situations?
a) Does it wear one side worse that the other?
b) Do the rears wear faster than the front or vice versa at the track you run?
 
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Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
I’d put them up front. For passenger cars and the street, I would recommend the opposite.

But a also need to pair that with making sure you have a good handle on setting pressures and control over your camber setttings...as well as having good enough skill regarding car control.

If you don’t fit the above qualifications...put them out back and run the pressure a bit higher than normal in the old tires up front.
 

Bill Pemberton

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I would agree with Grant on most tracks , but the reason I was questioning a bit more about the track you run is since one of the places I run is very hard on front tires, and if they were half gone like yours , they may not make the weekend. On two of the other tracks I run fairly often I would do what Grant suggests, but tracks can be quite different - hence the question.
 
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Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Bill makes a good point. Add that to my suggestion.

If you have good tire and camber setup/settings (for the specific track(s)) as well as good car control. Then I’d run the new ones up front.

If there are very specific side wear at said track(s) putting the new tires on the outside might be warranted too.
 

Bill Pemberton

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Hope all this info is helpful and as you can tell from both my comments and Grants, there are different things that can affect how you arrange your tires and the more information given the better answers we can give you. Grant has added more info for you to digest and take all we have suggested and in the perfect racing World you will send PMs to both Grant and I telling us what geniuses we are , ha,ha. Good luck and may the Force of TMO be with you!!??!!
 
6,360
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It all depends on the track, but I'm kind of thinking scuff them in on the back, since for the most part, our cars are " pushy" . Then once they have a heat cycle..or maybe a couple, put them on the front
 
Thanks guys...headed out the door now, so I will make it a game-time decision.

3- Mile track - It will be my first time on this particular track.
Square setup 275/40/18
Wear is pretty even on the old set. I rotated often
 

Bill Pemberton

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Are you wandering out to Inde Motorsports Ranch? I know it is around 2 3/4 miles long and is the only track I have heard of in your State near 3 miles long, but have some friends that have run there. I heard it was going to be resurfaced, so if that is already done, it could be easy on your tires.
 

Bill Pemberton

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Thanks for sharing and the guy in the Ferrari was likely getting frustrated with the ACR and the Vette - pretty bad lines for those two it appeared?

Neat to see it was repaved as I thought about going a couple of years ago, but a friend said it was getting rough on tires. Obviously now it will be easy on rubber and have heard nothing but good things about the track especially if one enjoys technical ones!?
 
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Are you wandering out to Inde Motorsports Ranch? I know it is around 2 3/4 miles long and is the only track I have heard of in your State near 3 miles long, but have some friends that have run there. I heard it was going to be resurfaced, so if that is already done, it could be easy on your tires.

@Bill - Yep, I had a chance to hit INDE last Friday. Super fun track with minimal traffic on the weekday. Track was resurfaced and it was amazing...Never done an event where my tires were free of rocks and debris at the end of the day.

BTW, I ran the new tires in the front. They seemed to wear pretty good, just a little more on the driver side (if I recall correctly). Had to play around with pressure a bit after the tires heated up to balance everything out. Rears are looking more like slicks now, but I still have a little life in them.

THX for everyones comments and advice :)

-Barry
 

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