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track tires

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If not running on the street, what are good tires for a stock Laguna Seca for track use. Also do I really need the tire pressure sensors in track only tires?
 
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Assuming you are running slicks, then there are plenty of 18 inch take offs from Hoosier, Pirelli and now Michelin available, I'd try to run a 305 on a 10.5 inch wheel..maybe an 11 if you can sneak it under the fender lip. 315 are probably a bit too wide, but they can be done, it just takes some ingenuity, spacers, the right offset, different brands of tires run a variance in size.
If you were to buy new tires, the Hoosier R7 is a good compromise for the weekend warrior, you may also want to check out Hoosiers website for used or discontinued tires, Pirelli and Michelin don't seem to be as forthcoming on the discontinued stuff.
The pressure sensors aren't needed on the track tires, but the little psi emblem will make you crazy, a bit of tape, with the dash background color works well to cover it.
every racer has one of these..

Tvcp3Wbl.png
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
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Santiago, Chile
If you get the ABS module or a race tune (TC really off) all the lights will be blinking. You get used to them after a while...
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
What wheels are you planning on using? Are you going to the track on these tires or bringing them with you?

Scrubs are good for the latter, but rim selection limits the DOT arrive-and-drive options.
 
I was still thinking a DOT approved tire so if I needed to drive short distance,I could. I will not be driving to the track. I would change over then trailer it to the track. Nittos have been suggested. After track use I would change back to my street tires Michelin Pilot. The car worked better on the track with the original tires than the Michelins. Also is increased size that beneficial?
 
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If you have a tune you can insert the tire size into it for the speedo, a wider tire is usually preferred, even though a taller tire will give you a bigger footprint, there are benefits from keeping a "square" setup, mainly in being able to rotate tires. I've run Nittos on my street stuff, and at some autocrosses and track days, they are a decent tire but are really nasty in the wet. You might look at BFG Rivals, they are used by one of the endurance clubs and they seem to be pretty happy with them.
 

Apex Wheels

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Will you be using a second set of wheels or will you be swapping them on and off the stock wheels? If a second set, do you already have them and what size are they? To answer your earlier questions, yes an increase in size will drop lap times. A 275 width tire compared to a 305 width of the same compound with supporting mods will be faster. Tire pressure sensors are not at all needed on the S197, sure the light can be annoying but it's also very easy to ignore. Manually check pressures with a nice gauge before and after each session for best results. If you don't have a set of wheels picked out, I recommend reading through this article: https://trackmustangsonline.com/threads/18-vs-19-wheels-which-is-right-for-you.15209/

As for the tire itself, you will get a million different recommendations. So first answer these questions:

Do you need it to work in the rain?
How long would you like them to last? 2-3 track days or 5-6?
Are you willing to install camber plates and other small mods to get better performance?
Are you trying to win your HPDE events, or just out to have fun?

When comparing tires, there's a pretty linear relationship between how long it will last and how sticky it will be. The Nitto NT01 is still a great HPDE tire because of how durable it is. Is it slower than many other 100 and 200 TW tires? Yes. Does it last longer and not heat cycle out near a quickly as those same tires? Yes.

If time trials are in your future, the RE71R and Yokohama A052 are great weapons to run with. Very fast, but will struggle to last a full session on track before getting greasy. There are plenty of other options as well, so we really need to know what you expect out of a set of track tires before making the best recommendation for you.

Last note, if you are running the factory camber specs, expect to have a bad time wearing the outside shoulders of the tires when on track. The factory camber is not sufficient if you are driving remotely quick with sticky tires. On street tires like the MPSS you mentioned it can be worked around, but more track oriented tires provide a lot more grip.

- Cory
 
My problem with the RT71 R is 255/35 19 is the closest size. Not sure of the effect it will have on the car.
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
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This is a constantly changing situation, but for your overall cost I would view getting a set of rims ( 10.5 or 11 by 18s squared ). Initial cost will be higher , but long term your ability to rotate will greatly extend your tire life and give you more options. I recommend fairly wide tires , partly from my own experience, the rest from viewing fast track pilots at SCCA and NASA road racing events, SCCA Solo Nationals, and finally, the most important reason, Blacksheep 1 constantly voices his impression that a 275 is still too small for a Stang. Considering he is a long term Team Member of the Phoenix Racing Team and in charge of tire selection and preparation, that is good enough for me......check out the huge number of wins by Andrew Aquilante if you need proof.

Quite a few on TMO have started installing 305 or 315s on their Mustangs , and though you will need a spacer for the front rims, this is one sure way to get quicker times.

Lastly , going with a 200 Treadwear Tire , the currently hot set ups are ;

1. BFG Rival S 1.5
2. Bridgestone RE71s
3. Yokohama A052s

Not necessarily in that order, by the way.

This is an ever changing landscape with Yokohama sneaking in during the 2019 racing scene, to some folks surprise , there may be another manufacturer jump in this Spring ( stay tuned)!

Apex makes a great rim, they are reasonably priced, are hubcentric, and they offer a ton of support for those of us on TMO ( that is key in my opinion ).

Also, use the Tire Rack header on our site as that helps TMO financially in a small way and it is a great way for each of us to help the site in our own way.
 
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Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
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My problem with the RT71 R is 255/35 19 is the closest size. Not sure of the effect it will have on the car.

With the Boss in stock form and if you really wanted to run on the OEM rims... 275/35-19 up is much better up front then the OEM size. Agree with what Bill said about them being too narrow but that's all the 19x9 wheels would take. Ran with square 275/35-19 Dunlop DZ2 tires on the stock rims for a long time.

Apex makes great rims and I love mine in 18x11. But the SVE drifts were a great buy at 1/2 the price.. too bad they dont make the 18x10 size anymore... Even the 19x9.5 SVE drifts are much lighter then the ultra super heavy Ford rims.
 
That you, Bill? We met at Mid Ohio last year I believe. Cleanest LS I have seen running around a race track! I'll give you the best I can here.

Toyo R888R - Great option 100 TW - Fast but has been known to wear quickly
NT01 - Great Option 100 TW - Fast and will stay sticky for the entirety of its life (but slightly more expensive).
Hankook RS-4 - Slower but they last forever, tough to find (200 TW) These are very popular among the endurance racing crowd.
NTO5 - Junk
Michelin PS2 - Fast but very expensive!
Michelin PS4 - Great tire considering it is a 300tw. It will last longer than any, and keep you within 1 - 2 seconds of the slower 200 tw tires. Also great in the rain!
Potenza RE71 - Fastest there is for a 200 tw, doesn't last
Khumo Ecsta V720 - B+ Tire Affordable
Dunlop Direzza DIII - B+ Tire affordable
NEXEN Nfera SUR4 / Federal - RSRR Pro (I've had experience with both of these tires). They are very good, in line with the Khumo and Dunlop and cost the same or less. The Federals are the best bang for your buck for a 200 TW street tire. Good grip, good life, and half the price of the competition. They are however, extremely noisy!

There are also DOT approved slicks, which will be stickier but last a shorter period typically. Without camber I would stick to the 200 tw and up.

My .02... this is just what I have seen from my reading / personal experience. No tire is perfect, try to find what you are most looking for in the right size for the right price!
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
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I was not at Mid Ohio , so you might have me confused with someone else , but fantastic track, and who knows we may meet sometime in the future. I have a tendency to steer folks away from the R888Rs as they are noisy as heck , horrible if it rains and well over a decade old tire ( yes, even though they revised the tread recently). With many of the tire companies now adding wider tires to their line up , the super fast field is really thinning ,but there will be more wide options in 18s and 19s than we currently have fairly soon.

Will try to post the minute I know of one in particular coming to the forefront , as it will possibly be a sleeper like the A052 has turned out to be, though it may have the same issue as the RE71R, BFG Rival S 1.5 and the afore mentioned A052 -- these 200 TW tires get hot fast, hence they will possibly have reduced track sessions due to getting greasy.

I really push folks to get the wider sizes , frankly because they find out later at the track that there are drivers quicker than them only because they have more rubber down. Plus we drive a heavy car and when Blacksheep 1 tells all on the Forum that the 275 is way too small for our car, hopefully most are listening.

One thing folks are noticing is that the US made tires are staying fairly reasonable, to a degree , whereas the Imports are escalating in price ( due to tariffs and a strong dollar). So a set of BFGs are not bad, price wise, along with the F1 Supercar 3R by Goodyear, when viewed with some of their competitors. Just a couple of examples , nothing more.

Now I am suggesting one look at both 18s and 19s and I understand the Apex rims are pricier than some of the rims , but they have proper offsets and are hub centric. Those of us old farts here are not really that smart, we have just gone out and bought a set of rims and tires, found out all the quick guys are running wider stuff, burned up some rubber , sold our rims and gotten a better tire since it is a pain in the butt to find out you are buying what was fast 5-6 years ago.

The landscape changes quickly , and having been immersed in the tire wars since the 80s ( associated with the Solo Nationals in particular ), helped test some track donuts years back, it is not uncommon for the heavily invested Companies to change compounds midstream in the year. The tires that come from many of the small companies , that really spend a minimal amount on updating, are a big indication to drivers that the tire is not likely even quick anymore. There are numerous tires out there that are even close to 2 decades old and there is no way they will be quick today.

The Tire Marketing Motorsport Gurus that showed up at the Solo Nationals in 2019 were from BFG, Hoosier, Falken , with some presence from Bridgestone. Yokohama was not present , but their tire was and they have been a huge sponsor over the years , and are just now coming back after a prolonged absence.

Tire Rack has a link that helps TMO, and I would suggest folks call Luke Pavlik at ext#4362 for current info , as he has been there for 20+ years , and does both autocross and track time --- he is not just a Salesrep he is a Track Rat Gearhead sicko like most of us here. When purchasing make sure he knows how to credit TMO!

Also, going back to the original question, the OP wanted to know about track only tires , but said he would drive to the track , so we have all focused more on 200TW tires. If he decides a second set of rims just for the track we need to view, used racing slicks ( Pirelli and Michelin ), Hoosier R7 or A7s, and BFG gforce R1Ss .
 
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