I am having a delima... I am going to be using my car for mild 1/4 mile fun but really I am gearing towards open road racing. I have done some looking and have narrowed my choices down to two tires one is the Falken Azenis Sport ( http://www.discounttiredirect....ar=50 ) and the other is and the other is the Dunlop SP Sport FM901 ( http://www.discounttiredirect....ar=55 ). Shipped to me there is only about a $10 dollar price difference so that is not an issue. Which tire do you feel would be superior for my application? and if you don't mind toss in a reason or two for your choice. Thanks.

-Mike

 

Neither tire is a race tire so neither tire is necessarily a good choice for "road racing" and by "open road racing" I hope this does not mean on an open road.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phat-S &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Neither tire is a race tire so neither tire is necessarily a good choice for "road racing" and by "open road racing" I hope this does not mean on an open road.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes it means on an open road. Have you never been to an event on an open road I assume that you are a track person then. I know you are thinking street racing but don't because in no way shape or form is that what I am talking about. I am not doing hard core racing here so I don't need a "race tire" I need a good all around tire and both of these are that and are in my price range. Here are a few links to a few of the open road races that occur around the country.

Sandhills Open Road Challenge (Arnold, Nebraska)
http://www.sorcrace.com/

Silverstate Classic (Las Vegas, Nevada)
http://www.silverstateclassic.com/

Big Bend Open Road Challenge (Ft. Stockton Texas)
http://www.silverstateclassic.com/

 

Kumho MX's

I know it wasn't on the list but they are cheap and sticky street tires.

 

I don't know many folks here that would be familiar w/ what you are trying to do - why not use their message boards (e.g. http://www.sscc.us/forum/board...b.cgi) as it's bound to be more pertinent information. But there may be folks here that know what you are looking for ??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phat-S &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't know many folks here that would be familiar w/ what you are trying to do - why not use their message boards (e.g. http://www.sscc.us/forum/board...b.cgi) as it's bound to be more pertinent information. But there may be folks here that know what you are looking for ??</TD></TR></TABLE>

The only reason I ask is because really no one on those boards drive a Honda or sport compact for that matter. The closest thing you will find will be a Suby or Lancer. I am not saying that it makes a lot of difference but when most of these guys are driving Corvettes and Vipers they toss around the money like nothing so I don't think they would have anything to say about these two kinds of tires since to them they are "cheap". Not many of those guys see Honda or Acrua as anything more then the car they bought for thier wife to drive. But I will post and see what I get.

 

well the azenis are what the 12 y/o girl scout street racers call "cheater slicks" like somehow they are in the same class. Anyway they are good multi purpose tires, however I can't imagine they would do well in snowy conditions and they can on certain setups be a huge PITA in the rain so the dunlops may be better for a daily driver in the NE but I am not really sure what the wheather is like

BTW were you to compete in any of those events and not know the answer to this question than you are going to be seriuosly out gunned and not be in the safest position.

I blew 2 rears on the silver state classic trail awhile back and had I been more of a novice my blinging turbo civic would have been a crushed tin can.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ralphie14 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am not doing hard core racing here so I don't need a "race tire" I need a good all around tire</TD></TR></TABLE>

Then you're asking in the wrong forum. This forum is for track advice.

Try asking in the model-specific forum for your car on h-t.com

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Then you're asking in the wrong forum. This forum is for track advice.

Try asking in the model-specific forum for your car on h-t.com
</TD></TR></TABLE>

So all these people in here that Auto X do it on a track? Many occur in parking lots and non track settings. The reason I posted in this forum is becuase out of all the fourms you guys would have the most experience and advice or so I thought. So far all I have gotten is one good answer and a few stupid ones. On a side not why is this forum not called "Track racing" if that is all the advice that you have to give? I guess I will seek advice else where since you people seem to be very unhelpful in this situation.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stormy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">BTW were you to compete in any of those events and not know the answer to this question than you are going to be seriuosly out gunned and not be in the safest position. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Thanks you have given me the one useful answer so far and you have also stated one of the main reasons that I asked this quesiton. I don't know everything that is why I read posts on here and ask when I have a question, I assume you didn't know all the answers when you started racing also. BTW I live in Nebraska not the North East and I am not looking for a tire for daily driving since this is not my daily driver. But I am not a novice I have done a few of these races before but always in my dads Corvette. Now that I have and am going to use my own car I need to know what kind of tires to run since I don't have my dad's budget. So that is why I needed to ask. I am not looking to compete in the 100 mph class max I would and cold do is the 90mph in the SORC. My first year I will start in the lowest class since I have never done the race in a Civic. The SORC has lower classes due to the quality of the roads. Again thanks for your comment though

 

First off the car make has nothing to do with tire selection.

Simple formula for tire selection:

1. What are the top drivers using? Get that.
2. If you can't afford that (or it doesn't come in the right size) look at the next fastest drivers and get that.
3. If you can't afford that repeat step 2.

Good tires have a tendency of showing up on the front running cars.

 

Honestly get freaking real! Its as moronic for a road racer to advocate a particular tire to an auto-xer as the right solution as its applying experience from the wrong situation. Likewise, its tremendously stupid for an auto-xer to tell a road racer what they should run setup-wise as well. Again, wrong experience to apply the situation. You want to go running down a highway at speeds (from the links YOU provide there) up to 165 mph (for the class they recommend novices run in) and you are HERE to ask what tires to run? I answered you nicely, you are not talking about race tires so very few people here have any practical experience of what STREET tire is great for your application. I would suggest for your own SAFETY to contact folks that do what you are intending to do and refrain from saying that I and others are not helpful to you here. Someone telling you what tire works for auto-xing and supposing that would hold up to the abuses of the links you provide is NOT HELPFUL to you and subsequently, its irresponsible if someone were to. For cripe's sake, talk to the right freaking people about what you should run.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ralphie14 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So all these people in here that Auto X do it on a track? Many occur in parking lots and non track settings.</TD></TR></TABLE>

We all know that autocrosses do not take place on public roads. While the course is set up, it IS a track. Come on, get real - when you argue like this, you are only making yourself look stupid.



Modified by nsxtasy at 9:33 AM 2/2/2005

 

for races like the silverstate challenge most of the time they recomend z rated street tires unless your running in the higher speed clases and since you havent raced with them yet you will be limited to 125mph class at the larger event and even lower at the sandhills event i belive. Id say go with a tire like the kumho mx, the falkins wouldent be on my car for a race like that. Check out silverstates message board.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vodomagoo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">for races like the silverstate challenge most of the time they recomend z rated street tires unless your running in the higher speed clases and since you havent raced with them yet you will be limited to 125mph class at the larger event and even lower at the sandhills event i belive. Id say go with a tire like the kumho mx, the falkins wouldent be on my car for a race like that. Check out silverstates message board.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Holy ****... someone actually answered the guys question.

I'd bet the rest of you people already had your flame suits on before clicking on the thread. Come on... the guy's talking about a form of competition here. I have to think that if you'd taken a second to realize that you could have spared him the criticism. Granted, his first post was vague, but his second one, which was only the third post in the thread clearly explained what he was asking about.

 

You want to pay attention to heat build up as an issue, probably more than ultimate grip. The problem is - like Adam mentioned - it's not something that roadracers or solo people think about.

You also don't want something that's fragile - like 'real' race tires are obviously out of the question. I'd look at the temperature rating numbers of some of the high-end performance radials. None of them are going to be cheap.

Even with a 100mph-class car, I'd go for something with a very high speed rating. The way I understand the system, you can go 140mph as long as you don't average over what amounts to a break-out pace, right? I don't know for sure.

K

 

MXs rock at high speeds, and deal with heat very well.

 

The Azenis are a great tire and I use them for track days (where I spend 3+ hours on the track) and also daily driving. They stick very well UNTIL they get HOT. Once there is a good amount of heat in them they will become slimy. Remember that not only the friction and heat of the pavement adds heat to the tires but also the brakes.

I've always wanted to do the Silver State Classic but it not only consists of a lot of money but also a road trip.

To think that the fellas in the RR/AutoX forum can't at least give you some options is disappointing. What you need to do is research your options and look for things such as water channeling, treadwear, heat retention (how they work when hot/cold).

The Azenis are good tires on a we track as long as there isn't any standing water. If it's just a damp surface they will grip very well. I have about 10k miles of "water" experience with Azenis.

Your options according to rice_classic:
Azenis
Dunlops
Toyo RA-1's (fully treaded). Very sticky when hot, and really good in very wet conditions. (NOT for daily driving. These are basically track only tires)
Potenza S03's

 

For the last 5 people or so that replied thank you very much you provided useful info and you backed up your choices. The race that I am going to is the Sandhills one seeing as it is only about 3 hours from me where Nevada and Texas are a great deal farther. My car will not tech faster than the 110mph limit due mainly to the fact that I don't have 5 points nor do I own a the proper safety equipment to tech higher. I am content being limited to going 110mph and I will be starting in the lowest class possible the 80mph class and only running the 1/2 mile shoot out even that is exciting on this course. To all that gave me good info thanks I am not going to be looking at the MXs in addition to the FM901s and the Azenis.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ralphie14 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> To all that gave me good info thanks I am not going to be looking at the MXs in addition to the FM901s and the Azenis. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Did you mean NOW instead of Not ?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bbasso &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Did you mean NOW instead of Not ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Shoot yeah sorry I AM going to be looking into the MXs also Thanks.

 

After reading more reviews on each tire I think I am going to give the MXs a shot maybe order them tomorrow from Tirerack.com unless someone knows a better place. Thanks everyone for your info