Just got back from the Rolex 24 and just want to share some info with you all. I can now say that Honda/Acura race car drivers perfer 15" rims over any other size. I saw at least 10 ITRs and one Si that were running in a Grand Cup race today and all of them were running on 15" rims, none of them were Spoons Todd00, they all had huge 225/45-15s or 205/50-15s Hoosier or Dunlops wrapped on them too. So racers do like 15s better.





Both rolling on Volk 15s.


[Modified by Civic242, 4:19 PM 2/1/2002]

 

Hey! What a revelation! Now I'm definitely not going to put 18s on my Civic. Thanks for the info!

 

too bad those cars are ugly.... i dont think they are that attractive....

but yeah everyone i know loves 15's

 

Not a real revelation to most folks around here.

But yeah, 15x7 is easily the most popular choice for both pro and amatuers when applied to Honda products. These days it's typically Volks for the folks with fat wallets and Koseis for those with skinny ones.

 

Good Stuff

 

*sigh*

 

>>too bad those cars are ugly.... i dont think they are that attractive....<<

If those are ugly, then I'd hate to see what you call pretty. IMO, that HART Integra is beautiful.

 

I could do without the wing on the HART car, but hey, HART always gets the thumbs up from me. I remember talking with those guys back in the Super Touring Days. Speaking of Super Touring, those cars had 19s, so I'm gonna put some 19s on my car.... never.

 

Interesting, but most racers prefer!!! Another interesting item is the integra looks like it would be an Type R, but it's not (check the wheel lug pattern). Guess they are using the update/backdate to utilize the rear-spoiler off the Type R.... Pretty nice pics!!!

 

Sorry to foul up the theory but the GrandAm ST1 rules mandate a 225/45/15 for both the Acura and Honda - they are running that size because they don't have any choice, not because they are making one.

Kirk

 

For Integras at least, the 225 tire 15 inch wheels I think is the best. The WC ITRs, two years ago when they were allowed to run the wheel size they wanted, Realtime preferred the 15 inch wheels with 225 tires. Now that the rules mandate for bigger wheels (for visual appeal of the series), they are running 17 inch wheels. As in most racing series the wheel and tire combo is never left uncontrolled because it is a very vital speed variable. There is always a specific allowable wheel/tire combo specified in the rulebook for either specific car models like in the Grand Am Cup or for a whole class as in the WC Touring cars. And if I'm not mistaken, the STII class has to run some sort of a "spec" rear wing - at least the C2K class last year did.

Last time I checked qualifying results, the SpeedSource Boxster had pole in STI, which is by FAR the largest class with what looked like to be over 25 cars. Sylvain Tremblay of Speedsource (finished 2nd at the ARRC in ITS) also has pole in GSII in a 911. David Haskell (finished 3rd at the ARRC in ITS) drives the Boxster and had a time of 2:16.8 while 2nd place was the ITR driven by Mike Keravich, Peter Schwartzott and Andrew Linder at a 2:17.4. Surprisingly the King ITR was at a 2:18.2, while the HART STI entry is 12th at a 2:19.2. In STII, the pole is at a 2:28.1. The HART Civic is listed in STI (also visible in the pictures above) and has last place in STI with a 2:29. Not sure what the deal is here, but how can anyone expect a Civic Si with only 160+ hp to compete against IS300, Z3 2.8L, Boxsters and Type Rs... As reference, the ITS winning car ran in the 2:17s and the ITA pole and race winning CRX was running in the 2:22-2:23s. That's way faster than any STII Civic Si, integra, etc.. and pretty close to mid pack in STI times, all in a car almost 100 hp down on power. Oh yeah, behind the wheel of that CRX was Tom Fowler. While the overall pole for the Rolex 24hrs is a 1:42.0. Yikes!


[Modified by Hracer, 2:11 AM 2/2/2002]

 

Nexus, did you get to talk to any of the mechanics of that 69 Si? I was there last year and those guys are friendly as hell, the head mechanic talked to me for easily 30 min. Good stuff!

 

Nice pic's 15'' VOlks

Bryan

 

If real racers prefer 15's how come Roger Foo's crew Cheif James Chin says

"We'd prefer to run 17-inch wheels, but the tire sizes currently available from Toyo just won't fit under the chassis"

This is from the Feb issue of Sportcompact car p143 top right paragraph.

They are running 225/50R-15 currently


Yeah Yeah you can't believe everything you read...where is prospec


[Modified by 89civicdx, 8:54 AM 2/2/2002]

 

Why my name was mentioned in this thread is beyond me, but none of the wheels were Rotas either, were they? For the racing that they do, you need at least a 7" wide wheel, and that's why I went with 7.5" for my ITR (Spoons are on my 91 Si). BTW...I don't own a wheel larger than a 15" either.

 

The tires are Hoosiers 225/45-15s

 

I run 15" at the track with toyo RA1's 205/50's. Man do they stick, stick like an egg to a cheap skillet.

Can get almost a 1 G with those, and of course suspension setup.

Nice pic's

 

which 15x7.5 did you get? what is the offset? hows the fit, any rubbing?

 

do you only use those tires at the track? I wonder whether they would be a good street tire.

Also, where can someone order Toyo tires?

tirerack.com nor discounttire.com sells them.

thanks in advance,

aj

 

The T1-S would be a good street tire. The RA-1 will disagree with the endless heat-cycling involved with day-to-day driving and begin to lose their optimal grip very soon after installing. They'll turn hard and brittle.

 

ahhhh...thanks for the needed input

later,

aj

 

check out http://www.toyo.com for the dealer list.

 

hehehe, yea, I just checked it out.

"I was checkin' the A-line specs on the rotor gurter.....I'm retarded" (Tommy Boy)

thanks again for the help,

aj