For this year I would like to run a dedicated set of wheels and tires for the track events I run in my Prelude. This will let me run a nice conservative street tire for the substantial amount of street time the car sees. While I would love to suck it up and go run Solosprint events, most of the track time is probably just going to be untimed lapping.

I was wondering if the "extreme performance" summer tires like the RE-11/Z1/XS and so on tend to last a whole lot longer than race-only tires when used strictly on the race track. I'm sure that's the case on the street, but I was wondering if that relationship held up on the track.

I'm just trying to get a sense of the costs of everything to make a better judgement as to if I should go for very aggressive street tires or proper race tires for the second set of wheels.

Tire size would probably be about the same, 215-235/40-45 17" range where there is a lot of selection - especially in used race tires that can be got for a relative bargain, which is the main reason that race tires would be interesting.

 

Yes, it does. I'm guessing by a factor of double, but that part is just a guess. (I have friends who have switched from R comps to extreme performance tires for this reason, and have noticed the significant difference in treadlife.)

Not because R compounds offer significantly better grip?

Obviously, this is your decision. I encourage you to keep accurate records of how long your tires last, to help you in future decisions. FWIW I have been getting 1500-1800 or so actual track miles to a set of R compounds (RA-1), rotated front vs rear.

 

Race tires also range substantially in terms of wear and resistance. A tire like a Toyo RA1/R888 will last WAY longer than something like a Hoosier R6. The prices on the extreme performance summer tires are so high you may as well be generating 1.5 times the grip on an r-compound for the same price. Any of the long-life r-compounds that I mentioned (Toyo RA1, Toyo R888, Nitto NT01, etc) will last for most seasons.

 

Thanks for the responses. I do realize that there are signifigant gaps between race tires - since what I'd actually run is quite up in the air I'm happy to hear general comments.

Well, more grip I'm sure will be more fun. But I do have some trepidation about potentially different handling characteristics, stuffing them under the car, things like that. Anything you try out for the first time is a bit like that, right? At least it is for me....


But thanks again for the help.

 

I'm not sure what you mean. The extreme performance summer tires are generally significantly less expensive than R compounds in the same size. And they last longer, too. The R compounds offer more grip, but the extreme street tires are a better value (lower price and higher treadlife).

 

I respectfully disagree.

If my memory serves me, a Bridgestone RE01R is about $130usd in a 205/50/15. A very capable top tier track tire is the Toyo R888 which go for $145usd each at Frisby...

The R888 is going to last a LONG time - it may not last quite as long as an RE01R and might not be quite as cheap as an RE01R but it will be a LOT faster of a tire for not a lot more money.

 

Then let's look at the numbers!

Here are about the best current prices you'll find for various tires in 205/50-15, in order by price from lowest to highest.

When comparing prices, keep in mind that shipping is usually around $15/tire at places that charge for shipping. To keep it a straight comparison, I'll put estimated shipped prices (i.e. including shipping) in parentheses for those places.

Supersticky Street Tires
Falken Azenis RT-615 $91 with free shipping at Discount Tire Direct
Kumho Ecsta XS $100 with free shipping at Discount Tire Direct
Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 $95 plus shipping ($110) after rebate at Tire Rack
Toyo R1R $116 plus shipping ($131) at TireDeals4Less.com

R Compound Track Tires
Nitto NT-01 $136 with free shipping at Discount Tire Direct
Toyo RA-1 $128.41 plus shipping ($143) at TireDeals4Less.com
Toyo R888 $135 plus shipping ($150) at TireDeals4Less.com
Kumho VictoRacer V700 $159 plus shipping ($174) at Tire Rack
BF Goodrich g-Force R1 $177.50 with free shipping after rebate at Discount Tire Direct
Kumho Ecsta V710 $186 plus shipping ($201) at Tire Rack
Kumho Ecsta W710 $188 plus shipping ($203) at Tire Rack
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup $220 with free shipping at Discount Tire Direct
Yokohama A048 $207 plus shipping ($222) at Tire Rack
Hoosier R6 $210 plus shipping ($225) at Tire Rack

So with the exception of the R1R - which I wouldn't consider, since it's not as sticky as the lower-priced XS or RE-11 - even the cheapest R compound track tire will cost you over $100 more per set, shipped, than any of these street tires.

If you still disagree, feel free to provide prices to back up your claim. I'd LOVE to find 205/50-15 R compound tires for less than $136 each including shipping!

Memory apparently doesn't serve you , since the RE-01R - which is now discontinued - was never available in 205/50-15.

Hey, you don't have to convince me (or anyone else here) of the performance of R comps! I use 'em, because of the greater grip. Even though they cost significantly more money than street tires, and don't last as long.

As I noted above, get R compounds if you want better grip, and the supersticky street tires if you want better economic value (i.e. lower purchase price and longer treadlife). Different tires for different priorities.

 

Also, dont most of the R-comps require a $100 shaving?

 

No.

 

Good to hear... once I'm done with my XS's I might try some NT01s

 

And if you get them shaved anyway, the typical charge is $15 per tire.