Ok, my situation

Next three months:
2-Day Road Course Track Day
6-10 Solo2 Events

Hopefully I will do another Track day if time allows,

I'm wearing my Kuhmo MX's very fast and I want to keep them for daily driving and get something dedicated for Solo2 and track days. If I'm going to spend money for tires I might as well get something better.

Cost is not a big factor. Neither is daily drivability, these will be track only tires that I will change at the events. But, I don't want to have to change tires twice month at $1000 dollars a set. I need them to be good for both Track events and Solo2 events.

So,

17/245/35?

Hoosiers (3's or 4's?)?
Kuhmo Victoracers?
Toyo RA1?
Yokohama?

 

Hoosier makes two different compounds: one specifically for autox and the other for road courses, so given your plans these won't do. Also, Hoosier isn't as forgiving as some of the other r-comp and if this is your first race tire, I would start somewhere else.

Therefore, my vote is for either the Kuhmo Victoracers or Toyos RA-1 (which I am running this year).

 

Yokohama A032R will last the longest and get the worst grip. It is not uncommon to fatigue the rubber beyond use before cording them.

Toyo RA1 is next longest lived. Then Victoracer V700 (not ecsta).

I prefer Victoracer V700s for track use. They're heavy but predictable, easy to drive and grippy. And they can be driven to the track when not low on tread (so you can be assured of coming home).

 

From my understanding, the RA1 is streetable, is the Victoracer?

And I don't want to shave them unless I'm really serious right?

 

absolutely. I put over a thousand miles on the street with Victoracer V700s driving to and from autocrosses and track days on my Impreza.

but FYI, it's damn tempting to do bad things that could get you thrown in jail. let's just say that if you're near the limits of an R tire on the street, you're going waaaaaay too fast!

 

Victoracer isn't. Well to be more precise, it is streetable per say, but it wouldn't last you very long. I don't know anyone that runs them from track to home.

RA-1 is very streetable. Sometimes when I am lazy I drive them to and from the track and then leave them on for couple of days. But with that convienence you give up some perfomance - Kumho is a faster tire.

 

[QUOTE=ColinL]absolutely. I put over a thousand miles on the street with Victoracer V700s driving to and from autocrosses and track days on my Impreza.
/QUOTE]

Interesting, how are they wearing?

 

Well, I went from hitting one cone in 11 runs at my last event to hitting about 3 a run this time. I'm making about 90whp more now too (340AWHP). So the extra power, paired with the RRE 25mm swaybar on the stiffest setting and me overdriving the car (I underdrove last time) gave me quick times, but too many damn cone hits. So I'm hoping if I can calm down a bit, put some grippier tires, panther plus pads - I should do ok.


And does 245/35/17 sound like a good size? I would go for 255, but I don't want to take the chance of rubbing?

 

the car's gone. tires gone before that.

make sure to notice I'm talking about the original Victoracer V700.

*not* the newer, faster wearing, lighter (and just MHO, crappier) Ecsta V700.

the V.R. V700s had absolutely no problems on the street. they ride rough as you'd expect but the noise is quite tolerable. (A032s are louder than death on the highway!)

they're very close to a Toyo RA-1.

 

Just a side comment on the pads. Be careful with the more aggresive, track pads such as panther plus when autocrossing. On a colder days they may not have enough time to warm up and won't perform nearly as good. I once felt like I have no brakes during the 1st braking zone.

 

I know you're taking about Victos (I agree with you on the Ecsta), but still I was always under the impression that you couldn't get much street miles out of them. Do you remember how many miles (street and track ) yours lasted?

 

And where can I buy a set of Kuhmo Victoracers mounted and balanced on a set of wheels?

 

Tirerack.com

also check race/performance shops in your area (many are Kumho dealers)

 

Ok, tirerack has them in 255/40/R17. Hopefully they can get me a wheel that won't rub!

 

I heard the TOYO RA1s are crazy good performance tires but they wear out like no other - maybe like 4000 miles or so... my friend streets his wrx with these tires and man, they are great tires.