Like you, I am driving a momentum based car, a SRF, with SCCA.

You should come out east sometime to run an event, either towing or just rent a ride. There is a double enduro and sprint race at VIR in March if you are interested. They usually get 80-90 car fields (mixed SRF and miata) in the enduros.

After pushing your miata more and more, your EVO times will drop. You will also get bored with HPDE in a hurry and you may just want to sell your EVO.

 

^^^
After driving the doors off the Miata for most of 2007, my laptimes in the Evo have gone down significantly. I'm not bored with HPDEs, but I now find that I can only run in the Advanced group, and if I try to get extra track time by running with Intermediate drivers, I end up terrorizing them and getting black flagged and yelled at by the organizer. I even got thrown out of the Buttonwillow Open Test 'n' Tune Festival (by Warren of all people) for aggressive driving. lol

 

+1

According to my calculations 255 would be a perfect stretch for a 9.5" wide wheel (performance wise).

 

Richard, have you considered the relatively new BFG R1?
http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/specs...e-r1/3824.html

I heard it has similar grip to the R6 but longer and more consistent grip.

Keep in mind that switching to very sticky tires is a good way to create oil starvation. If I were looking for the next level I would buy R1s but not before adding an accusump or baffled oil pan.

 

Thanks for the feedback. As I have not done it I value the thoughts of others. The reason I wanted to go with 9.5"s is that I can do it in a wheel that needs no spacers and the tires I want to run in 255 all tell me in their specs that the should work on a 9.5" wheel. These same specs tell me I should not run them on the 8" wheel I am now... My current set up is not bad but it feels like the sidewalls have a little slack in them which makes for a little less feedback on turn in that I would like. I see folks saying "squirm" and I think thats a good word for what I am feeling in many situations.

In short, what do other folks think? I would like to run 255s with the option of running 275s if I get the itch.

Stuntman, thanks for your thoughts on the issues... if others care to toss in a quick thought I would be thankful as long as its ok with the OP as I don't care to derail the topic.

 

To be perfectly honest, im not sure why i quoted the 245/45s in the first place. Never ran them in that size. Im not certain if they will fit easily.

If youre dead serious on staying with 255s, maybe try selling all your wheels, and getting yourself some inexpensive 17x9s. I know most of your energy is directed towards your Miata, but if youre looking for every last tenth, its something to think about. Because in all seriousness, running 255s on 17x8s isnt all that great. Tenths add up after all, and next thing you know youre .5-1 second faster.

 

I havent ran them yet. But i have been told that i can get 2 weekends out of them, ie somewhere in the vicinity of 16 sessions.

 

FYI. There's someone in the For Sale forums selling 17x9 +35 5zigen's with new 255/40 NT01's for like $1200 shipped from Ohio! Those tires alone are worth about $800. I'm close to buying!

fwiw, I ran the 17x9 +35 5zigen setup last year with 255/40. It was a simple setup that worked without spacers that a lot of people have proven. Again; my .02. Now would I run 275's on them - probably not. I've actually been looking for a set of 17x9.5 rims in order to run 275's as a personal test. Problem is that a lot of 17x9.5" rims require spacers and/or longer studs and I'd rather stay away from that.
My setup is fairly simple...

 

What size wheels are you running 255s on now? And what tires are you referring to?

 

Not to get too far OT, but from what i have seen, new NT01s in 255/40 go for about $700-715.

 

RA1s on stock rims.

 

If youve only ran the 255 RA1s on the oem wheels, youll notice quite a difference running them on 17x9s, let alone 9.5s. Ive never ran them on 9.5s, so i cant say for sure. So you want to run 9.5s so you can use both 255s and 275s? If so, i dont think it will be a major issue. Who knows, it might fit your style perfectly.

 

As such I'm about to bite the bullet and grab some RPF1s in 17x9.5 38mm backspacing and give it a run.

I'm not adverse to rolling my fenders liberally for 275s but am told I should not have to touch a thing with these wheels and 255s.

I still think this would be a good option for the OP but given his situation and current needs I think 245/45s may be the way to go. I think I may also shy away from the Hoosiers long term but trying one set may be worth it for the learning curve if nothing else. In the past I have been very happy with Kumhos and rumor has it that they are about to replace the Victoracer so we should have a new offering in that segment at some point this season.

 

Richard

Are you dead set on the hoosiers? I know a lot of the local T1/z06 guys prefer the v710. They get a lot longer wear out of it as opposed to the R6 (or A6). I have data to show that a good driver can drop a 1:29 (shaved RA1)to a 1:26 (v710) on our local roadcourse.

d

 

I have been paying $740 plus CA sales tax for a set of FOUR 255/40/17 at a local tire shop that gives me free mounting and balancing and can always get the tires on a couple of hours' notice. He just started stocking a set for me because he knows how many tires I use (he has been stocking the 205/50/15 NT-01s I run on my Miata for several months). The convenience and free mounting make it worth it for me. The shop is near my office in downtown L.A.