Track and Autocross tire selection
 

Focus Fans,

I have an '03 SVT. I autocross monthly but also track the car 4-6 times a year.

What are the best tires for this use of the car?

Thanks!

John W.

What size wheels? This may impact tire selection.
Will you be changing wheels and tires at the autox/track, or driving to the event on the tires?

Personally I'm a huge fan of my Hankook RS-3s, as I've mentioned before...
Dunlop has a new version of the "star spec" coming out this spring, which means the current generation will be going on sale.
Hankook
Dunlop

Other options:
Bridgestone
Toyo

If you're looking at long tread life, how do the Extremecontact DW's fare?

I'm preparing for that myself; however, I'm fully prepared to need another set of less-specialized tires by next fall.

I'm putting my money on autocross-prep and maximum handling/corner speed; if I have great tires at the end of the season I wasn't working hard enough! That being said I've had a chubby for KDW2's since I bought this car, I've run Falkens and I know from 5 sets that they stick real well... until about a year later. Then they don't stick hard (they still work ok; just not to peak) like they used to.

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/s...=1#post4519608

I just cross referenced 7 tire-vendor sites for my gf's Impreza:

Onlinetire.com had the BEST prices on pretty much everything we looked at!

Like the same KDW2 for $130/tire... I'll take what I can get, you know?! Their site wasn't the most polished, like when you want all the specs, or a close-up picture you'll want to open another tab with a more mainstream website for that info.

... and I just realized the Falken is an R compound... DAMMIT! Now I thought I was finally going to get KDWs; I confuzzled myself again.

I intend to change the wheels and tires when I get to each event. I won't be driving to an event on the tires I'll use on the autocross or track.

The wheels are Sparco 17 x 7"

Thanks for all the help!

John W.

the falken isnt an R compound. its UTQQ is 200.
popular consensus (and the SCCA street tire classes) rate a R compound tire at below 140 UTQQ.

did u have an autox class in mind. my guess would be STF, if you are shopping street tires, which elminate all the R compound tires like the Toyo R888, and most of the Yokohama Advans. It also would likely steer you away from the softer more delicate street tires that cant handle the heat like the Toyo R1R. I'd be looking at the hankook RS3 or similar.

For a street tire a would also recommend the hankook RS3. They are very consistent and can take more heat over the Dunlop star spec. If you where looking for a R compound tire I would say the best autocross and track tire would be the Kumho v710. Its not as soft as a hoosier A6 and not as hard as a hoosier R6, so it makes it a good choose for autocross and track days.