Avon Tyres

[Newbie]

Well, I found out about the Avon Tyres...

I saved $80.00 and tried the Avons and they are not good for racing. I had a race last weekend at Road America, a 4 mile track with a bunch of long sweeping corners perfect for getting tires warmed up, and Tyres overheated. It was very hot and sunny so that did not help.

After two laps, I had to baby the Avons around the carousel, and after that turn, the Kink was just plain scarry! Some guy in a Miata tried to pass me outside on the exit of the carousel (turn 9 at RA), and I just washed out. Luckily he was on real tires and had enough control to back out.

I spoke with a local race tire guy (Frisby's)and he told me that the Avon Comp R's are really an autocross tyre since they get warm quickly, and do not perform in higher temp ranges. He sells Avon's, but the Comp R model is sold exclusively by Tire Rack. I guess I'd agree with his assessment. Avon now offers another model of the Tech R, probably because they realize the standard ones suck. Plus, the Hoosiers are about an inch wider in the same size.

FWIW, I heat cycled the tyres properly, and ran one race on them prior to last weekend. They were decent on a track with shorter turns on a cooler day, but I think I found their limits.

I'm relatively new, but I'd take Hoosiers with 10 heat cycles before I'd race on Avons with 2.

One more race until I get rid of the X!

Steve Smyczek

[benracin]

Hi Steve, will you be at the race at RA in Auguest? What model car are you racing?

Ben Harding
#33 yellow/blue ITA rx7

[Newbie]

I've got an '87 RX-7, also blue/yellow#17.

I race with Midwestern Council, and did not know of a race at RA in august unless you mean the ALMS. Let me know if there is a SCCA race, maybe my wife will let me go and work a corner.

Steve

[planet6racing]

Steve:

August 13th and 14th at RA. Chicago Region is putting it on. While it's called the Kettle Moraine double regional, it is also known as the Chicken Race (that's what they serve at the party).

Had I known you were interested in flagging, this weekend (the BRIC) would have been perfect. Always good to learn flagging on vintage weekends because they are a little more relaxed...

------------------
Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com

[B Schley]

Steve-
I was working corner 5 that weekend at RA. I was the idiot jumping up and down at you on the cool down lap. I was yelling at you to get past a Miata and you finally did. Later you came into 5 and missed a shift and then spun at 8 (sorry to detail this in a public forum). I was up there with Emily so she could get her corner working out of the way for her license. A little word to you on tires, I ran the Kumho 710's at Blackhawk in June, and loved them. To me they weren't a whole lot different than the Hoosiers and they have a good contingency program. We'll be at Blackhawk next weekend, stop by our paddock if you want to talk tires.

--Bill Schley
Crx #23/123 for Council

P.s. Planet 6 Bill, I saw you didn't make Blackhawk last weekend either. I still owe you a box of towels. I don't know if I'll do an Scca event this year because my cousin is trying to get her Council Full competion license. Council is a fun group to run with. The car counts have been way better for Ita. The Blackhawk race I did in June had 19 cars in our class and the RA race last weekend had about 28 I think. I would like to do the Chicken race though, so we'll see.

[planet6racing]

<Hijack>

Funny, I was just thinking about you and the towels on the way home from the BRIC today. No worries. I'd love to make a Council race, but scheduling and budgets have been tight this year. The Chicken Race will be my first race of the season!

</hijack>

To go back on topic, Grassroots Motorsports just did a tire comparison in an Autocross environment. Pick up their latest issue for more information!



------------------
Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com

[Newbie]

Hey Bill S,

I recognized you. I tried to email you but your address must have changed. How'd you like the 4th to 1st gear move??? I'm wondering if I was as sideways as I thought...30 degrees or so?

With the tires as greasy as they were, there was NO WAY I was going to pass into turn 5 or any other turn for that matter. I didn't spin in 8, I just straight lined it into the kitty litter.

I just hope I flat spotted the tyres so I can justify throwing them away.

I'm going on family vacation, so I won't be able to make the race at BFR. Aug 21 is the next one for me.

Send me your new address ssmycz at execpc dot com.

Steve