The previous owner has set it up for Hoosier, so thats probably the best bet...for the car.

But, they are a tad less forgiving than other brands, and are a bit faster as well. Hoosiers can be made, with lots of attention, to last a decent number of cycles. But that number varies considerably on things like heat, rotation, driver style, storage and so on, and even then there will be some drop off in lap times. Finding the actual number of heat cycles where they begin a more severe drop is difficult, and as I said, varies from car to car, driver to driver. Sorry to be so vague. Some of the more serious guys use them for a few cycles (2-4) then get a fresh set. Others get maybe 6-9 cycles out of them, and some get as much as a dozen. Tread wear is not the factor, drop offs in lap time are.

Now...whats the best bet for the driver?? Well other brands are more forgiving, but slower. And they last longer. Toyos for example have been said to hold up pretty well for double the life of Hoosiers

IF absolute lap times aren't your first priority, but getting out there and learning how to race is, the best way to do that is to just drive. So maybe a tire that lasts longer will help the budget, and get YOU more miles in the seat.

Look and see if Toyos are available in that size. If so, call the previous owner and discuss what setup changes he would consider if you were to switch.

Other good names are Hankook, Goodyear and Kuhmo.

Welcome to the madness!