Street tires in IT? My Review

I'm surprised you're not getting more out of them. I thought street tires have a much longer life span?

Don't get me wrong there is thread left on them but grip is 50% gone. Mind you we have 2 20min practice, 1 20min qualiy on Saturday + 1 20min practice + 2 30 min races on sunday. Our average track temp fluctuate from 90(winter) to 120(summer).
 
Chip, I love what your doing with this!

Greg, I would have but you kicked me out of your sand box :(

Next year we are thinking of doing this as a double dip in STL/STU. Tim and I did it last year at the last race and just started last. Had a lot of fun but caught the miatas faster than we thought we would.


We will post up a video from VIR soon. Tires lasted way better at that track than NJ. But at both tracks they lasted 13+hrs and I would still use them.
 
I'll let Chris chime in with our experience with the Rivals at PBIR a few weeks ago. We came out with a class win through attrition, and times weren't too far off the HoHos.
 
Greg, do you want others in your class to use them since you're planning on using them or just trying to gain another advantage?

Right now I'm thinking a play on words about the tread like. "race with depth" or simply "groovy".

Wonder what else could be thought of? Something pertaining to the low cost and longevity of the tires. Inexpensive and lasts! Okay, probably not that...
 
Decals will be red where this is green. "Racing for fun" is a placeholder. I'm accepting alternate suggestions for that. Right now I'm thinking a play on words about the tread like. "race with depth" or simply "groovy".

I'll share the art on the website which is forthcoming. I hope to have it all up and running by 1/1/14

and thanks to Marc Dana (MazMarc) for the design and vinyl work. he makes my bad ideas look good.

Wonder what else could be thought of? Something pertaining to the low cost and longevity of the tires. Inexpensive and lasts! Okay, probably not that...

Several quick ideas-

TREADS- not just for F1 anymore...

RIBBED, for my wallet's pleasure.

The most fun you can have with more than 6/32s...
 
Don't get me wrong there is thread left on them but grip is 50% gone. Mind you we have 2 20min practice, 1 20min qualiy on Saturday + 1 20min practice + 2 30 min races on sunday. Our average track temp fluctuate from 90(winter) to 120(summer).

Maybe it's the heat, but this doesn't match with what many others have seen. You say you get a deal on the Ecsta XS, I've actually found them to be a longevity champion. My first set I did a few track days THEN did probably 250 competitive autox runs. They were good through all of that and I sold them on to a guy using them on his daily Miata.

R1R, I would expect to see wicked wear and fall off in your heat after only a handful of sessions.
 
Chip, I love what your doing with this!

Greg, I would have but you kicked me out of your sand box :(

Next year we are thinking of doing this as a double dip in STL/STU. Tim and I did it last year at the last race and just started last. Had a lot of fun but caught the miatas faster than we thought we would.


We will post up a video from VIR soon. Tires lasted way better at that track than NJ. But at both tracks they lasted 13+hrs and I would still use them.

How did your diff temps do with the different clearance?
 
With the engine issues, I barely raced. Got some Hoosiers in my basement ready to go. ;)

I do honestly like the idea of being able to reduce tire costs.
 
Dave Gran, I think you should also move to street tires for 2014......................

With the engine issues, I barely raced. Got some Hoosiers in my basement ready to go. ;)

I do honestly like the idea of being able to reduce tire costs.

Hell, if you two do it, and maybe two more ITA guys from the Northeast do it, basically the whole top of the field would be on streets. I'm pretty sure a top car on streets could still beat a middling car on whatever tires middling cars are normally on. Everyone would probably switch in one season.
 
I'm just getting started on building my ITA car so it may be a while before it ever sees a race. I do plan on running street tires on it at first since I'm not worried about being "competitive" and just want to get some seat time. I've got experience with the Dunlop ZII from Chumpcar races and I like them a lot. I have experience with A6s on the car that is being built for ITA, but not in ITA legal fitments (nowhere close) so no use in even trying to compare. I'm glad that others are considering a switch. Keeping tires on my car is the biggest expense.
 
How did your diff temps do with the different clearance?

Bb
How did your diff temps do with the different clearance?

Great Steve! Not a single issue at all. Still need to get another 1 from you and hopefully 1 for Raymonds car as well.

Thanks again for all the advice,
Stephen

I do think you can overheat the street tires easily if your pushing to hard and sliding them a lot but if you back off a lap or two they come right back.
 
as someone who is planning to re-enter the road racing scene, it is really encouraging to hear that many are interested in running cheaper street tires

heck, my first set of tires on whatever car/class I end up in will probably be a 180+tw tire.

then, if I and the car are fast enough at some point to win, or if I'm attending the ARRC or Ruboff's, then I may go bend over for some Ho-ho's....
hopefully by then there will be an official street tire class
 
as someone who is planning to re-enter the road racing scene, it is really encouraging to hear that many are interested in running cheaper street tires
I'm going to offer a balancing view on this, and point out the obvious...that unless the rules are changed to restrict tires, you're always going to get your ass handed to you. Every weekend.

And you're going to hate it.

Remember, racing isn't about saving money. It's about winning.

I witnessed this with the IT7 group up here in the northeast. They have a "gentleman's agreement" to run Nittos, instead of following the ITA regs. Each and every time someone decides to slap "IT7" on the side of their car, yet chooses to run Hoosiers (remember, their very own self-made rules state "we follow ITA regs") that person gets shunned.

Now, I'm expecting a blitz of replies from them denying it, yet I've personally witnessed it: Jake, Norm, even half-serious ribbing of Ray this year. And each of those person has felt uncomfortable with it, and made to feel defensive (and make excuses) about it, and in the end either left the group or relented to Nittos.

And yet, each time I've asked - sometimes, insisted - that they change the IT7 regs to specify either a Nitto tire or a minimum TW - something they have complete access and authority to do! - they decline, stating it's not needed.

Well, it is.

So for those of you getting all excited about the "street tire revolution" I caution you: either change the regs, create a completely new class with tire-specific regs, or simply STFU when someone comes and races against you with a Hoosier tire and leave them alone. They're following the rules that you created.

Just sayin'.

- GA
 
Good write up.

I need to do a test day on the Rivals I bought four months ago and see what this things are like.
 
If you are going to have a "gentleman's agreement" per tires, have a small trophy /pizza party just for the guys on the right tires. Dont allow the HOHOs to eat any pizza. Sounds trivial but racing among friends is the best.
Some guys just like to go fast and look good on the results page. Some guys, as they get older/wiser, like to race WTW. The actual speed is irrelevant. Slower cars give you time to flip each other off on the straights.

The actual tires; Falken gave me some tires @ 40$ per for the Crap can races way back. They were fine until they got overhot and then went greasy. They also dried out and were rocks at the next race. I dont use falken anymore. I pay for Dunlops, DZ101 and Stars, and will run the Rivals or RS3 . The RS3 are cheaper and seem to run almost as fast as the Rivals.

Spec the max width, dont let it get into a tech battle.
Maybe spec "all 4 shall be the same size".
If the intent is cost containment , contain it.

I am happy to see new racers posting here . Welcome.
Please voice your tire concerns , and maybe how you came to race with SCCA. So that we have some idea how to do it better.
Thanks, MM
 
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