A little loud on the street, but its right at home delivering lots of track laps or autocross runs. Whatever the vehicle you have, you should prepare it first, and the best way to start is with the tires. Hankook even designed this tire as an autocross one, which is not something you often see in this category. For those who want a better compound for the race track, there is the C51/Medium compound model. Streetability isn't important, "less fusssyand expensivethan a Hoosier" is. OE fitment on some of the worlds fastest sports cars, the SC2 has been a staple of the track day scene for many years. While supplanted by the RT660 in overall pace, the RT-615K+ remains a popular choice for dual-duty or endurance use. All the tires listed here are DOT-approved, which means they can legally be driven on the streeteven if thats not a great idea. Responsiveness of the Goodyear is similar to the Rival S, but grip turns on quicker and stays active lap after lap. They are fast)High 70's/low 80's they seem to be holding up a lot better. Braking, forward bite, lateral gripit does it all at the highest level and continues to deliver for entire sessions, though the first lap or two are typically the quickest. This tire is expensive and does heat-cycle out fairly quickly, but the lightning-quick response is without peer, as are the level and consistency of grip. Running endurance races? Both radial and bias ply. Lots of interesting info here, and some stuff that I wasn't aware of, like the return of the BFG Rival. However, this doesnt mean that you should just start your car and travel to some event. Great article Andy. Text or CSV would be great. It isn't currently available in a size to fit my car but it sounds like a great HDPE tire. In this article, I am going to talk about the best autocross tires. Looking to get heat cycle information and overall speed versus R7. Often, these courses are very technical, with a lot of corners and tight spaces, so precision is the king here. Remember there are trade offs. Anyway, it is always best to check in the information provided by the manufacturer if the tire can be driven on the street or not. There are multiple race wins in champcar this year as well with rs4 (us included at a handling track - barber)! Super-responsive, it could dance around cones or dive to apexes with telepathic instincts. Happyshopping. This is a great triple-threat tire: cones, laps, daily. Price and available sizes, as it comes in a Miata-friendly 195/50R15. Any idea who is a dealer for these tires? Available at TireRack.com,DiscountTire.com, TireBuyer.com. I definitely look forward to the next round of testing. To perform optimally, it needs lots of camber and wheel width. I have driven the Toyo RR and R888R, the RS4, the BFG Rival 1.5 and the Azeenis. It has nothing to do with rollover. Indeed, they look alike, and to a large degree they perform alike. Reliable resources fortrack tire testing have become almost non-existent. I haven't seen the 1 hr endurance testing yet,did I miss it or is it pending still? Tired of pointing folks by? Exit Bridgestone, enter Falken. [Editors note: While this guide first appeared in our August 2021 issue, updates will made as new tires enter ourmarket.]. Just bumping this since we updated the guide after testing theKumho ECSTA V730 against the Yokohama Advan A052. Best Cold Air Intake for Chevy Silverado 1500, Best UTV Tires for All Around: Mud, Pavement, Trail Riding Ready, Best RV Tires Reviews: Trailer & Fifth Wheel Buying Guide, Best Supermoto Tires: Buying Guide & Reviews. Wait, so according to your chart and criteria you would choose Mich PS4S over Mich Sport Cup 2 connect for lapping days?? It does need some heat to come in, but loves living in the furnace of heavy lateral loading. Sizing and availability are somewhat limited, but its still a favorite among many track rats. Shaving to 6/32 improves dry traction and consistency. Thanks for this big test GRM! I've asked that question for several years, but apparently nobody runs them, because I never get an answer. Driving feel is a little more direct than the Hankook, but pace, consistency and longevity are all on par with the RS-4. Its the gold standard against which all others are measured. In autocross, you will mostly be driving at legal speeds, which means that you should get a softer compound. Pricing is also friendly. Also, coming soon: endurance test of the new Continental ExtremeContactForce--the "Hoosier" 200tw tire. If the grounds not frozen, this tire will perform. 6MWV6AFqeo3y0ZQ6XOyoDnsBntIBMsfkuTFbLs9eOlrXEAAq0G2YQvGwBLsuxMxq, While todays market concentrates on the 200tw Extreme Performance category thats so prevalent in autocross, time trials and endurance racing, we branched out to include faster tires that arent limited by that, We really like the new V730 as it does indeed honor the traditional, A new, very worthy challenger for endurance racers. Standing water? Your observations are spot on. Save this one for dry track events, its manufacturer says. The Best Tire on the chart for a short AutoX session or setting a qualifying lap might not last 8 hours on an endurance Race. And this thing works the Pilot Sport Cup 2 is absolutely one of the grippiest and easy to drive tires in the category. That's not just my experience either, no one I talked to at TTNats had anything different to say about it. The same parent company owns both Nitto and Toyo, with the Toyo RA-1 essentially a Nitto NT-01 with a different tread designand a very clever one at that. Although they don't include data in this review (or maybe I can't see it because I'm not currently subscribed) I'd bet that the RT660 are onpar or quicker than the RR's while being WAY cheaper, and much more streetable. Sucks that the sizes we use on the Elantra are never in stock or they never make them.215/45R16 is such an oddball but works for both my cars. It also required very little warmup, netting its best lap time on the very first circuitand matching the Hankooks single best. Availability in every size imaginable and a long record of success make it hard to bet against the crew from Indianashould your rules and wallet permit. Heres the top tire of all the DOT-approved R-comps. Perhaps its best feature is that there are some very motorsports-oriented niche sizes available, like the 245/40R15 that we recently tested. But if your application meets those requirements, and your driving skill allows you to lay down that one perfect lap, then this is your droid. Bolt on a set of these and win that next track day. Even when you look at the Potenza RE-71R, you can see that it means business. At tire rack the only tire on your list that is more expensive is the sport cup 2. This category is a tick faster than the Endurance 200s, yet still in it for the long haul. This tire once again shows why the Potenza family of tires is one of the most popular in the high-performance and extreme performance categories. With a lightweight casing, 4/32-inch tread depth and a slick tread pattern, it wears its Not for Highway Use markings proudly. It depends on the car choice, setup, rules, venue, weather and driving style. But lets get back to the Bi-Compound for a second because it is a very interesting solution there are two different rubber compounds for the outboard and inboard regions of the tread, for a combination of precise steering and amazing grip in tight corners. A trick is that you can call Hankook Motorsports directly and they usually have some extras around or know where you can get them. Warm and dry? Interesting they didn't include them at all. Spot publicitaires, documentaires, films, programmes tl et diffusion internet, Cours de franais/anglais des fins professionnels, prparation aux examens du TOEFL, TOEIC et IELTS, Relve de la garde royale Buckingham Palace, innovation technologique et apprentissage rapide. The problem is, you cant just go online and buy an autocross tire because they dont exist. The biggest variable in performance? Priced well but, from what we have seen,not as fast as an R7 or BFG R1. I'd definitely try a modern tire next, as the 200 TW's have caught up and exceeded many of the 100TW options. The Maxxis offered super-responsive performance. This is the case even on the track, where high-speed driving can become extremely dangerous to the driver, especially if he/she is inexperienced. Its a great choice for lapping, time trials or autocrossing. Might want to start the search here. The best thing about the Advan AD08 R is that you dont lose on performance a lot, thanks to the tread compound enriched with carbon for dry grip. In other words, even a small budget can get you on the field, competing with other drivers. If your Tire is "C" and Everything else is B/B-/A then it's the slowest / least desirable in that category. Less sensitive to camber and last for more heat cycles. With a set of these tires, you can forget about hydroplaning in very wet conditions, and tire slipping in slightly wet or damp conditions. Looking for possible longer-wearing race tire alternative, but don't want to crash finding it. That being said, I really like the cup 2\s and the yokohamas. But which ones are the perfect match? Autocross is best enjoyed in warm and dry conditions, so thats why most tires on this list are specifically made for that kind of usage. We plan to test it soon. I am running CR1 in 245/40/15 in autocross and so far I really like them! Nankang was able to create a worthy competitor to the Yokohama A052. Really? Thank you for the kind words and, yeah, lots of info in there. Please make the table downloadable. When run at full-tread depth of 8/32 inch, it cuts through water with ease. This tire cant be used on the street and thats why I havent put it on the first place on this list, but if you look only at performance numbers, it will crash both the Bridgestone and the Michelin. I've run them for a while. Now run Hoosier R7's in 275-45-ZR16, which are excellent but limited for heat cycles and somewhat by wear rate. Even with the optimal tire for your flavor of motorsport, improperly pressurized tires can impact performance. These are fast tires for autocross and single-lap time trials that meet the 200tw ratings. (260-300 tread width), Hoping for a true endurance test not just 5 extra laps of a 30 second cone course :). Its excellent grip and tossability still delivers strong performance value in the canyons, around the cones, and hitting apexes. If you are serious about competing in autocross, then the best choice is a proper racing tire like the Hankook Ventus Z214. And there's really no good alternative size option to run from that size, if you go to a 225, you actually need to run more sidewall (a 50 series) before you get any options. Looking to embarrass better machinery? Before the A052 stole the show, the big battle was BFG versus Bridges- tone. The latter could be very important on cooler race mornings. If you cant find shoes that fit here, they probably dontexist. Coming up in the next issue. Get Up to $80 Prepaid Mastercard by mail when you purchase a set of four select Hankook tires. Tread block squirm taller tread blocks are susecptible to moving or squirming and not having the responsiveness or wear that is most desirable. This is the quintessential type of article that has made Grassroots Motorsports what it has become today. Chosen each year by the majority of the field for the Tire Rack One Lap of America, this tire can easily put down quick laps at every venue regardlessof the weatherand still do the 3800 miles of transit needed for the week without a hint of drama. Guess it's time to resub. All hail the king of grassroots endurance racing. I'd like to see how the Firestone FirehawkIndy 500 compares to the Continental ECS and other tires in the non-200 TW summer performance class. Maybe I should revisit my choice of RR, this guide does not make them look like a good choice. They are our race team tire of choice for Lemons as they are almost as grippy as the best, but last 3x as long and are predictable and easy to drive. Oh, and it has some of the most favorable pricing of the bunch. That said, it has the same trait of quickly heat-soaking when loaded hard. It's unfortunate since I was looking for a tire for dual street and track use that would put up with a drive across the country to CA and back, and hopefully some track events. This is also a good choice for dual use, with solid performance in both wet and dry conditions. Wow. Minor correction -- the picture for the Nitto is of an NT-05, not an NT-01. The ExtremeContact DWS06 are not just great in the rain, they are one of the best tires for rainy conditions, period. Want to go even faster? This also makes it ideal for weekly lapping sessions where no trophies are on the line. In reply to David S. Wallens : Got you covered. I once subscribed to this magazine back when it first began, and that was over two decades ago if I recall correctly. Triangles are most prevalent, but some manufacturers use other symbols. Engine power is not only superfluous here, but it can create problems due to limited grip and traction. I am really happy with them. Buying one of the street tires like the RE71 for a mod or preparred class would leave you outgunned. The Continental. It dove down to apexes much more easily than the Hankook. That said, if you find a Pilot Sport Cup 2 in your area at an acceptable price, go for this one. Kumho ECSTA V730 against the Yokohama Advan A052, [Falken Azenis RT-660 Tire Test: Autocross and Track], [200-treadwear tire test | Continental ExtremeContact Force vs. Falken Azenis RT660 vs. Hankook Ventus R-S4], [200tw Tire Test: Valino and Yokohama Take on Favorites From Hankook, Maxxis, Bridgestone and BFGoodrich]. Although its rated at 100tw, this one has all the traits of a solid 200tw tire. Can you addcold and hot tire pressures to the spreadsheet for each tire? That said, it can let go in a hurry if you ask for too much. In reply to spacecadet (Forum Supporter) : Got it thanks. While todays market concentrates on the 200tw Extreme Performance category thats so prevalent in autocross, time trials and endurance racing, we branched out to include faster tires that arent limited by that UTQG figure. Just a bump because some big tire news is coming very soon. Its main attribute? If youre into precision and technical driving, or you want to learn driving like a real master driver, autocross is the right place to start. And yes, I know that theyre expensive, but if you are losing on the autocross course by a fraction of second, maybe these Potenzas will give you the boost for a win. Looks like the RT615K is the runner up and probably the cheapest option. I would love to see a tarmac rally tire in this comparison, but I understand that there isn't a huge market for them. Buying the Ventus Z214 for a car that\s going to run in a street tire class would disqualify it from running that class. No buyers guide to motorsports tires would be complete without Hoosier. Well done to Grassroots Motorsports and please keep up the good work. Other than the Bi-Compound, this tire features the Variable Contact Patch 3.0 technology, that optimizes the tire footprint so that it has superior grip even in tight corners. Feel is similar to the Goodyear SC3 or Rival S. Note that this tire benefits from a good heat cycle before delivering optimal performance. While not primarily designed to be used in wet conditions, thanks to the Micro Silica compound and directional tread, the Advan AD08 R is surprisingly good in damp conditions. As with a racing slick, youll need to put some significant energy into the tire before full commitment, though. Thats why you will often see economy cars driving autocross and winning. All are capable of a fairly similar single-lap time trial or autocross pace, though each goes about it in different ways. Also a very fun tire to drive on. If they were available in a 15 inch size, I would try them for an autocross rain tire on my Miata. I'm really excited to see what the new Continental/Hoosier collab tire does. Powered by. All the great traits of its 220tw cousin, plus a compound that hooks like a major league curve baller. They are there to indicate where to find the wear bars. With all that said, even at first glance you can see that the Ventus Z214 is a professional tire, thanks to the semi-slick compound. One tire to work in all conditions, one tire to rule them all. Specialized extreme-performance summer tires often cost a fortune, but fortunately thats not the case with the Yokohama Advan AD08 R. A set of these tires will cost you less than almost any other models in this list, which is great news for those who seek great performance at a lower price point, or drivers who are just starting with the autocross craze. The RT660 has a fairly similar responsiveness to the RE-71R, though not quite as crisp. You will certainly not be disappointed! Before making a purchase, check to see which tires are legal for the class you plan on running. This is Toyos ultimate expression of a DOT-legal tire optimized for competition use only. Ran them again recently (Another PB! While not the quickest on single-lap pace, it is right in the mix and gives many chances at nailing great laps any time in a sessioncall it nearly as quick as the Falken Azenis RT660 and almost as consistent as the Hankook Ventus R-S4so, basically, another contender. I love that this is updated, but it might be nice to see a date for each revision so when a new tire is added we can skip to the newest information. Tire performance in relation to wear? Nous sommes une compagnie de traduction spcialise dans la gestion de grands projets multilingues. Valid through Sept 30, 2020Available at TireRack.com,DiscountTire.com. In my testing, this tire is simply amazing in the wet. Generally, the harder the compound, the better the tire is for high-speed driving, and vice-versa. I guess I should what's available in my sizes. To make this guide easy to follow, weve grouped tires by their intended mission. I have a set on my street car and have been quitesurprised at how well they grip, in bothwet and dry conditions. All rights reserved. Even though its rated at only 40tw, it performs on par with the others in our Endurance 100 grouping. This is a serious extreme-performance summer tire that will give you extremely high levels of grip on the autocross circuit. But, you probably wont need these tires in heavy rain and only use them in dry conditions on the autocross circuit. That said, the price is still a bit high and can be a big hurdle to overcome for some people. Available in a huge variety of sizes, including many OE fitments. If so, that's our web admin thinking that the article was changed even though it was just repositioned on the site. My particular car (500 hp, 2400 lbs, Miata tire sizes) is awfully demanding on tires, though, and does respond to something with more grip. Even though the list contains only five tires, this means that you should be satisfied with a lot of other extreme-performance tires from reputable manufacturers, such as Pirelli, Good Year, Falken, BFGoodrich, Toyo, Dunlop, Nitto etc. What is covered in a Jeep Powertrain Warranty? The Rival needs a little more heat to work, but stays in the game even longer than the RE-71R. You're right though, they are much better than the also super outdated NT01's or VR-1's (granted they sell 2 compounds, S1 &S2). This is a type of competitive driving that takes part in an open area, where traffic cones are used to create a mini course. (Were looking at you,Hoosier.). The Victra RC-1 from Maxxis wears a semi-slick tread yet still carries a DOT rating. I\m not sure where you are at so maybe prices are different, but, yokohama is not the budget tire on your list. NASA even allows it to compete as a 100tw in their Super Touring and Time Trials classes. For you, the best tire is the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06. They also don't list the ones I want on their website but I can give them a call. A is the best, D/E/F worst like Letter Grades in school. For more in-depth tire tests like this one, follow any of the links below: 200-treadwear tire test | Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS vs. Falken Azenis RT660, 200-treadwear tire test | Continental ExtremeContact Force vs. Falken Azenis RT660 vs. Hankook Ventus R-S4, 200-treadwear tire test | Kumho Ecsta V730 vs. Yokohama Advan A052, 200tw tire test | Falken RT660 vs. Yokohama A052 vs. Nankang CR-1, 200tw tire test | Goodyear F1 Supercar 3 and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 vs. the Outgoing Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R, Track day tire test: Nankang AR-1, Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R and Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R, 200tw tire test: Valino Pergea 08R and Yokohama Advan A052 take on Hankook Ventus R-S4, Maxxis Victra VR-1, Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R and BFGoodrich g-Force Rival S 1.5, Autocross and track tire test: Falken Azenis RT-660, Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R and Falken RT-615K+, Tire test: Continental ExtremeContact Sport vs. Michelin Pilot Super Sport, Summer tire test: BFG Rival vs Bridgestone RE-71R vs. Dunlop Direzza ZIII. Interprtes pour des audiences la justice, des runions daffaire et des confrences. This was BFGs original entry into the 200tw category, but was superseded by the Rival S when Bridgestone raised the bar. The new Continental does cost more than its competition, however. Cooper Tire supports the World Racing League and also offers two endurancespecific tires: the RS3-R (260tw intended for dry conditions) and RS3-RS (220tw for the wet). I think they are just fantastic budget 200tw tire. Thanks in advance. These tires trade some speed for consistency and long life while still meeting the 200tw requirements. Get a FREE Spartan race entry (up to $190 value) when you purchase a set of four select Yokohama tires. The price of the Ventus Z214 can also be high for some people, especially because you need to have another set of tires lying around for driving on the street. A note about that heat intolerance: This tire doesnt need any heat to activatefirst turn, it sticks. It's a great TT or autoX tire, but it doesn't hold up in the heat or repeated laps, maybe in really cold weather or fall? And while not as crisp as the Bridgestone, the BFG allows one to drive at larger slip angles seemingly with impunity. Just set pressures and drive them for a long time while they stick better and better. The move from the 180-treadwear rating of the old Cup 2 to this tires 240 rating, it should be noted, is more of a marketing change than a performance one. For many, this was the go-to alternative to the Yokohama. Add to that the spirally wound Twaron cord that is both lightweight and strong, and you have a tire that keeps its shape even when driven to the maximum. The directional tread design and a newly developed tread compound enhance grip by increasing contact with the surface, while the continuous center rib and massive shoulders provide constant contact of the rubber with the surface. It will not only struggle in wet or extremely wet conditions it can become unsafe. This tire is long in the tooth, but still a viable choice for triple duty. Can you tell us what information was updated - or added - to the May 29, 2022 edition of this article? Similar experience. AA is better than A, AAA, is better than AA, and AAAA is better than AAA. TL;DR: Nothing new at this point but more to come very, very soon. Looks like RS-4s are pretty much sold out, and Tire Rack isn't even listing 17" sizes. How to choose the Best Tires for Rain Driving: Wet Traction Ready. Anybody know where to get the coopers beside extreme? No problem. That said, there are high-performance sport tires that are extremely well suited to autocross driving, due to their amazing grip. They do not have as much grip, hold up to heat, or wear as well the VentusRS4's as drivenon my 2008 Miata 225/45 17 on 8" Enkei rims. I am not blasting them, I have happily worn out many sets. When it comes to the modern R-comp race tire market, Hoosier currently owns it with very fast lap times and minimal con- cessions to street usejust enough to earn that DOT approvalalthough Goodyear recently rejoined the segment. Sadly, this tire is no longer in production, but many sizes still exist at retail in large enough quantity for it to remain an option for some time. Then, you should choose the right tread design. Basically, I want RA1 ease of use with better grip :) Last time I bought a set was a few years back. The tire guide was a big help in figuring this out - thanks. The latter could be very important on cooler race mornings. Like the Bridgestone, the Azeniscompound needs just a little bit of heat to turn on, but hangs in there for many laps or runs. These are tires that benefit significantly from shaving. If I'm willing to sacrifice some ultimate grip, is there a tire with similarly forgiving characteristics that are stable as it wears and heat cycles like the Hoosiers are, that might give more than 8-10 (12 on a good day now)good heat cycles and retain the benign handling characteristics of the Hoosiers at slightly lower limits? But its a small price to pay for such a big payoff. The Pirelli was also less forgiving. Just like an autocross driver would want and need. Cold and damp? $70 Prepaid Mastercard by mail when you purchase a set of four select Continental Control Contact tires. Think of it as a positive iteration of both grip and consistency/longevity through technology. But I can't seem to find them on sites like tirerack or discounttire. The best grip can be attained with the C91/Very soft compound, but sadly this one is only available in 275/35R18 dimensions. Study The chart carefully and see what TW rating can be used for your intended use / application, then buy the best your budget allows. The comprehensive list is appreciated, this just might make the list more useful. Like the Nankang AR-1, this is another 100tw track day special that delivers on par with todays Super-200s for single-lap pace. If I'm selecting C grade tires, what am I getting? They seem like a decently-priced alternative and they come in several compounds. Would like to see a a comparison of the leading slicks on the market. We get resupply containers in the spring and then it dwindles during the year. Now to go buy some more tires What is tread depth sensitivity? Wear to a lower depth will also help, but may put detrimental heat cycles on the tire at the same time. A new, very worthy challenger for endurance racers. When you put all these technologies into perspective, it is no coincidence that the Pilot Sport Cup 2 is installed as original equipment in vehicles such as the Ferrari 458 Speciale and the Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid hypercar.