cjetaa

Went to summit poiint FATT last month. The most fun I have had in a car with my pants on.

I plan on going to many more next season. I have a MM6 C6 with Z51 no mods yet (planning headers and vararam plus tune).

What are the best wheels and tires for a road course(sizes, offsets,brands etc.). I was thinking 18" on all four and 10" fronts and 12" rears with DOT Slicks so I coulld drive on them to and from the track. Also, what is the least expensive solution. Thanks

OK, I think I got it posted!
This is video I took at summit point FATT, of a Z06 and A Ford GT. Sorry, the quality is not very good.

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vi...8cec1a.1110337

WNeal

I only have 5 HPDE's and several autocrosses and running completely stock other than having the car lowered.
So far I have been able to hold my own very well.
Although I have been looking for some slicks etc. I may just stay on the stock tires for a while, learn how to drive the car as it is now. If you can do that, you will really be better when you move to the race tires etc.
JMHO

cjetaa

I agree about learning on the stock tires. I woulld like to have a second set so I am not wearing out the run flats. Its also my daily car.

robvuk

yakisoba

I think the least expensive is 17" all around, used scrubs... Oh! You have a C6! Erm, well, not alot of cheaper options. I think Hoosier will be making the best tires for ya. I'd stay on streets at least a year though before making the move to stickies. Just avoid the runflat sort of tires, stick with Kumho, GY, etc. Good luck! It's a very fun sport.

rikhek

I run 18" x 10.5" Z06 OEM wheels on all four corners. 395s on the rear and 275s on the front. I don't agree with the people who say to run streets. I've been running R compound since my first track day. I've over 1,200 track miles over the past 13 months. Really not as big a deal as so many make it out to be.

Rick

Bob 33

For a streetable track tire for the Vette, you should consider the Toyo RA-1. Although you will will be giving up some grip to stickier R-compounds, you will be able to survive in the rain, and will not show the heat cycle effects of the sticky slicks. If you want "slicks," drive them till they are treadless, when they seem to perfrom best. During the track season, I keep them on my car for daily driving. For my 03 Z06, my 18" 275/305s are mounted on CCW wheels.

We may have been at the same FATT. I have a silver C5 Z with black CCW wheels. A ran in the advanced group with a Ford GT that absolutedly would not let me pass. I would have lapped this guy if he would permit passes. After holding me up all around the track, we would have a drag race down the straight, featuring his slow entry onto the straight and too early braking. His faster 550 hp drag race must have convinced him that he was fast! If not for being held up on entry, and given later braking, I would have passed him on the straights too! I guess that GT super cars are unpassable. Several times I would pull off the track to let him get a half lap, then catch him again. Arg! Well, I was using RA-1s.

Bob 33

cjetaa

Thanks for the feedback. Bob 33 I feel your pain. I have video of a blue Z06 being held up the same way by a Ford GT. I will try to post it! Hope to see you at Summit point.

chempowr

I'm using a set of OEM C5 ZO6 wheels with Nitto 555 RII's that I purchased used from a forum member. I am new to autocross and road racing but have seen that tires make the biggest difference. Just finished my second event today and third will be tomorrow. My first event was on run flats and I was 13 seconds from the fastest car. Today, I was 5 seconds from the fastest car. My skill level improved alittle my traction improved alot! Buying good tires depends how serious you are about being competitive. I was in the top 15 cars today, raw and pax times, and no one has street tires in top 20. I'm the only one on non-slick tires. They get fairly good traction, mileage and can be used on auro-X and road course and are fairly safe in the rain. I used to daily drive a set of nitto drag radials on my 2003 Cobra which did superb in the rain.

Bob 33

I don't see the Nittos at the tracks I go to, but see a lot of the somewhat comparable Toyo RA-1s. Call Paul at Radial Tire in Silver Spring, fairly near your area in Alexandria, for tire info. He is a racer as well as dealer and very knowledgeable about peformance tires, and he stocks many kinds, including Toyo.

Bob 33

MikeBenzon

Bob 33
It sounds like to me you followed the Ford too closely into the corners, thus slowing you down to the Ford's slow corner speed and not allowing you to take advantage of your superior exit speed to acomplish a pass. Next time plan to hang back just a little to allow you to carry your faster corner speed through out the entire last corner which will bring you to the rear bumper of the Ford at track exit (not at the apex) then (like you are drafting him at the track out position) make the pass. It is KEY that you not have to lift from the apex on through the pass. If he wants to repass you down the straight, make him think you are going to squeese him down the straight, he'll back off big time with that expensive toy.
MikeB
Long time racer
Long time instructor

Bob 33

Mike,
Unfortunately, this was a pass only on signal deal, and it just wasn't going to happen with a person lacking track ettiquette and suffering a bad case of car snobism. (This car had an "enhansed" GT engine.) A friendly chat between runs had no impact. My final strategy was going to be fear, as you suggest, to get him thinking about keeping his body work intact as you close at high speed into corners, etc. But pushing an already squirrly driver is risky. Alas, he missed the last run. A lesson from this was that I should try to avoid being some other faster driver's moving road block. When in doubt, I always try to let faster drvers pass me, assuming that they will reciprocate if I catch them. Good passing manners and early signals make traking a lot more fun. Late signals by drivers who don't slow down and give up the line can give you a tingle and racer-like experience with the second best path through a turn.

Bob 33

yakisoba

Good call. Pushing folks in an HPDE sounds kinda risky. I try to push myself a bit, but if I find a real hardhead that won't let me go on by, I take a pass down pit row and change position in the field. That way, we get out of each others' way. I'd also consider talking to the event folks (who control the passing flags) and let them know car number and attitude. I also try to get out of the way when I see the faster coming, as that way I can see what he's doing that's making him so much faster.

cjetaa

Here is the video of the z06 and Ford GT.

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vi...8cec1a.1110337

racerwannabe

i have a set of stock C-6 wheels i'll sell you cheap..thenyou can keep your originals cleaner and less scratched..jhaskell@sealwire.com
Johnny
i also have a ford gt,,5 miles on it ..wouldn't hold a candle to my ZO_6

EricMeyer

cjetaa,

Yesterday I went to my storage unit and swaped out my SUV summer tires for the winter tires. As I looked around I laughed because I counted 32 tires not included the 12 in the race car trailer and the 4 on the race car. My point is that I have a little experience with tires.

Here is what you'd find after two years of DE and/or Racing and you were asked the same question you pose:

Street tires, street tires, street tires. Because you don't know the answer to this and you also share that you're modding your engine---my guess is that you're new to this sport. I may be wrong but it's a safe assumption. Here's the deal. You have more speed and capability in your stock corvette then you can possibly imagine. The tires aren't the weak link, the driver is. You need seat time, seat time, seat time on street tires, street tires, street tires.

Why do you think I suggest this? Think for a moment. Anybody who reads this thread and doesn't know the answer needs to follow this logic.

Street tires are very forgiving and howl like a cheerleader at a Frat party. You want this forgiveness. I would bet big bucks that you are not accustomed to sliding your car around yet on the track consistantly by choice. So why is this important? Because when you explore the limits of grip, you do this gradually. Street tires give way gradually and again they howl and give you aural feedback. You can hear the screech and manage accordingly. I have worked with several corvette DE students and just about all of them were not use to sliding or rotating the car and when I showed them how to do this it was considered more of an "advanced" technique. This is what you're aspring to-----to get the car to rotate or yaw so you can point it in the right direction much earlier in a turn and then use that big Chevy V-8.

Most DE students deny themselves the opportunity to learn this limitation and they do the ole' add horsepower thing which masks the real issue----slow in the corners and gas on the straights. It is so easy to beat these guys with slower cars because they don't know how to drive or think that jamming on the gas is driving. It's not. There is more time in the corners than the straights and the key to driving is to learn to drive the corners.

Here is how I would spend/invest my money if I was you (I'm not):

-Find a good instructor to stretch you skill set on your street tires.
-Register for more events and get more seat time
-As you begin to go faster you'll find you'll start getting rolling on your outside left tire---get a good tire gauge and monitor your psi being careful to watch the front left as it will become more hot as you go faster.
-Learn how to replace brake pads b/cuz driving faster in the corners delivers more speed on the straights which requires more braking. More braking requires more heat and more heat leads to brake fade and brake pad wear. So an early sign of going faster is having to replace your stock brakes and/or experiencing brake fade.
-Your early mods to counter this is ducting cool air to the brakes, a higher temp brake fluid and aftermarket brake pads. There are many kinds of pads. This will allow you to drive LONGER and give you a little more stopping power. Again, driving a stock car around the track will ultimately lead to brake fade which can be considered a good sign that you're going fast! Congrats. You need a mod as opposed to want a mod.
-Until you start experimenting with car rotation or TTO, you really don't need any different tires. You want those that give you feedback. What really happens (jump in here guys) is that the stock suspenion street settings of a C6 (which aren't bad) will cause the tires to roll a bit and your tires will wear out on the front corners way before they wear out due to lack of tread. So then you'll need a camber adjustment. There are many more things that happen in a logical progression but tires aren't the first way to go.
-If you want a better street tire, get the Michelin PS2. Great tire. Well proven. Decent wear. Very good grip. Avoid the Toyo RA1, you are not ready for this and anyother R compound tire. Again, seat time, seat time, seat time.

This thread may appear a little harsh to the newbie, however any racer that has any experience with Instructing all pretty much say this same thing---seat time, seat time, seat time.

Enjoy and e-mail if you have any Q.

Eric

cjetaa

Eric thanks for the well thought out response. I used to teach people to fly in light aircraft and couldn’t agree with you more about seat time. In general aviation most accidents are not the result of the equipment but the operator. I am sure the same is true in road racing.

However, I would still like to have a second set of wheels and tires. I drive the car every day and would like to keep the stock tires for daily driving and use the others on track days. I am looking for the best choice for the track, given my ability, the characteristics of the vehicle and cost.


I would like to do some light mods mostly for fun but keeping in mind this is a "Daily Driver" I will take to the track and LEARN to be a good High Performance Driver.

Here is what I was thinking in order of priority. What do you all think?

I am definitely going to replace the Bake Fluid.
Find a good instructor, anyone in NOVA?
1a) Helmet?
1b) Maybe a data logger?
2) Brake cooling Duct
3) Wheels and tires?
4) Pads?
5) CAI Vararam
6) Headers/cats/x pipe (1 7/8 Dynatech)
6) Tune?
7) All followed shortly by a divorce (not really)?

I just installed 3M Clear mask today. It’s a little tricky, but not terrible.

Webz

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ght=hpde+tires

Bob 33

I enjoyed seeing the C6 Z06 "duel" with Mr. Never Let You Pass Ford GT. The new Z could stay with him on the straights. With the GTs slow entry, I couldn't hang with him on the straight drag race in my C5 Z, then he would brake early, and I would be on his tail for the rest of the lap. I was told that the GT had more than the usual 550 hp. It would produce flamethrower-like jets from his exhaust when downshifting. Although in need of a driver transplant, the GT is definitely a cool car. A driver transplant would be an obvious upgrade in my own car.

Bob 33

MikeBenzon

Eric
Big time dito's from a long time instructor. Your "street tires" comments are right on. Learn the technique first, then the speed will come naturaully.
I spend a lot of time talking about technique as apposed to the fast line around the track. I like to know that my clients learn the basic skill sets that they can apply to any track.