fatbillybob

Hi guys,

Is there a dual use (street/track) DOT legal race tire that can drive a 100 miles to and from the track and do a weekend trackday with decent wear and performance? How about Toyo RA-1's? They are pretty hard but softer than hi perf street tires. I would like to run Hoosier 06's but I think they will not have the durability and the treadwear is much higher than the Toyo. Any opinions out there? I hate changing tires at the track nor do I want to carry them. Street tires on the track just suck.

2000BSME

My Hoosier R6's are DOT approved for highway use. I think two circumferential grooves are all that is required for a DOT approval. My car was driven 100 miles from the track on the R6's in an emergency situation once (my friend broke his car, and I had to trailer it back instead of mine).

The wear is fine for such use. Mine have 4 track days on them, and about 250 street miles, and have much more life in them.

kelp

Better read the label on the tire. Preferrably before you get pulled over.

2000BSME

I knew it wouldn't be long before someone chimed in with a comment like this.

Tires say "competition use only" but also bear DOT markings. I think Hoosier is trying to limit their liability on this issue. I'll take my chances when driving accross town for autox, but I trailer the car to the road tracks, as there are none close.

Interesting, site below provides:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...te/807805.html

My R6's have all of those numbers and information listed, unlike a true slick, that is illegal on public roads...

c4cruiser

With specific-purpose tires like Hoosiers or Kumho's, it's not the DOT certification label or the grooves that make up some resembalance to a "tread", it's the heat cycles that will use up a race tire that's driven on the street.

The amount of "tread" as measured in the grooves are only 4 to 6/32nd of an inch and that will wear down quickly in competition use. Once you get to 2/32nds, that will be the legal limit in most places.

Then there is the possibility of having to run thru water on the street. Maybe not rain but puddles or something similar. Slicks just don't cut it on wet pavement.

To answer the question about what tire that could do double duty. look at the Kumho Escta MX for great value, The BF Goodrich KD for very sticky grip but no the best for a wet tire, Michlien Pilot Sports or Goodyear GS-D3's.

I run the Kumho MX tire for street use and track days, It takes a couple laps to get them warm but they are a very good tire at that point. In terms of grip, they are just below the BFG KD but at less than half the price.

2000BSME

On that note, Falken RT 615's have gotten rave reviews...

vms4evr

Nitto RII or NT01 or Toyo RA1. You can drive to the track on them. Just be careful in the wet once they get worn down.

I've run a few sets of GY F1 Supercars on the track and I don't think they suck at all. They are not that far off the Nitto or Toyo. You could also consider the Falken Azenis RT615.

I agree with 2000BSME that if Hoosier R6/A6 and Kumho V710 are DOT legal then they should be street legal. However I would not drive them on the street. C4crusier's point is a good one. You're wasting heat cycles on a very soft dedicated race tire. I know a lot of guys who used to commute to AX events on the old Kumho Victoracers. They would take more of a beating. Just seems like a big risk of flats, rain, and unneeded wear.

2000BSME

Keep in mind that a drive on the interstate at good tires pressures probably doesn't constitute a heat cycle... the tires probably don't get hot enough in that situation to cycle them... but I don't know that for fact.

Bookman

Have same issue so I just bought set of Nitto NT's. I will see how they take track and driving 90 miles round trip. I was using 710 and Hoosier scrubs but the drive seemed to use them up quickly, not to mention the variable condition of the scrubs. Will report back on the Nitto's.

As a side note, I'm hoping to avoid changing tires at the track. As I do more DE's, I've started to have less fun the more "track ready" I make my car.... So I am dialing back a bit.

sleeper02Z06

Bear in mind, Hoosier and other companies manufacture tires like these with DOT markings for one reason only, because the classes and series that most race them in REQUIRE a DOT marking, take SCCA Touring classes for instance. Believe me, Hoosier is NOT slapping the DOT marking on the tire for you to tool around town on. Can you? Yes. Should you? No. They are light, thin and very prone to cuts /punctures on the street, Hoosier knows this and that is why they try to tell the users not to use them on the street, even though many think because it has a DOT marking, well, hey I can just drive on them. Hence the "competition use only" stamp. It's a hint from Hoosier, heed it.

Also, DOT or not, you get yanked by a trooper on them and you WILL get a ticket, it's as easy as "improper/unsafe equipement" because believe me, you can't bury Lincolns head in those tread groves!!

Joe

sleeper02Z06

Nitto NT555R2's
Nitto NT-01's
Yokohama A032
Kuhmo V700 Victos
Michelin PS Cups
Toyo Ra-1's

These come to mind, personally I used to daily drive my 1999 Camaro SS on the Nitto R2's. I ran high 1:27's in the car (stock with only sway bars on it and these tires) at Summit Point, so they are relatively quick. I was able to get about 3 track days and close to 10,000 street miles out of them. You need an pretty aggressive alignment though or the tread edge will cup, at least on a 3600lb Camaro they did! The reason these tires are pretty good is they are virtually identical to Nittos Drag radial, which many of my drag racing buddies drive ALL the time on the street, getting well over 10,000 miles and tons of passes down the strip with them. Nitto's are pretty good dual use tires.

Joe

2000BSME

I am unaware of the 'lincoln' standard...

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=51

Straight from Tirerack.com, and by the way my R6's came with 4/32nds tread groove depth...

As far as what a state trooper will ticket you for? I guess that will be up to the particular trooper, like I said before, I'll continue to safely drive mine accross town to the autox's, and trailer it to the venues that are more than a 30 minute drive.

And I won't be worrying about a ticket.

sleeper02Z06

There are a myriad of statutes you can be written up for in my state of residence ( Va. ) and in every other state. Just because you haven't been pulled and written does not mean in cannot/will not happen. Tire Rack won't help you out of a jam, flash whatever is on their website in any troopers face and you'll be rewarded with a laugh and some yellow copies of your summons. Try this out, bolt some R6's on your car and head to the local garage ( someone you DO NOT have a freindship with ) and see if you pass a state safety inspection with them on. I have a feeling you'd be rolling out with a rejection sticker on the car.

Do what you will, hopefully you never have an issue with cuts or the law.

Joe

2000BSME

Thanks. Yeah, there is a plethora of issues that you can be ticketed for, and one of them is any physical alteration of the vehicle, that includes lowering, but you just don't hear about stuff like that, because it just doesn't happen, like getting ticketed for driving across town to the autox with your autox tires on, it just doesn't happen. There is no end to how big a ***** some people can be, especially if you give them a good reason to look closely at you.

No state inspections in AL, so I think I'm good there. Local garages? Hell, they won't even rotate your tire if you have uneven wear across the face of your tread. Everyone is scared sh!tless of the threat of litigation.

Sorry that you are subject to unreasonable governmental regulations on your motor vehicle in the state of Virginia, I've heard lots of horror stories regarding autos in the state of VA. All I can say is, take action to change things. In FL, they just recently stopped state smog inspections, or so I heard from a FL resident.

Aardwolf

What safety inspection? Here in WI, I have never had a LEO look at my tires. I don't drive or act like a jerk though, I would suppose that if I did, the LEO might look for anything to ticket me for. I like this area and can't imagine getting hasseled over tires. I run with no front plate and haven't had any troubles. I've been stopped with no plate and the LEO didn't care.

I have MX's on mine, they work well for street and track. It does take a few laps for them to warm!

irun4cops

can the nitto nt01 and r2's go 200mph, and do tires that arent z but only y or w rated have problems at 200? Second thing is, ive been thinking about the hoosier with the 2 rings (a6/r6?), but i will be driving it on the street, and I dont want to suck up nails and get flats all the time. Im thinking about running nitto r2's on the back and front, or possibly nt01's just on the front and the r2's on the back. I have a 600+hp 02 z06, and handling and grip are what im after obviously. I have another set of 19 inch rims and tires, but im going to put these track tires on stock z06 rims (18/17") and try to shave weight and im using the stock wheels so i have more tire choices. What are opinions of running a treaded (nt01, invo, etc) tire in the front with a different compound than the more slick/drag radial style tire in the back? If i do end up getting a lot of flats, then I guess im interested in the cheapest tire possible, and i think someone said faulken or something?

irun4cops

also, if the hoosiers arent "track speed warm" and driven on the street, do they get good grip? Ive heard they have to be broguht up to heat at least once or else theres nagaives. Tire has to be able to go 200 tho, and im trying to shave weight.

AU N EGL

Hoosers rating of DOT is not to be taken Literally. The DOT rating is for "Showroom Stock" SCCA racing. Key word is 'stock' which is taken very loosely.

The tires that Joe mentioned would be better choices.

Nitto NT555R2's
Nitto NT-01's
Yokohama A032
Kuhmo V700 Victos
Michelin PS Cups
Toyo Ra-1's ( unshaven)

Allthrottleandsomebottle

My 1st choice:
Nitto NT555R2's
2nd......Toyo Ra-1's.........in this case, I just got a deal I couldn't pass up so I got a pair for the rear of the 97'

gfacter

Another Vote for the Toyos, been running them for years. Driving to every event.