Dr.Ron

I was thinking about going back to Hoosiers. I am currently on stock size 19/20" Michelin Pilot sport cup ZP's on my 2011 Carbon edition Z06. While the tires are pretty good, I just can't get myself to "trust" them 100% traction wise.

I used to run Hoosiers on my 06 Z06 but it required my buddy coming also so we could both take 1 front and 1 rear wheel. I'd swap wheels at the track. This was to avoid driving to and from the track on the Hoosiers to keep their life up to the max. Problem is he doesn't like to go as often as I do. That's why I switched to the Pilot Sport Cups. I can easily drive there and back, no wheel swapping.

I only go 4-5 times a year to the track. I ONLY run in dry weather. The track is 95 miles each way. I don't want to be married to my buddy coming to transport the wheels, so I wanted opinions from the veterans here on driving to and from the track on the Hoosiers. How detrimental to the tire's life would this be, given all of the circumstances I mentioned above, and would you do it?? I know they are not street legal, but I doubt I'd get pulled over for a tire. I'm not concerned about rain as I said before I ONLY run when it's dry.

Thanks for your opinions!!

Ron

w00tw00t

I've been tempted to do this too and am very interested in what others say. I'll say one thing though is that I'm planning to get BFG R1 instead of Hoosiers - the R1s are supposed to be slightly more "durable" - so will be slightly safer on streets vs Hoosiers.

autoxer6

A6's are street legal. I have driven 2 hours each way to tracks on Hoosiers with out problems. They do get warm. The tire is thinner than regular street tires and has greater risk of puncture.

Why not pull a 4' tire trailer behind your vette? I put about 10,000 miles on a little tire trailer behind my vette.

mountainbiker2

Maybe more durable, but there slow.

I have driven on Hoosiers A6's for 8 years to the track. I get 840 street miles and 72 laps of racing autocross on them before the cords start showing. I've had one screw in the tire in 8 years.

Steve

UstaB-GS549

I run street tires on front and r-compounds on rear for travel to and from tracks within 200 miles each way. The other two front r-compounds go on passenger seat. I can comfortably manage 55 MPH or so in the rain if I get caught out; but don't try passing a semi if he is kicking a lot of water out of his lane. R-compounds all around limits top speed to about 20-25 MPH in rain and it is a white knuckle drive at that. The other option is to wait out the storm.

It probably heat cycles the rears a bit, but they all seem to be done about the same time anyway.

If the tires are good for 160 MPH on track, why wouldn't they be good enough for 70 on the highway? All the punctures that I have had in the last 15 years were from metal bits on track or in the pit lane.

froggy47

But I got 2 "blowouts" on the freeway (where I had to change a tire on the freeway). Now I know why cops put a car between them & oncoming traffic.

Plus with a tire down you can't get a jack under without digging a hole to put it in. You don't want to do this if ou don't have to. Buy a little trailer.

Dr.Ron

So Froggy, you carry a spare then?

Dr.Ron

I'm mostly concerned about shortening the life of the Hoosiers by driving round trip to the track. If doing this has me replacing them every year, that's not something I want to do.

I'm not worried about their safety on the highway, although I did NOT consider a contingency plan though should I get a puncture. I wonder if that foam in a can stuff would suffice??

Ron

froggy47

I call a family member & have them bring a spare out to where I get the flat. Funny story, since they are different size f/r I had to explain to wife what the "numbers" were on the side of the tires in my garage (I have 5 sets of rims mounted w/ tires.) She had no clue & had to get the neighbor to figure out what wheel I needed.

For wear, the more "advanced" your alignment is the more EXTRA wear you will get on the commute. Putting the pressures up (40 psi) helps lessen wear IMO.

C5Lion

I have driven to and from the track for many years and never had an issues. I even got caught in poring rain and made it OK. I use to drive with all 4 Hoosiers on my car but in the last few years I now drive with 2 Hoosiers (1 front and back) and 2 street tires and then put the other 2 Hoosiers in my car. That way if I get a puncture, I have 1 front tire and 1 rear tire that I can swap out. Luckily I have never had an issue.

ErnieN85

[QUOTE

Why not pull a 4' tire trailer behind your vette? I put about 10,000 miles on a little tire trailer behind my vette.[/QUOTE]

Been using a trailer for tires, tools & other goodies since 2005
works great

Dr.Ron

Been using a trailer for tires, tools & other goodies since 2005
works great [/QUOTE]

I looked at that option today. Seems attaching the hitch to the car is an issue, no? Also, what's involved with connecting the brake lights on the trailer?

Froggy, that IS a funny story.

C5Lion-good idea!!

ErnieN85

I looked at that option today. Seems attaching the hitch to the car is an issue, no? Also, what's involved with connecting the brake lights on the trailer?

Froggy, that IS a funny story.

C5Lion-good idea!![/QUOTE]

Lights are not too bad. I spliced in at the tail lights and dropped the wire down.
Trailer hitch, the big thing is clearing the exhaust valves and quite a few here have said that worked fine for them

05C6GAC

After driving back from the track to day in the driving rain (5 miles) I'm have second thoughts on Hoosiers on the highway

froggy47

Scary in the rain

Dr.Ron

I won't run if there's going to be a good chance of rain. I ran once when it rained for a session and I was on Hoosiers and I was skating all over the track. I had to run at like 30mph with my window down and I got soaked! That was NOT fun and there was absolutely NO point in doing it, so never again!

Dr.Ron

Seems like the Curt hitch is $100+ more than other places and they look the same. Eckler's has it for $230.

Any one have any insight, or what would have to be done to mod the hitch to fit the exhaust? I have the ZR1 exhaust on my Carbon edition Z06.

Ron

UstaB-GS549

I carry a plugging kit and mini air compressor. The plugs filled holes from chain master link once and a 12 mm hex bolt another time. Only the hex was exposed and had to use ratchet to remove it.

05dsom

so what do you do if you signed up and paid for a HPDE 3 months ago and it looks like a chance of rain for the weekend? Skip it and eat the cost?
I am in the same boat as you...would love to run Hoosiers or toyos or nittos but do not want to trailer them.

I am in Mid-Ohio as we speak and knew there would be rain so switched my cup tires to pilot sport 2's and it was glacial here at times on those..I can not imagine what 700 hp/tq on R6/A6's in the rain here!!

Coach62

Been using a trailer for tires, tools & other goodies since 2005
works great [/QUOTE]

Yep, I hope to get one also. Ernie saved my butt at the NCM event with his tools. A small trailer is the way to go.

Is there a hitch that's actually made for our cars, or do they just have to make a small one work? Now that I think about it, a hitch for a Z06 may be even more difficult than a base C6.