[swamp2]

^Well it sounds like he and I had radically different experiences. Again my simple and repeated observation that well worn tires begin to spin easier and easier on hard acceleration (I've experienced this on many sets of street tires on multiple M3s) gives me plenty enough evidence to believe that traction is substantially reduced under extreme wear conditions on most UHP street tires.

-One of my rears was actually into the wear bar on one side and a couple 32nds away from the wear bar on the other when beginning the event. The wear was severe enough that the tread pattern did not even look like a PS2. However the fronts were something like 1/4" away from the wear bars. Worn but legal and clear tread pattern left everywhere. I did not notice any difference in the traction available from the fronts during cornering nor braking compared to my expectations vs. on the street.

-Although it is difficult to get to the grip limit on the street in our cars, in isolated cases of no traffic and a turn you know well, along with some judicious throttle, getting to oversteer and probing the traction limit can be accomplished in what I believe to be a sufficiently safe fashion. Similarly getting to mild understeer can be done as well. These are not things I do often on the street but I think many of us do ocassionally. Everyone has their own definition of safe/reckless. Some call any breaking of any speed law reckless, regardless of the car or driver.

-The amount of lateral g forces required to get the rear end to slip (throttle induced or not) was absolutely and plainly less than what I was accustomed to on a typical hard freeway entrance/transisiton when the tires were in better shape.

-The temperature was extreme, over 100°. Everyone complained about traction overall. However, a high temp does not pick which end of the car to mess with.

-Both of my instructors (serious modded GT3 owners) felt the lack of traction available in my rear tires relative to the fronts and in comparison to other E92 M3s on the circuit.

It is going to be next to impossible to convince me to the contrary of my conclusion on this one. Extremely worn street rubber has worse traction than just broken in or well worn or any other state of wear well outside the wear bars.