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[mdm9]

Hi guys, I'm a beginner to HPDE and track driving in general so I'm looking for some advice. This coming year I plan to sign up for 6-10 events with Chin Motorsports (mostly at Sebring) and plan on buying a square set (so I can rotate them, for sake of economics) of Apex EC-7 18x10 wheels to have as a track dedicated set. I plan on mounting 275/35 or 275/40 all around and plan to run a street tire as I am just starting out and do not know how to handle an R-compound tire.

What is a good tire to take to the track for my first few track days? I've heard that PSS are the best performing street tire, but I am kind of searching for something a little cheaper with decent performance. I really like the price of the Continental ExtremeContact DW, but wonder if the will hold up in track driving (remember I have no track experience). Not focused on setting lap times, just looking for a decent tire that won't chunk off or show cords at the end of one day.

Thanks in advance

[dparm]

Originally Posted by mdm9

Hi guys, I'm a beginner to HPDE and track driving in general so I'm looking for some advice. This coming year I plan to sign up for 6-10 events with Chin Motorsports (mostly at Sebring) and plan on buying a square set (so I can rotate them, for sake of economics) of Apex EC-7 18x10 wheels to have as a track dedicated set. I plan on mounting 275/35 or 275/40 all around and plan to run a street tire as I am just starting out and do not know how to handle an R-compound tire.

What is a good tire to take to the track for my first few track days? I've heard that PSS are the best performing street tire, but I am kind of searching for something a little cheaper with decent performance. I really like the price of the Continental ExtremeContact DW, but wonder if the will hold up in track driving (remember I have no track experience). Not focused on setting lap times, just looking for a decent tire that won't chunk off or show cords at the end of one day.

Thanks in advance

Don't even bother with different track wheels/tires yet. Perfect your technique, then start upgrading stuff once you have reached the car's limits. Stickier tires will just hide your mistakes and promote bad habits.

A sporty street tire like the PSS, Conti DW, S04, etc will be just fine for someone new to track days. If you MUST get something more track-oriented, you can try the AD08R or RE-71, but they're pretty lousy on the street (noisy, terrible ride, wear quickly, bad in wet conditions, etc).

[Nihilation]

Can only speak for myself regarding the Michelin Pilot Super Sports. I just ran them at a track day this past weekend and they held up fine but it was also only 60-65 degrees out. That same day, another E92 M3 with the same size tires had chunking around the outside edges. Mine were fine. Not sure if it was their driving line or what.

[macdude357]

Just be careful with a square setup because the car will tend to be more balanced which means you can more easily get into an oversteer situation.

[elim11]

Originally Posted by dparm

Don't even bother with different track wheels/tires yet. Perfect your technique, then start upgrading stuff once you have reached the car's limits. Stickier tires will just hide your mistakes and promote bad habits.

A sporty street tire like the PSS, Conti DW, S04, etc will be just fine for someone new to track days. If you MUST get something more track-oriented, you can try the AD08R or RE-71, but they're pretty lousy on the street (noisy, terrible ride, wear quickly, bad in wet conditions, etc).

+100

[Fearce]

I chunked my PSS the first day on the track. I'd recommend not using them if you'll be pushing much.

[dparm]

Originally Posted by Fearce

I chunked my PSS the first day on the track. I'd recommend not using them if you'll be pushing much.

I did not have that experience with PSS on multiple track days. I will admit that as the session wears on they do start to fall off, but I never pulled in with terrible tire wear. Just manage your pressure properly and they can take it.

(FYI, this was on a stock M3, YMMV if the car is modded)

[macdude357]

Originally Posted by Fearce

I chunked my PSS the first day on the track. I'd recommend not using them if you'll be pushing much.

I've seen other posts that seem to support this. However, I ran Conti Sport Contact 3's for my first 3 track days without any issues. I did ensure to keep the hot air pressure to 38 or less. A buddy of mine ran PSS on his E92 M3 for a number of track days and auto crosses. His wife drove the car as well so it survived double duty without any issues.

Fearce, what was your hot air pressure on the day you chunked your PSS?

[Redd]

If you're looking to learn, start with as little grip as possible. For a newbie, starting a track driving experience with grippy tires like AD08R or semi sticks only helps to cover up your mistakes. Your first few years of tracking, you want those mistakes to appear so you can correct them. If you can be fast in a slow car, you will very fast in a fast car.

So I suggest you just use whatever tire you have. Upgrade only when you feel that your capabilities have exceeded the limit of the tire's grip. I've been tracking on PSS on my E92 M3 and I get decent times with zero tire damage. If you're chunking tires, your tires are probably under inflated, or you're over driving the car. But do bear in mind that the PSS are still street rubber and will get greasy when overheated, so give them rest periods in between sessions.

Good luck and have fun!

[aus]

The NT05's don't get much love here, but they're fine on the street and grip pretty well on the track and are pretty damn cheap too. It's not as much of a track tire as some of the more aggressive tires above, but I've run them in 100+ degrees and they hold up really well. They also don't seem to heat cycle out after a few events.
They have a few sizes with 140 treadwear that's suppose to be a little more grippy.

[M3 Pilot]

PSS is way more than sufficient for beginners.

Learn on street tyres because of it doesn't mask mistakes and forces you to drive smoothly. When you are able to drive 9/10th of the street tyre's limits confirmed by data than upgrade.

Yes street tyres will overheat if you push too hard but that serves as a good lesson for you to recognise the characteristics of an overheated tyre and learn to back off instead of use and abuse.

[Zulu Saffa]

Originally Posted by dparm

I did not have that experience with PSS on multiple track days. I will admit that as the session wears on they do start to fall off, but I never pulled in with terrible tire wear. Just manage your pressure properly and they can take it.

(FYI, this was on a stock M3, YMMV if the car is modded)

I have the same experience with PSS. Just completed my 2nd event at COTA this year on PSS and they are still in decent condition. I managed the psi between sessions and they held up pretty well for 85-90% of each session, and I was pushing as hard as I could. They would start to give a little towards the end of each session.

[Fearce]

Originally Posted by macdude357

I've seen other posts that seem to support this. However, I ran Conti Sport Contact 3's for my first 3 track days without any issues. I did ensure to keep the hot air pressure to 38 or less. A buddy of mine ran PSS on his E92 M3 for a number of track days and auto crosses. His wife drove the car as well so it survived double duty without any issues.

Fearce, what was your hot air pressure on the day you chunked your PSS?

I don't recall the details but tire pressures were being managed by the track staff racing driver (competes in PWC). The course I was running was quite short and made up of mostly left hand turns - I chunked the front right.

I solved that problem by getting some NT01's in a square 275 setup. They help me put down the power better as well.

[Dreamer99]

What hot pressures were you guys running on your pss tires?

[M3 Pilot]

Originally Posted by Dreamer99

What hot pressures were you guys running on your pss tires?

I run 38PSI but that's taking into account I do a 3 minute cool down lap before I get a reading. When hot, it should be slightly higher than 38psi.

This seems to be the sweet spot for me with 265/295.

Front Temps taken from the probe pyrometer typically reads about Outer:52 Centre:50 Inner:42.

Suspension is stock and not running much camber is probably why the inner is running cooler.

[Dreamer99]

I lowered my PS2's to 32/31psi cold and they ran about 40psi hot. You guys see any issues with the 100km drive to the track with the lowered cold pressures?

[Fearce]

Originally Posted by Dreamer99

I lowered my PS2's to 32/31psi cold and they ran about 40psi hot. You guys see any issues with the 100km drive to the track with the lowered cold pressures?

Why not take a pressure gauge and just lower them when you get there?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Dreamer99]

I just assumed it would be harder to dial in for that first session in the track. Highway mileage then sitting for maybe thirty or forty minutes before track time.

[dparm]

Originally Posted by Dreamer99

What hot pressures were you guys running on your pss tires?

I bled air after each session to keep them at the OEM pressures of 35F / 36R. This is also what I do on my AD08Rs.