Track forum general chit chat.

[rhyary]

Originally Posted by fsmtnbiker

We won the wet skidpad at One Lap of America this year by a big margin on ECS. They're great in the wet, pretty good in the dry. I would say they're 98% of the PS4S performance in all situations. They're also a single compound across the whole tire which makes them a bit more predictable than the PS4S (which has 3 compounds across the tire).

I have learned something this year that I will have to take into account in 2022.

Starting the year early at LRP, NYST and PMP means two things. Temperatures and Rain.

I had three trackdays in a row in full rain. But not summer rain in 80f deg. Rain at 35f is not the same. At NYST until 12pm we were in snow.

So I think that I will be looking at the Ultra High Performance all season. This will do better in the rain and low temps.

What I wonder about is how these will do in the rain and summer. The ECS Plus is looking great for summer rain, but the BFGoodrich G-FORCE COMP-2 A/S PLUS will do both rain and low temp. Not sure about summer rain.

Anyone try these on the track?

[tsk94]

Originally Posted by rhyary

I have learned something this year that I will have to take into account in 2022.

Starting the year early at LRP, NYST and PMP means two things. Temperatures and Rain.

I had three trackdays in a row in full rain. But not summer rain in 80f deg. Rain at 35f is not the same. At NYST until 12pm we were in snow.

So I think that I will be looking at the Ultra High Performance all season. This will do better in the rain and low temps.

What I wonder about is how these will do in the rain and summer. The ECS Plus is looking great for summer rain, but the BFGoodrich G-FORCE COMP-2 A/S PLUS will do both rain and low temp. Not sure about summer rain.

Anyone try these on the track?

I think a good rain tires like the ECS is more than enough as a wet tire, regardless of the temp. It'll work in a much wider range of conditions than something like those BFG's and, at most, only give up a very small amount in the very wet and cold conditions. I don't think it's worth buying a set of a BFG's (or similar) for such a narrow range of conditions. Get something like the ECS's and use them instead. They'll work just 95% as well, or possibly better to be honest, on the cold rainy days. But much much better in the warmer wet days and if it drys out at all you won't be stuck on an all-season.

I've briefly tracked General AS-05, an Ultra HP all-season. And they aren't superior in the wet to a good High performance all season (think MPSS, PS4S, ECS etc.). In fact, on the same car I found the Extreme Contact DW (ECS predecessor) to be superior in the wet, even on a cold day.

[Bimmer Barney]

I just bought a set of 275/35/18 re-71r for $185 a tire on tire rack. They must have gotten more stock and appears to be much lower than normal retail price.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by turbo_joe

I will have a good comparison to the NT01 when we hit summit in June. I have pretty consistent lap times and know the track very well. Interested in seeing the difference in my times. People talk shit on the RR but I had no complaints at VIR, and can’t imagine going much faster my first time there without going to the Hoosier

The RR isn't grippier than a RE71, but it doesn't stop Spec E46s (no aero, limited lightening, 220whp, MCS 1W suspension, stock calipers/rotors, Diffsonline diff) from doing 2:07s with them at VIR

[tsk94]

The RR's are a great bang for buck tire is you're looking for something that wears very well, is decently fast, doesn't heat cycle out and doesn't lose performance over a session.

There are street tires that are faster, but then they either; wear out faster, only last for a few laps before a significant drop in performance or they cost more. The RR one of the best options for a new tire (ie. not scrubs) for lapping, HPDE or racing. However, as a competitive TT tire they don't make much sense. They are essentially a treadless NT01 and not a true 40tw tire, and were designed primarily for W2W racing. Very different from the new class of ultra fast cheater 200tw tires that are designed for AutoX and TT.

[StripclubDJ]

.

[rhyary]

Originally Posted by tsk94

I think a good rain tires like the ECS is more than enough as a wet tire, regardless of the temp. It'll work in a much wider range of conditions than something like those BFG's and, at most, only give up a very small amount in the very wet and cold conditions. I don't think it's worth buying a set of a BFG's (or similar) for such a narrow range of conditions. Get something like the ECS's and use them instead. They'll work just 95% as well, or possibly better to be honest, on the cold rainy days. But much much better in the warmer wet days and if it drys out at all you won't be stuck on an all-season.

I've briefly tracked General AS-05, an Ultra HP all-season. And they aren't superior in the wet to a good High performance all season (think MPSS, PS4S, ECS etc.). In fact, on the same car I found the Extreme Contact DW (ECS predecessor) to be superior in the wet, even on a cold day.

Thx
Good advice

Edit - oh the ECS has my favorite combination 305/30/19 and 285/30/19

Oh Boy this is $1300 idea

[Richbot]

ECS is a phenomenal do it all tire. And by all, I mean, really all, not just track stuff. But it does have its downsides on track, mostly just dry grip and soft sidewalls, but it comes back really nicely from overheating and your whole session isn't shot if you overdrive it as long as you take a chill lap or two to bring it back. Surprised the hell out of me when I was full-beans for several laps in a row and it started to tail off a little I was certain that was it but backing off by a couple seconds a lap and it jumped right back into the game. For a tire that is so so good in the wet and the cold and wet, I was pretty impressed

ECS, PS4S, etc. are not all-seasons though. No-go below 20f according to the manufacturers of those two tires

[tsk94]

Originally Posted by rhyary

Thx
Good advice

Edit - oh the ECS has my favorite combination 305/30/19 and 285/30/19

Oh Boy this is $1300 idea

If you're planning to use them primarily in the wet and only a bit in the dry, they should at least last you a long time.

[b4hand]

Originally Posted by StripclubDJ

.

got passed by a civic huh

[rhyary]

Originally Posted by tsk94

If you're planning to use them primarily in the wet and only a bit in the dry, they should at least last you a long time.

Yes.
But I already have 4 x RE050 285/30/19 for $134 a tire. How much better is the ECS than the RE050?

[tsk94]

Originally Posted by rhyary

Yes.
But I already have 4 x RE050 285/30/19 for $134 a tire. How much better is the ECS than the RE050?

I can't say for certain as I've never tracked the RE050's. But given how old they are, I'm sure the ECS is a big step forwards. Both in terms of wet and dry performance.

[fsmtnbiker]

In terms of wet performance, especially cold and wet performance, I don't think there's a tire made now that will outperform the ECS.

[rhyary]

Originally Posted by tsk94

I can't say for certain as I've never tracked the RE050's. But given how old they are, I'm sure the ECS is a big step forwards. Both in terms of wet and dry performance.

The 140tw RE050 was 2 sec faster than the 300tw MPS4S in the dry and was able to stay together until cording the outside.
The MPS4S fell apart multiple times on 1:38 pace at NYST. The MPSS i have on now is great!

However, both the ECS and the MPS4S are supposedly better on the street (I don't care about that) and better in the Wet (how much better?)

Depending on the pace - the MPS4S is not for HPDE day. At NYST it is fine up to 1:42-1:50 but anything faster is shredding it.

[kayha12]

Originally Posted by turbo_joe

I will have a good comparison to the NT01 when we hit summit in June. I have pretty consistent lap times and know the track very well. Interested in seeing the difference in my times. People talk shit on the RR but I had no complaints at VIR, and can’t imagine going much faster my first time there without going to the Hoosier

I think the bigger difference will be 275 square to 295

I just don't understand how bmw thought it made sense to put these skinny tires on this heavy ass car, meanwhile vettes and camaros come factory in the 300s. I know I went from 275 RR to 295 A7s so very unfair comparison but the car just felt severely under gripped on 275s

[Bartledoo]

Originally Posted by kayha12

I think the bigger difference will be 275 square to 295

I just don't understand how bmw thought it made sense to put these skinny tires on this heavy ass car, meanwhile vettes and camaros come factory in the 300s. I know I went from 275 RR to 295 A7s so very unfair comparison but the car just felt severely under gripped on 275s

Just remember how comfortable and nice to drive it is stock on shitty streets.

[Move Over]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Barney

I just bought a set of 275/35/18 re-71r for $185 a tire on tire rack. They must have gotten more stock and appears to be much lower than normal retail price.

Originally Posted by Bimmer Barney

I just bought a set of 275/35/18 re-71r for $185 a tire on tire rack. They must have gotten more stock and appears to be much lower than normal retail price.

Hot dog! They didn't have any 18" listed last night. Thanks for the heads up. Just ordered a set too!

[Ximian]

Overnight parts from Japa... Connecticut

[XKxRome0ox]

Originally Posted by b4hand

got passed by a civic huh

hopefully lapped the civic

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by b4hand

got passed by a civic huh

Well, that civic does run a 1:52 at buttonwillow. I'd get my shit pushed in by it as well.

[kayha12]

Passenger seat is out - kept this in for quite some time as I love and enjoy taking my students out for rides. However this pig needs to drop another 150-ish lbs so this was "easy" weight

Was genuinely surprised how "light" the sparco circuit 2s were, I had to dismount the seat from the side mounts, then the BK mounts/sub bar and side mounts I kept all together. I felt like the hardware/brackets/harness weighed equally or similar to the seat itself! haha

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by kayha12

Was genuinely surprised how "light" the sparco circuit 2s were, I had to dismount the seat from the side mounts, then the BK mounts/sub bar and side mounts I kept all together. I felt like the hardware/brackets/harness weighed equally or similar to the seat itself! haha

Yes, I always get the same impression.

Race seats alone --> this is so light!
Race seats with mounts --> this weighs the same as oem, WTF