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Thread: Preparing a Street(turbo) Car for a Road Course?

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Posts: 1-10 of 78
2012-06-14 22:48:02
#1
Preparing a Street(turbo) Car for a Road Course?
Hi,

This is kind of an extension of the brake pad thread but I was getting a little off topic.

I'm going to take my street b14 to my first road course event. I just wanted the opinion of some of the more experienced road coursers out there on what I need to prep for the event? I already have a list made, but not sure if it's complete:

- helmet (bought G-Force Pro Eliminator Snell 2010)
- tires, both track and street (bought Kumho Ecsta XS)
- brake fluid (bought EBC BF307)
- new rotors for track only (bought)
- pads for track only (bought Hawk 9012 Blues)

How about strut settings? I'm currently on Road Magnet springs with AGX struts. What would be the ideal settings for a road course on my struts? Any other advice? Am I missing anything in my prep list? Do I need to change the oil for the track event? Do I need a thicker oil? How about gas/boost? I was thinking of running about 12 pounds of boost and for 'safety' put a few gallons of race gas in at the track. I know the car will be getting pretty hot and don't want it to detonate, especially being a July track event. Not sure if this is a valid concern.

Thanks!
Last edited by gomba on 2012-07-02 at 21-30-20.
2012-06-14 23:11:56
#2
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2012-06-15 01:13:10
#3
Originally Posted by MCarp22
Don't order the DZ101s, they're *terrible*!

I've tried to save a buck on tires before like you're planning on doing, and it DOESN'T WORK. You need something track oriented with big tread blocks like the star specs, because regular summer performance tires will chunk all over the place. You'll end up getting less mileage / wear out of the more modest tires by trying to compromise like that.


Replying here..

I'm looking for a tire that's not too expensive and that I can use on the track AND use on the street afterwards. I don't want a track-only tire. Remember, this is my *first* track experience. I'm looking for a good mix between price/fun/safety. What tire would you recommend?
2012-06-15 01:15:07
#4
Star spec is best track/street tire out there hands down.

I got DZ101s for street tires on the Miata... I drove them up to Ohio for the track day and they were worse than terrible... Dry and wet. >110mph with sketchy tires was fun.
2012-06-15 02:03:00
#5
Originally Posted by gomba
I'm looking for a tire that's not too expensive and that I can use on the track AND use on the street afterwards.


Don't sweat it. Any of the "street touring autocross special" summer tires are going to be fine for daily driving use.

Pick a tire from this list:

Falken Azenis RT615K
Kumho Ecsta XS
Bridgestone Potenza RE11
Hankook Ventus RS-3
Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec
Toyo Proxes R1R
Yokohama Advan AD08

You'll be able to drive any of them all summer and do a bunch of trackdays without destroying them. A shitty tire like the DZ101s or something is just going to chunk from the heat* and you'll end up getting less life out of them.


* I had a set of Fuzion ZRi tires** and one trackday in the summer probably used up half of their tread depth, and what was left wasn't pretty.

** The same ZRis were FANTASTIC in the rain though.
Last edited by MCarp22 on 2012-06-15 at 02-06-32.
2012-06-15 02:07:03
#6
Originally Posted by wnwright
Star spec is best track/street tire out there hands down.

I got DZ101s for street tires on the Miata... I drove them up to Ohio for the track day and they were worse than terrible... Dry and wet. >110mph with sketchy tires was fun.


Any idea what target pressures are for the Star Specs?
2012-06-15 02:14:30
#7
Originally Posted by Blair
Any idea what target pressures are for the Star Specs?


I haven't run a set in over a year.... But I used to run them mid 30s (36 front 34 rear).

Everybody around here runs RS3 (225) or R1Rs (195 and not the 205) now since they seem to have the edge on performance for street tires.
2012-06-15 02:19:59
#8
Cool, I'll start there and see what I get.
2012-06-15 02:30:21
#9
Originally Posted by MCarp22
Don't sweat it. Any of the "street touring autocross special" summer tires are going to be fine for daily driving use.

Pick a tire from this list:

Falken Azenis RT615K
Kumho Ecsta XS
Bridgestone Potenza RE11
Hankook Ventus RS-3
Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec
Toyo Proxes R1R
Yokohama Advan AD08

You'll be able to drive any of them all summer and do a bunch of trackdays without destroying them. A shitty tire like the DZ101s or something is just going to chunk from the heat* and you'll end up getting less life out of them.


* I had a set of Fuzion ZRi tires** and one trackday in the summer probably used up half of their tread depth, and what was left wasn't pretty.

** The same ZRis were FANTASTIC in the rain though.


From that list, sorted by price, the Kumho Ecsta XS are looking pretty good. I'm thinking if these work out pretty good and I get interested in tracking a lot I'd upgrade in the future. Have you ever ran the Ecsta XS's?
2012-06-15 02:43:35
#10
Originally Posted by gomba
Have you ever ran the Ecsta XS's?


I haven't run the XS, but know a few folks who have. They love heat so you can really push them and not worry about them chunking, but they don't like water / rain at all.

I have always run the Falken Azenis since the very first RT215s back in like 2002, nowadays that is all that is really affordable for 14" wheels. My current set did 2000 miles round trip to the convention, 90 miles at nelson ledges in the rain, and 9 passes at the drag strip without complaint. I love 'em!
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