Reccommend Me a Tire

The application:

1991 Ford Probe GL

• double digit WHP, transplant coming with ~300 WHP

• currently on 275/40/17F and 245/40/17R R888s

• 2625lb when last weighed at nationals, closer to 2600 now

• very front heavy, hence sizing

• predominantly autocross events, with Solo 1/time attack thrown in throughout the year

Needs:

• Similar sizing to current setup

Wants:

• Faster than the relic from the mid 2000s that is the R888

• Possibility to do double duty with track/autocross events like the R888

• Less-than-Hoosier pricing

• Full season life

Would be nice:

• can I drive it to and from the track? I think I'm asking too much.

Tires considered thus far:

• Hankook Z214 (C51? C71? input?)

• Toyo RR

• Toyo R888R in narrower sizes

I know I'm asking for a compromise. I don't really care if I have to change tires at the track. I just want something that will be workable at autocross and for 2-3 maximum attack laps in a row without completely overheating.

Go!

I'm surprised you haven't considered the RE-71R and Rival S, since it sounds like you only do short duration events. You need a tire that heats quickly to delivery maximum sticky for just a few laps, e.g. an auto-x/time attack tire. RE-71R (very precise but fairly peaky), Rival S (less precise but limit is less peaky), Z214 C51 (soft), Hoho A7 (rich guy tire). The RR is a road race tire, as is the Kook C71. That's all I got off the top of my head.

WildScotsRacing wrote: I'm surprised you haven't considered the RE-71R and Rival S, since it sounds like you only do short duration events. You need a tire that heats quickly to delivery maximum sticky for just a few laps, e.g. an auto-x/time attack tire. RE-71R (very precise but fairly peaky), Rival S (less precise but limit is less peaky), Z214 C51 (soft), Hoho A7 (rich guy tire). The RR is a road race tire, as is the Kook C71. That's all I got off the top of my head.

Sizing is my issue. 71-R only comes in a max of 255 in a 17, and not a particularly wide 255 at that. 255 as well for the Rival S.

I basically want a faster R888. Which is great, because the R888R is a thing, but they dropped the wide 17" sizes with the R888R.

You have the 'kook compounds backwards. C71 is the soft one. Can anyone comment on the longevity of the C71 Hankooks on track? Do they die as fast as A6/7s when tortured for a few laps?

Maxxis Victra RC-1

Available in your current sizes

Cheap

Holds up to abuse

Not streetable

Maxxis Victra RC1

I've looked at Maxxis briefly...

The only reviews I can find put the RC-1 as about even with top tier street tires. Seems like a mostly lateral move in performance, but without the streetability of the 888.

Anyone have personal experience with them?

Continental extremecontact sport's are a high performance street tire being released this month. Obviously not a lot of public data for them but the company did autocross them on a couple of BMW's in soCal. If you're looking to go top tier the Continental contiforcecontact's are a dot legal super high performance tire that rival the pirelli p zero trofeo and michelin pilot sport cup+, they are a little pricey.

Nitto NT555RII (same compound as the NT01) DOT-R's in 275/40-17 were good for track and autocross on my 3200lbs camaro. HAD NT01's on Integra RS as well and they seemed to work well and last a long time, street driving on them wasn't an issue (other than being paranoid about picking up a nail or other sharp object on track tires when used on the road, but that goes for any track tire). Not the best in the wet, but acceptable. The Nitto's/Toyo's take heat cycling very well.