Race slicks 101?

All my motorsports endeavours to date have required either street-tires or DOT race tires, but I'm thinking of building one of the Europas Prepared class. Unfortunately, I know nothing about slicks, common sizing, compounds, where to buy, lifespan, etc.

Where can I get an education?

The Tire Rack has a library of information. Hoosier has a lot of information also.

As far as I know the tire rack only sells dot's,at least they don't list a single non dot on their site.You can't go too far wrong with hoosiers but you must use the 25b compound for autox,goodyear offers slicks as well with their softest being a 160 but for really light car aren't quite as quick as hoosier.The goodyears I think will maintain their grip a little longer than hoosier which is typically up to 30 good runs before grip falls off.Avon offers all the same sizes but more options for usable compounds,the plus with the Avons seem to be more runs before grip fall off-bad thing is hard to get in north america and pricey.

Thanks!

Yeah I didn't find anything on Tire Rack, I'll search for Hoosier.

Would 1600lbs be considered too light for Goodyears?

In reply to petegossett:

That weight shouldn't be an issue with any of the three mfg's mentioned earlier.

There are still a lot of unaddressed variables that will affect your choice, i.e., class, wheel restrictions and what you'll be using, cantilever vs. standard sidewall design, if you have a co-driver, and how much money you're willing to spend.

Also, slicks have their own peculiar care and feeding regimen just like dot-r's, but different. They are just as sensitive to heat cycles and performance will drop-off even when there is still measurable tread.

For class I'm leaning toward XP, though still have plenty of research to do.

What the scoop on cantilevered vs. non, and bias ply vs. radials? How do I know which I want/need?

And just a general question, how does race tire pricing compare to DOT tires in comparable sizes?

Cantilevers allow you to put more rubber on the track when you are limited to a specific rim width.

For example, the EP Corolla I drove used mandated 13x7 rims and sported 20-9.5-13 slicks; that 9.5 measurement was for tread width. The sidewalls and beads are VERY stiff; expect curses and scratched wheels if your installer doesn't have experience with them.

The radial vs bias-ply debate is probably best determined by suspension design, testing and results from other competitors using a similar set-up. Oh, and testing costs more, too.

Cost for slicks will likely be another 25%+ over dot-r's but the r-comps are legal too and might be a good choice to start with.

Something else to consider: at least in SCCA Modified AX if you run a non-DOT tire you must also run driveshaft safety loops and a scattershield. Might not be a problem for you, but it's always best to read the rule book first.

Radials tend to need a lot more static camber than bias ply tires. Of course, this means digging out the pyrometer and testing.

There is confusion between DOT -R tires and race slicks. Often different construction. More compunds available on race slicks. Even different sizing method.