Ultimate track tire guide | 200tw, 100tw, street-legal track and R-comps

Wait, so according to your chart and criteria you would choose Mich PS4S over Mich Sport Cup 2 connect for lapping days?? Really?

In reply to ZZWK24 :

A is the best, D/E/F worst like Letter Grades in school.

AA is better than A, AAA, is better than AA, and AAAA is better than AAA.

I think that's it.

If you choose "C" it depends in what category you are looking at.

If your Tire is "C" and Everything else is B/B-/A then it's the slowest / least desirable in that category.  Remember there are trade offs.

The Best Tire on the chart for a short AutoX session or setting a qualifying lap might not last 8 hours on an endurance Race.

Study The chart carefully and see what TW rating can be used for your intended use / application, then buy the best your budget allows.

Just a bump because some big tire news is coming very soon. 

David S. Wallens said:

Just a bump because some big tire news is coming very soon. 

That's exciting!

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

Très. 

That news absolutely delivered. I definitely look forward to the next round of testing. 71RS versus the A052 should be quite intriguing. 

In reply to Andy Hollis :

Can you add cold and hot tire pressures to the spreadsheet for each tire? Or if you have the data available in another format that is fine too. 

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

They do not have as much grip, hold up to heat, or wear as well the Ventus RS4's as driven on my 2008 Miata 225/45 17 on 8" Enkei rims. 

Nankang lists a couple of different tires on their website that I'd like to buy. But I can't seem to find them on sites like tirerack or discounttire. 

Any idea who is a dealer for these tires?

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

Phil's 

Captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

Phil's 

thank you. They also don't list the ones I want on their website but I can give them a call. 

Wow. This is the quintessential type of article that has made Grassroots Motorsports what it has become today. And good to their word, this article was just updated on April-19-2022. Kudos to them for their dedication and attention to detail. The embedded links in this article are a testament to the many hours and hours it takes to generate tire testing data. Well done to Grassroots Motorsports and please keep up the good work. Reliable resources for track tire testing have become almost non-existent. Very few magazines take up the gauntlet nowadays due to the expense and difficulty. Well done indeed.  I once subscribed to this magazine back when it first began, and that was over two decades ago if I recall correctly. Guess it's time to resub.

In reply to Dale_Gribble :

Thank you. We have a terrific crew. 

rsotak said:

Any feedback on the Hankook Z214?  Looking to get heat cycle information and overall speed versus R7

I've run them for a while. Compared to the R7, they're down in grip (maybe 1 lap per second around NJMP) but MUCH easier to live with. Less sensitive to camber and last for more heat cycles. Cheaper, too. I'm a fan.

In reply to David S. Wallens :
Can you tell us what information was updated - or added - to the May 29, 2022 edition of this article? I can't seem to find what's changed... Thanks in advance.

In reply to Dale_Gribble :

Are you looking at the date at the top of the page? If so, that's our web admin thinking that the article was changed even though it was just repositioned on the site. TL;DR: Nothing new at this point but more to come very, very soon. 

I have driven the Toyo RR and R888R, the RS4, the BFG Rival 1.5 and the Azeenis. Your observations are spot on.

What do you recommend for everyday tires for 2018 F80 M3  - if I wanted to drive it into the cold and wet weather  - Michelin PS A/S 4? or stick to MS Pilot Super Sports and drive my old e39 in the winter? I don't like to let a car like the F80 M3 sit from Thanksgiving to Easter.

I'm thinking of Nitto NT01 tires  275 35 18 front and 305 35 18 rear with  Apex 18 inch wheels for the same F80 M3 for track day use of about 6-8 times a year . Challenge is do the Nittos work okay on a damp track ( after the rain) ?

Thanks for a great article and one of the reasons I'm a subscriber.

I have driven the NT01's in a slightly damp environment and it was fine but standing water is basically an immediate NO from me. 

Just use the backup PS A/S4's for damp/wet sessions when the weather dictates. NT01's are fantastic for dry day HPDE use. Best there is bar none.

Any love for the GT Radial Champiro SX2? It's the 86 cup spec tire. Interested in trying it out but reviews are limited.

In reply to hunter47 :

Maybe? Lemme poke around. 

And we're discussing a few other future tire tests, too. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

Many thanks. 

I'm deciding between the SX2, RT615K+, or RS4. 

The SX2 has my heart in price and asymmetrical pattern (good for AWD rotations). The RT615K+ seem to slot right behind the RT660 in terms of performance but have the added benefit of being asymmetrical, worried that these will soon be discontinued though. The RS4 is tried and true but the most expensive of the bunch AND directional tread. 

In reply to hunter47 :

Yeah, RT615K+ and RS4 are known, trusted quantities. We haven't tried that GT yet. Interesting that it comes in 195/50R15 vs. the more common 205/50R15. (It's like 2001 all over again.)

Just a bump since the chart has been updated. 

Enjoy and discuss.