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Racing Slicks or Streetable Track – Part3

The last of my three part series about my experience with the differences between, street tires (Michelin Pilot Super Sport PS2 (OEM)), streetable track tires (Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R), and racing slicks (Hoosier R7) here are my previous posts (part1, part2). I had the Trofeo R tires heat cycled and shaved by Tire Rack, and the Hoosiers heat cycled before they shipped (how amazing is that!) The verdict in my opinion, the Hoosiers are superior to the Trofeo R, for my driving style, and the price is slightly better, so win/win. The Trofeo R’s were in my experience more direct on turn-in, very precise, I am running a completely stock setup, no coilovers, no camber plates, no sway bars (yet…), so changing that sensation/experience was not really in the cards. It was a night and day experience going from street tires to the Trofeo R, however I like the car a bit more loose it suits my driving style to let it hang out a bit more, and the Hoosiers allowed me to really experience, and play with the slip angle. The Hoosiers gave me more slip on turn-in it didn’t dart in, and this suited me, and made me feel immediately more confident. After a lap and a half the tires were warmed up, even in the colder weather. I will need to see how many heat cycles for each, the Trofeo R’s now have 7 cycles, and the Hoosiers 3 cycles. Overall I was able to lower my lap times by 10 seconds by going from street tires to racing slicks. I was able to get some very consistent lap times with the Hoosiers, 4 laps in a row of 2:38

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Shop for Hoosier tires at Tire Rack.

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Austin Schnell Fest – Day3

I found another beautiful GTB1 ready Cayman built by Elite Auto Innovations super clean, I hope that my car will turn at as gorgeous as this one!

Last day of the session more great help from my friends at TPWS got the tires swapped, and the car setup to drive on Hoosiers today. Drove on the Hoosiers R7, in the cold this morning, little nervous, but wow after two laps got them heated up, and they were even better than the already amazing Trofeo R’s, I was able to lower my lap time by a full 10 seconds consistently from my initial baseline lap. Used the Event Log Sheet from the Grassroots Motorsports Trackside Companion to keep track of temps, and pressures, I was warming those tires up really good.

Video from Session1

Video from Session2

Video from Session3

Shop for Pirelli tires at Tire Rack.
Shop for Hoosier tires at Tire Rack.

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Austin Schnell Fest – Day2

With the help from my friends at TPWS I was able to have a really amazing and unique experience this weekend. They helped me get tires to the track, get them mounted, and get them on and off the car. Then they helped me take, and record tire temperatures, and pressures. I can not speak more highly of this fantastic company, and family.  The Trofeo R’s are really good, had some great open laps, and was able to get some consistent times in the low 2:40’s additionally, I was able to get driver checked into the next run group, and have some fun getting spanked, and trying to manage the traffic, of the very fast white run group drivers.

Here is the video from session1:

Here is the video from session2:
 

Shop for Pirelli tires at Tire Rack.
Shop for Hoosier tires at Tire Rack.

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Austin Schnell Fest – Day1

Having a blast out at Austin Schnell Fest this weekend (see my previous post), I finally got some sessions with the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R, holy cow, they are amazing. This is part1, of a three part series: (part2, part3) I ran a baseline hot lap in the first session with the Michelin Pilot Super Sport PS2 OEM street tires, and then we put the Trofeo R’s on, it was night, and day, I took 7 seconds off of my lap time, incredible. I have been capturing data along the way, and we are putting the new tire pyrometer to use as well, with the log book. What a great experience. We are going to run the Trofeo R’s all day Saturday, and then switch over to the Hoosiers for Sunday. The crew at TPWS have been phenomenal, love working with them so laid back, and professional. Some pretty cool cars in the garages as well.

Here is the video from the first session with the street tires, lots of traffic, but I got to chase my twin!

Shop for Pirelli tires at Tire Rack.
Shop for Hoosier tires at Tire Rack.

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Racing Slicks or Streetable Track – Part2

Going to the Austin Schnell Fest next weekend, really excited to do three days of practice on track tires. Got both sets of the tires that I mentioned in my previous post: a set of Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R, and a set of Hoosier R7. Find my opinion on which tire worked best for me in my most recent post. The amazing folks from TWPS are going to help me get the tires to the track, and work with me, the car, and tires. We are going to do different sessions changing the tires in between. I also got the tire pyrometer that I talked about here, and will use the log book to keep a record of the pressures, and temperatures so we can compare it with the data. The plan is to run a baseline on street tires, then switch over to the Trofeo’s, for a couple sessions, and then the Hoosiers for a couple more, and switch back, and forth during the day and do comparisons using Harry’s Laptimer, and Circuit Tools. Really excited to learn with these new tires, and techniques. Planning to get driver checked from yellow, to white, and see what it would take to go from white to red run group. More pictures, videos, and data to come.

Click for full size.
Shop for Pirelli tires at Tire Rack.
Shop for Hoosier tires at Tire Rack.

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Trackside Companion

Just did another Track Night in America out at Harris Hill Raceway this week, it was awesome, I got to spend time with a bunch of great folks, catch up with all the amazing people that run the event, and drive my car like I stole it. They give you a pretty cool packet of materials, coupons, and other stuff, and this time the SCCA folks handed out Grassroots Motorsports Trackside Companion booklets. It is really helpful:

Lots of really useful tips about tire pressures, temperatures, suspension setups, I love it, very insightful for a novice/beginner such as myself. One of the coolest bits is in the back for keeping track of each of your events.

Next on my list of items to add for data acquisition is a tire pyrometer. Now I have a great way to keep track of suspension setups, and temps.

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