Recommended tires with a 200 or more tread rating for the Optima Face-Off?

[mike343sharpstk]

Anyone have any recommendations on a good, affordable, sticky 17” tire with a tread rating of more than 200??

I was filling out the paperwork to enter the 2012 Optima Ultimate Street Car FaceOff at Road America and I got to the part where I had to fill in information about my tires, here is where the complication comes in...

The rule at the Optima events is that the tread-wear rating has to be more than 200. Turns out the Cheep Sumitomo HTR-Z tires I bought have a tread-wear ratting of 160.
This was a surprise as the tires are not especially great. I don’t think I can afford 4 new sticky tires by June 22, but in the event I can I’ll do some research now.

I was hoping to see how a garage-built Rambler would stack up against the competition. Plus this just seems like on hell of a cool event to participate in.

[Flash68]

What are your target sizes? (i.e. 275 front and 315 rear)

That generally dictates your options. 17s are what I run and NT05 are the sizes that work well. They have 255, 275 and 315s.

[Vegas69]

You could run exibition. Unless your car is extremely sorted and you are one hell of a driver, you aren't going to win. Get your feet wet with what you have and take it from there. That's my advice.

[Flash68]

Some people still like to see how they stack up against top drivers and cars (like the OP mentioned) and not still just get beat with your cheater race tires.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

You could run exibition. Unless your car is extremely sorted and you are one hell of a driver, you aren't going to win. Get your feet wet with what you have and take it from there. That's my advice.

Good advice...

[Vegas69]

Originally Posted by Flash68

Some people still like to see how they stack up against top drivers and cars (like the OP mentioned) and not still just get beat with your cheater race tires.

I guess I should have read his whole post. Seriously though, there can't be much difference between 160 and 200's.

[Van B]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

You could run exibition. Unless your car is extremely sorted and you are one hell of a driver, you aren't going to win. Get your feet wet with what you have and take it from there. That's my advice.

Not sure they allow exhibition only in Optima Events...

[Vegas69]

Good point.....

[mike343sharpstk]

I have tiny tires by comparison to you guys, 245's on the back and currently 205's up front (Could probably go with a 215). I'm limited up front because it has trunions

I've just read that Nitto NT05s, and Dunlop Direzza Star Sports are the hot ticket in Lemons racing.
Other highly rated tires acording to tirerack (And available in the sizes I need) are the Kumoh Ecsta SPT, the Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500, and the BFG G-Force.

When I raced motorcycles there were literally one or two DOT tires that were woth anything on the race track, is that the case in the currently available high performance auto tires?
There are just so many brands and available models out there, it's a bit overwhelming!

[SLO_Z28]

The new SCCA Road Tire classes allow any tire over 140TW and everyone runs the Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs. That tire seems to be the hot ticket in the smaller sizes like you're running.