200tw tires for Track use

[Will_]

I wanted to start a thread for discussing all the different 200tw options and where they function best. I plan to pickup a set in either 255/40/17 or 255/35/18 once I purchase the Apex track wheels for next season. I will leave them on from the start of spring to the end of fall but don’t commute too much so NVH isn’t the highest concern. My current considerations/impressions are:

1) Dunlop Direzza ZIII: Expensive but often mentioned as being very streetable
2) Falken FK660: Affordable, but have heard they overheat quickly - better for Autocross than track use
3) Falken 615K: very cheap right now as I believe they’re ending production, good reviews overall
4) Yokohama A052: seem to be the “fastest” tire but wear quickly and expensive
5) Federal RSRR: cheap, fast, but wear quick and apparently quite loud.

I would be very interested to here your experiences/opinions on the different options out there and the best tire for someone who tracks 6-10 times a year but otherwise uses the car as a semi-weekly commuter.

 

[spaparizos]

I wrote in the thread I started, the A052s are like drugs. Addictive and cost as much . I used them at stock 225/40-18 sizes on 18x8. Really good grip, wears very fast (3 track days + 1 autocross). They would work better on wider rims, ie 18x8.5 for stock sizes, as their tread widths run wider than most. Also, they like camber. They are very comfortable on the street, similar to all seasons in terms of noise and comfort. Much better than RE71Rs in that aspect.

I just got falken azenis 615k, I can tell you how it goes in a couple of months after I get some use in them. So far they seem comfortable on the street.

I don't know how you will manage to fit 255s on the car without rubbing

 

[GTIfan99]

The answer is always Hankook RS4, but it looks like they paused or stopped production.

Good Year SC2 seem to have 200tw grip and decent life. Get on the One Lap of American Facebook page. No one tests tire on track more than those guys.

Some other options.

Nanking AR1. 100tw, but fast and decent life.

Accrlera 651. 200tw, There's a guy on here using them for time trials that swears by them, though I've seen terrible reviews for every other tire they make. Super cheap though.

There benefits to stuffing 255 or 265 under the fenders for autocross. I'll be staying 245/40 17 for track. Fit well, good grip, less expensive.

 

[Will_]

@spaparizos i may have to give the A052s a shot just as a gift to myself, I feel like I need to experience them at least once. Everyone raves about them. 255 can fit with sufficient camber, 265/35/18 is even possible.

@GTIfan99 I was looking at RS4s but yea seems like they’re not being sold anymore? Not sure what’s going on there.

I’m in between running 245s or 255s. Something about stuffing the widest tire I can reasonably fit under the car is attractive to me, but I don’t know if they’d be noticeably faster than a 245, and I agree that 245s are cheaper/more widely available.

I’m of the opinion your get what you pay for so Nankangs and Acceleras aren’t on my list at the moment. If they were a track-only tire I’d use them but being that I will be commuting on these I’d rather spend a little more for some comfort/lower noise.

 

[jdmwol2ks]

After reading this, I'm considering the Falkens even though I haven't bought my GTI. Pricing seems really cheap! Anybody have experience on how long they last? I'm curious if they wear more like RE71rs (like erasers) or more like RS4 durability.

 

[bfury5]

I've used A052 for autox only, and they lasted all of this year (which was only half of a regular year). As others have said they LOVE camber. Mine wore pretty well with -3.2deg, and that was a 245 on an 8.5" rim. Even with that, you could see how thin the tread along the shoulder was by the end (could see the shape of the cords under them). Probably 5-10 runs from cording them. I'll likely run the same 245 on a 9" wheel next year. They're definitely worth the price, but you'' wear through them much faster on track.

If it were me, I'd be looking at either the RS4 (or whatever the successor would be) or the 615K. The new 660s are more autox focused.

FWIW, the yoks were super comfy on the road, much better than the RE71R ever were

 

[MrFancypants]

Hankook RS4... wear like iron, great grip, and handle heat better than any other tire I’ve driven on track.

You can‘t find them for sale anywhere right now because Hankook sends one big shipment in the spring, and that’s for the entire year. They’ll be available again soon (not sure exactly when).

 

[GTIfan99]

Hankook RS4... wear like iron, great grip, and handle heat better than any other tire I’ve driven on track.

That's great if you can find them right now. Looks like they're out of production.

 

[MrFancypants]

That's great if you can find them right now. Looks like they're out of production.

Sorry, I noticed that mentioned earlier after I posted and tried to sneak in a ninja edit. I wasn’t fast enough.

 

[Will_]

I hope I can get the RS4s before late March, will be perfect timing for the start of the track season. They are well priced too @ $165/tire for 245/40/17. May have to buy an extra as a spare though in case I get a flat and they’re on back order again.

 

[GTIfan99]

I hope I can get the RS4s before late March, will be perfect timing for the start of the track season. They are well priced too @ $165/tire for 245/40/17. May have to buy an extra as a spare though in case I get a flat and they’re on back order again.

They were on sale for 140 back in March, I should have picked a set up.

 

[geokilla]

Vitour Tempesta Enzo if you're on a budget. Excellent grip and longevity considering how little I paid for them.

 

[Will_]

Just saw these today...look like a hybrid between Trofero Rs and A052s.. $205 a tire for 255/40/17, could be a nice alternative to A052s which I think are $225/tire at that size.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/f...tw-tire-on-the-way-nankang-cr-1/177946/page1/

 

[SouthFL_Mk7.5]

I made a thread similar to this about a year ago and I ended up choosing the RT615K deeply discounted by Tire Rack. They arrived the week before the lockdowns began and sat the whole summer. Finally got to use them this Fall at Homestead and they performed well. A bit more overall grip compared to the 220tw Pirelli PZero I had used earlier in the year and they really didn’t get greasy until maybe 25 minutes of hot laps.

Sunday evening after Homestead I took the RT615K off the car, thinking I had made a great choice and then noticed that the inner treads were severely worn compared to to outer tread on the front pair. I’m hoping to get one more track day out of them! Yes that bad. My alignment is -2 degrees up front with zero toe. The Pirelli PZero I had run at Homestead the Spring prior to lockdown and have 3 Trackdays on them dating back to Fall of ‘19 and are still on my car for daily driving.

I’d gladly sacrifice a bit overall grip for the added life of the 220tw PZero compared to the fast burning 200tw RT615K.

 

[burgerkong]

Vitour Tempesta Enzo if you're on a budget. Excellent grip and longevity considering how little I paid for them.

Yeah they're nowhere close to any of the tires listed in terms of overall grip or longevity. They heat cycle out quick as well.