Let's talk tire hardness and age

Um, on a fresh build? Run 'em. The first race on a new car is more or less a shakedown run anyway.

What's the tread depth?

We showed up to a race last year with about 4/32nd remaining, maybe 3/32nd in some spots.  They were pretty close to the wear bars in spots by the end but they performed well.

I knew it was a risk.  We would be in bad shape if it rained hard.  But it stayed dry and we ran all weekend.  The set of Z1s lasted just over 1100 race laps plus a couple practice sessions.

2011 is old for performance tires.  They won't be the fastest tire, but they'll work.

When I started, we were using the old Hankook RS2 bought on closeout.  Probably '07-08 date codes, and we ran them til '11.

BTW, Dave, I have that damned Salt n Pepa song running through my head now. Remind me to thank you for that at MSRH.

If this were CMP, I would say you are hosed.  CMP has become a tire eating monster, even for our small VW.  We would run Saturday, then swap front to back, and still have tires for the rear for the next race.  Now, not so much luck.  We wasted our LF by 3:00 on Saturday this last race while leading.   

We have run 2 year old used tires with 3-4 heat cycles (read that as we blew the tranny in consecutive races....) with durometer readings of high 70's and did not really notice too much of a difference.  Once hot, the durometer was much lower.  I did feel the tire was harder a bit, as when you got really hard on it the car would bounce on the asphalt a bit instead of sticking to it, but the lap times were close to our previous races.  YMMV on your particular track, how hard you are pushing it, and your particular setup.

As long as you kept them out of the sun they should be ok.  Sunlight and Heat Cycles will effect a tire more than just time.  Sitting in a dark room should make them last longer

I would bring some more as backup cause you never know when you might run over something sharp.

Thanks.  We do have backups that are 1 year older.  And we have a set of "rain tires" which are just regular passenger car tires, with 100% tread on them.

And my shop, where they have sat, has been completely dark 99% of the time.  Which is depressing thought on its own.

My philosophy is if you are questioning it, get a new set.

Old tires are unsafe. Old high performance tires that have been on a track even more so.

We bring at least two spares mounted on wheels.  These weekends cost too much money not to do it.

We get two to three out of a set. ECR is harder due to flat spots and tire spin, MSR is pretty easy on tires though.