Topic: rain tires.

Looks like it will be wet at least one day at NJMP.  We plan on running a new set of Falken Azena's. Are these decent in the rain? We also have a set of used (maybe 14-16 hours)  Direzza ZII Star Spec's.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

2 (edited by firegremlin 2017-05-05 10:22 AM)

Re: rain tires.

Yup! We had 185-wide Azenis on our Sentra at CMP and they totally kicked ass in the rain. We were totally (TOTALLY!!!) dominating during those 15 minutes when the rain was coming down hard big_smile

Honestly, anything that's not super-fat for your car's weight, with full tread, should work well. I'd keep Star Specs for the dry, they'll be nice for that.

Break them in (like, a few autocross-like runs around a parking lot) if they're brand new.

K Car Stalker

Re: rain tires.

firegremlin wrote:

Yup! We had 185-wide Azenis on our Sentra at CMP and they totally kicked ass in the rain. We were totally (TOTALLY!!!) dominating during those 15 minutes when the rain was coming down hard big_smile

Honestly, anything that's not super-fat for your car's weight, with full thread, should work well. I'd keep Star Specs for the dry, they'll be nice for that.

Break them in (like, a few autocross-like runs around a parking lot) if they're brand new.


Thanks we run a big heavy 84 Trans Am, the Azenis are used and are  255 40 17, the Falken's are 275 40 17.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: rain tires.

Yeeeeeah, 275-wide might be a little much, but still, fresh tread is better than a slightly narrower tire with half the tread left.

FWIW in my experience 245-wide tires are plenty wide for a heavy-ish car. These days you can even get them in 15" size, which really helps keeping your wheels light and your tire/wheel budget small.

We ran 225-wide tires on the Geo and, while grippy, it was downright boring. Tires ate up whatever little ability to accelerate it had left, and didn't add enough grip to compensate. On the Sentra, 185's produced identical lap times to 205's, and the car is way more entertaining on narrower tires.

K Car Stalker

Re: rain tires.

firegremlin wrote:

Yeeeeeah, 275-wide might be a little much, but still, fresh tread is better than a slightly narrower tire with half the tread left.

FWIW in my experience 245-wide tires are plenty wide for a heavy-ish car. These days you can even get them in 15" size, which really helps keeping your wheels light and your tire/wheel budget small.

We ran 225-wide tires on the Geo and, while grippy, it was downright boring. Tires ate up whatever little ability to accelerate it had left, and didn't add enough grip to compensate. On the Sentra, 185's produced identical lap times to 205's, and the car is way more entertaining on narrower tires.

well we are pushing 300+HP with a heavy nose so we wanted something a little fat to take those fast hard turns w/o slowing down so much.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: rain tires.

O:

I'm retracting everything bad I've ever said about 305's.

K Car Stalker

Re: rain tires.

firegremlin wrote:

O:

I'm retracting everything bad I've ever said about 305's.

yeah we are stupid.... the smart thing would have been to build a 350. here's our car last year at NJ, this year the motor is fresh and SHOULD have a few more ponies...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJQT9Zo0_1E

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: rain tires.

Which car is this?  It runs great.

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!

Re: rain tires.

Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

Which car is this?  It runs great.

1984 Trans-Am mighty 305 power!

http://i66.tinypic.com/34788eu.jpg

http://i63.tinypic.com/34j252b.jpg

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: rain tires.

I think I saw you Sunday.  We had the killer Tomato mustang.

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!

Re: rain tires.

Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

I think I saw you Sunday.  We had the killer Tomato mustang.

cool, Sat was a wash, we did about 25-30 laps, Nobody wanted to run in that mess. Would have liked more laps Sunday however we had an oil leakage we had to fix... On a side note our new brakes worked ASSSSSSUUUMMMLEY.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: rain tires.

I don't know why everyone was bitching so much on Saturday. My radio was full of people constantly complaining about how terrible it was. We had a freaking blast. I enjoyed Saturday more than my laps on Sunday. Even when the track got oiled at the end I just switched to snow driving technique and kept on passing people.

We were on the Falkens as well.

20+ Time Loser FutilityMotorsport
Abandoned E36 Build
2008 Saab 9-5Aero Wagon
Retired - 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby 2011-2015 "Lifetime Award for Lack of Achievement" IOE, 3X I got screwed, Organizer's Choice

13 (edited by Mr.Yuck 2017-05-16 10:15 AM)

Re: rain tires.

TheEngineer wrote:

I don't know why everyone was bitching so much on Saturday. My radio was full of people constantly complaining about how terrible it was. We had a freaking blast. I enjoyed Saturday more than my laps on Sunday. Even when the track got oiled at the end I just switched to snow driving technique and kept on passing people.

We were on the Falkens as well.

I think it had more to do with just sitting there, in the rain putting around the track.  Depending on your car (ours is a 84 Trans Am) you'd be better off driving your street car. We couldn't go more than 30% and any attempt to hit the go pedal resulted in excessive wheel spin Of course if you have a nice light FWD or AWD car things are different. our best on sat was 2:26...

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: rain tires.

I drove our 3.8 Firebird for about an hour Saturday and loved it!  No acceleration in the turns or it would result in a little sideways action, but gun it on the straights.  My lap times were about 50 seconds off compared to dry, but it was still a hoot.  Passing in the rain was very cautious but a great learning experience.  I still prefer the dry over wet, but do appreciate the learning of new skills.

Team Glue Sticks
00 Firebird, 02 X-Type, 93 NX2000, 00 Mazda 626 (Sold)
2016 NJMP Heroic Fix, 2017 NJMP Near Heroic Fix except we can't drive, 2017 Thompson I Got Screwed, 2019 Pitt Heroic Fix

Re: rain tires.

Mr.Yuck wrote:

I think it had more to do with just sitting there, in the rain putting around the track.  Depending on your car (ours is a 84 Trans Am) you'd be better off driving your street car. We couldn't go more than 30% and any attempt to hit the go pedal resulted in excessive wheel spin Of course if you have a nice light FWD or AWD car things are different. our best on sat was 2:26...

Well, your fastest lap was faster than ours in the wet. I managed a 2:27. Big heavy FWD car and I was laughing the whole way. I had so much fun in the rain.

20+ Time Loser FutilityMotorsport
Abandoned E36 Build
2008 Saab 9-5Aero Wagon
Retired - 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby 2011-2015 "Lifetime Award for Lack of Achievement" IOE, 3X I got screwed, Organizer's Choice

Re: rain tires.

Mr.Yuck wrote:
TheEngineer wrote:

I don't know why everyone was bitching so much on Saturday. My radio was full of people constantly complaining about how terrible it was. We had a freaking blast. I enjoyed Saturday more than my laps on Sunday. Even when the track got oiled at the end I just switched to snow driving technique and kept on passing people.

We were on the Falkens as well.

I think it had more to do with just sitting there, in the rain putting around the track.  Depending on your car (ours is a 84 Trans Am) you'd be better off driving your street car. We couldn't go more than 30% and any attempt to hit the go pedal resulted in excessive wheel spin Of course if you have a nice light FWD or AWD car things are different. our best on sat was 2:26...

I'm not gonna lie....I was nervous all week about racing in the rain.  I've never done it before and was even doubly nervous because I'm always first stint......but once that green flag dropped, I had a blast in the rain.  Our car is RWD and I was going back and forth with the Silly Nannies Audi all morning.  And I passed more than a few AWD and FWD cars throughout my shift.  Granted....you can't push as hard as you would in the dry, but that was part of the fun.  How hard could you push without going over the line.  Can you push to 32% while everyone else was only going to 30%.  I loved it.  River crossings and all.  Lol

Re: rain tires.

TheEngineer wrote:

I don't know why everyone was bitching so much on Saturday. My radio was full of people constantly complaining about how terrible it was. We had a freaking blast. I enjoyed Saturday more than my laps on Sunday. Even when the track got oiled at the end I just switched to snow driving technique and kept on passing people.

We were on the Falkens as well.


I actually totally agree.  Even though I wimped out and did not drive during the rain in Thompson, I had fun in NJ!  Different strategy, totally different feel, hydroplane racing can be fun!.  OK, you get wet...but better than the stifling heat at Thompson.  Being wet from rain is better than being wet from perspiration...and you smell better too.

And yes,  it was more fun than Sunday.  I had the last hour of the race on Sunday, and seems to me there were constant yellow, and white, and black flags, people spinning off the track, tow vehicles, etc.  Usually the last hour is fast and clean, and I could get into a really good, fast groove...but this was not...

But still, a great weekend!  With fantastic themes, epic builds and cars...better that some recent races I have been to...

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022