Question for the more experienced drivers....

[Noredline]

Hi, I have done 4 or 5 Viper Days events in my SRT/10 with run flats. I am going to move up to some Forgelines with Michelin slicks, or Hoosiers. Can anyone offer any advice, tips, or warnings on the transition from street tires to slicks. I understand that with no tread pattern, there will be less audible communication indicating loss of traction. What should I be aware of the first time out on the track? I am hoping for faster lap times

Thanks in advance,

Dave

 

[SylvanSRT]

track tires (and street tires) dont have traction till they are hot, more so with track tires. They(track tires) have little or no grip in the wet. Spend the time to adjust to your new found grip and handling before you go balls out with them. You should easily get faster lap times with track tires. With the higher traction will come faster corner entrance and exit speeds and better traction braking, all of which are a good thing as long as you have not given your self too much rope and know what yours and the cars new limits are.

 

[Noredline]

Thank you sir, I am told that the Michelins take a while longer to get hot than the Hoosiers. Great advice, again, thanks

 

[FlyBryViper]

Monitor tire temps. & PSI after every session. This will also give you an indication of where your alignment needs to be.
Also, retorque all the little bolts on your Forgelines after each event - they will come loose.
Lastly, keep in mind, at some tracks, slick tire cars take a different line from street tire cars. Experiment and seek advice from your local track instructors.

 

[GR8_ASP]

Ditto on the time to heat. Pressures also are quite different and the need to find the right pressure for both traction and balance.

The reduced audible feedback also means you need to have your other senses working well to ensure the tire limits are not overachieved. ABS helps a lot in that regard though.

Is your car set up to handle the higher G's? Especially the oiling system.

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

As some people are touching on. Slicks are much harder on the whole car overall.





2005 Silver SRT/10
2000 Steel Gray GTS (sold)

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Get a Compe Coupe oil pan, and you will need to decide what tire you plan on running. If you are going to do more Viper Days you will need to go with the Michelin, as it sounds like this is your street car. Either way, the car will hook up better and handle better, and as the Pilot Sport Cup is a DOT race tire it does still talk to you a bit. The Hoosier slick run in the Viper Racing League has alot less communication to the driver, but it will stick like glue.

Plenty of good info from all, and if you have just started it may even be preferrable to do another year on the run flats -even if you have to buy new ones.

 

[Janni]

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup is a compromise tire - not sure many folks are running them at Viper Days. the Michelin SLICK - however - is about as sticky as they come - WAY moreso than the Hoosier.

Understand that a slick will degrade fairly quickly after a few heat cycles - and that stupendous grip you had at the beginning will fade.... You have to be a pretty good driver to constantly adjust to the changing levels of grip.

Slicks stress every single component of your car more. You should look to upgrade your suspension - you're gonna need the adjustability for ride height.

You are also going to have to be more vigilant for stress on your upper and lower control arms, ball joints, frame, etc.

Your braking should improve, but will drive more heat as the tires allow you to get more g's on deccelleration.

If you go off carrying that much more speed and grip, it's gonna be WAY more dramatic.

I would say that unless you are running as fast as the Prepared folks on street tires - you shouldn't go to slicks. Get everything you can out of the street tires, then move on. The slicks can hide bad habits.

 

[ViperGMC]

I went form run flats to Sport Cups to slicks. The big thing I noticed was that though I eventually got better times, the slicks did not make me a better driver. I thought street tires were limiting me to really going fast, but I learned very quickly that it I was the limiting factor. You still need to be smooth and understand braking/corner setup. I have great admiration for the street tire drivers at Viper Days, they are the real drivers. The fast prepared and modified guys/girls on street tires are the target before going to slicks as Janni said. “Slicks can hide bad habits” is so true, I have a ton of hidden ones tucked away still.

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

I went form run flats to Sport Cups to slicks. The big thing I noticed was that though I eventually got better times, the slicks did not make me a better driver. I thought street tires were limiting me to really going fast, but I learned very quickly that it I was the limiting factor. You still need to be smooth and understand braking/corner setup. I have great admiration for the street tire drivers at Viper Days, they are the real drivers. The fast prepared and modified guys/girls on street tires are the target before going to slicks as Janni said. “Slicks can hide bad habits” is so true, I have a ton of hidden ones tucked away still.

Good point.
Skip Barbers 3 day racing school run street tires for the same reason.

 

[Noredline]

Wow, great info from everyone, yes it is my street car, and I did do the comp coup oil pan on good advice prior to my first track day at Willow Springs last year. Probably has already paid for itself by now, some good lateral g's on that track for sure. I have not done anything to the suspension yet, Motons will be next along with racing seats to keep me in the super modified class that I currently run (and need to stay in) at Viper Days. After your cumulative advice, I may be reconsidering going to slicks just yet, as I have only been tracking for under a year, and know for a fact that I am leaving time on the track due to inexperience. Thanks again for all the valuable input!!!