Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tire?

[VIPORXXX]

Does anyone have information on the new Michelin tire???
This is the Hoosier replacement for all Viper Days events.
Any info on performance, pricing and useful life would be appreciated.

 

[Gavin]

Ted May has run the Corvette equivilant and has some knowledge I believe.
The tire is regular treaded on the inside half and groved on the outside half - grips like an SOB according to him. I guess those of us that run stock 96 rims will be talking to Purner if we want to run those tires.

Some talk of Archer having these tires available at Viper Days, Button Willow, Feb 22.

John Dearing has hired the rentable compe coupe for that weekend - am I looking forward to that performance.
Gavin

 

[VIPORXXX]

Thanks Gavin, but I thought the tire was more like a Hoosier or slick?
Any pricing and wear info.

Fast Eddie

 

[Gavin]

Asking the same questions myself - don't think the answers are availble to anyone yet.

 

[NCVCA]

I emailed you the 8 page detailed info sheet provided by Viper Days to Newsletter subscribers.

Jeff

 

[VIPORXXX]

Hey Jeff, Thanks for the 6 page writeup on the Cup Tire.
As a mentioned I hope Michelin can soon provide pricing and availability.
If they don't do it soon I'll buy Hoosiers

Fast Eddie

 

[pdmracing]

They are more like Toyo than hoosiers. I have tested them extensively on one of my porsches with mixed results. At last weeks club race @ sebring, Mich. engineers were supporting some of the cars there. One of the faster cars in my class switched from hoosiers to the Pilot cups & was at least 1.25 seconds off the pace of the hoosier clad cars. That car & driver are first class so I take this as a good example. The pilot engineers were all over his car after every session, so you can be certain the setup was correct. If you have a choice & want to win, buy the Hoosier. If you want to do track days & drive to & from on the same tires, the cup is a good choice.

Please note that these were cars with half the vipers power, so take my opinion for what its worth. Also search this board archives for other test results that I have posted.

 

[Marv S]

sport cup info thread click this

Tire Rack has some type of exclusive. Parts Rack is a distributer for Tire Rack so they can also sell them.

no 17" Viper size..........

 

[NCVCA]

I don't necessarily agree that the determining factor for selection of the Cup tire is based on driving it to and from the track. The Hoosiers run at Viper Days are street legal DOT tires so that is not a point for Michelin.

I am looking forward to the new tire and want to love it. I think the tires merits will take some time to be appreciated. It is supposed to last a LOT longer - maybe even three times longer. This has a lot of value and if the issue is knowing how to drive the tire - ie get heat into it, we could have just as fast or faster and more tire life.

I think only time will tell but Michelin supports the H*LL out of Viper Days and for that reason alone ALL my vehicles get shod with their products every chance I get. (Not to mention their street products are the BEST).

Jeff

 

[pdmracing]

I don't necessarily agree that the determining factor for selection of the Cup tire is based on driving it to and from the track. The Hoosiers run at Viper Days are street legal DOT tires so that is not a point for Michelin.

Jeff

My opinion is that its a good drivers ed tire, but if you want to win & you have a choice , there are MUCH faster DOT tires available.

 

[Sonny 00 GTS ACR]

I recently put together my racing budget for 2003. Figuring the cost of crew and transportation with a 2-car, full size race hauler, fuel, tolls, meals and hotels on the road, as well as all the anticipated car expenses including tires, fuel, pads, rotors, fluids, etc., for 13 races with ViperDays, I find that the cost of the Hoosiers is more than half of the budget. Again, this includes the entire cost of driving a tractor trailer more than 21,000 miles to and from the events.

I would love to use the fastest tire available if we had the choice, but I believe that ViperDays will be running a spec tire. For that reason, I think it will be a win-win situation if we can support Michelin and save money. (By affecting the most expensive part of the racing budget)

Goodyear slicks are faster than Hoosiers, but they're a lot more expensive so I'm glad we're using the Hoosiers now. I do like running on the Hoosiers, but if everyone is using the same tires it's all relative. The feedback so far on the Sport Cup has been favorable, so if they do in fact last a lot longer it would help everyone out quite a bit financially.

 

[VIPORXXX]

Hi Sonny,

My understanding of the Viper Days events are all cars are to run on
Michelin product except the Comp Coup which is spec'd with Hoosier.
If you race in the VRL like you do then I assume you can/will run Hoosiers
to be competitive. If you run in the Michelin Challenge Series (Timed,class events) then you must also run a Michelin product. Any other tire used at VD's
supposedly will not be timed. The problem or concern I have is NO PRICING and AVAILABILITY is currently available.

Fast Eddie

 

[Sonny 00 GTS ACR]

Hi Eddie,

What you are saying is absolutely correct.

The Michelin tire rule for ViperDays was written in anticipation of it being available, which at this point, as you know, it is not. Due to this fact, at Willow Springs, and also Button Willow, Hoosier DOT tires are permitted in the top two groups - Unlimited and Super Modified. However, you do have to meet other requirements such as roll cage, etc., to run the Hoosiers.

The VRL will run Hoosiers for the entire season and the issue will be reviewed again when the rules are set for next year.

My point was that selecting a tire that gives reasonable speed and control with possibly much longer life would help a lot to make our racing less expensive.

For the Michelin Challenge Series, I would plan on running Pilot Sports or the Hoosiers until you hear otherwise from Skip. Everybody's waiting on Michelin at this point.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Not all Viper Day car classes require the Cup sport tire. But if you do put them on or the Hoosiers you will be automatically placed in one of the upper two classes competing with vehicles prepped way above your stock configuration mentioned in your sig.

 

[FrankBarba]

I remember a few years back. When everyone wanted to love The Michelin Club Slicks. Waisted $$$$ down the drain. How can Michelin make a great tire for european racers and can not help us out here in the states? Maybe Toyo or Kuhmo can come on as an additional sponsor.

 

[Skip at Viper Days]

For a complete write up on the new Michelin Sport Cup tire just sign up for the Viper Daze newsletter. All you have to do is go to www.viperdays.com and find the sign up button on the first page. Click and follow the instruction.

 

[pdmracing]

As a spec tire I am sure you will get much more use out of the new cup tires. I have at least 6 track days on them & the last day alone I did 178 miles @ road atlanta with no signs of wear. Again these are on a 2700lb Porsche not a Viper. They feel like a cross between the Khumo & a shaved Toyo.

 

[Snake Bitten]

Here's a dumb question...

Can I use these on the rear of my RT at the drag strip?!? With my stock Pilots up front?!?

 

[pdmracing]

To buy them for drag racing only? would be a waste of money. They would work however.

 

[Snake Bitten]

To buy them for drag racing only? would be a waste of money. They would work however.

What do you call a $75K car that I only get to drive 4 months out of the year?!? An investment?


Dunno of any other 18" street slicks...for drag racing...

 

[pdmracing]

FUN!