Best tires (NON drag radial) for summer driving and drag racing?
 

When I bought my IROC, it came with BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires. I'm going to need new tires by spring, and I'd like to go with a tire that offers good all-around handling but is also decent for some mild drag racing. It seems like my BFGs are made of some really stiff compound... it's hard to hook up at the track unless I'm real easy with the gas. I can't even get smoke when I burn out. What tire would satisfy my needs? I've heard really good stuff about the BFG g-force KDWs, but how would those perform while drag racing?

i like the Bridgestone Potenza RE730

NITTO NT 555 Extreme ZR

Any brand tires with a cmpetition make up (BFG Comp T/A) are going to have a softer compound. I've seen these work good at street races, but at the track any radials are gonna fry big time. Even the guys that run that class that require Drag radials kick the power down via ignition timing so they can hook.


FYI I run ET Streets but my car is just a toy and not driven unless conditions are perfect:)

Is that why the Radial T/As that I have right now are so hard to heat up? Therefore, I'd want a softer compound for the track, right? (But, not so soft that I'd lose my handling capability)

you can't have the best of both worlds....

the best tire you can get for the street with the occasional track time is the michelin pilot....second would be the toyo....third would be bfg....then nitto and finally potenzas.

i wouldn't consider any of the others.

Hey StreetRCR, I can visualize your 82, man I love the pace car edition, and the thought of a solid lifter small block in it has to be extra sweet. any pixs?

Kandied91z, what style of Michelin Pilots are you referring to? There are three flavors (in my size: 245/50/16): Sport, Sport A/S, and XGT H4. They vary from $250 to $150 per tire.

Also, could you elaborate on the Toyo tires you speak of?

Sorry, SLP-GTA no pics yet. I'm not that computer literate, but I'm working on it. I've talked to people that run Drag radials and they say performance isn't real affected by how much heat you put to them. I can't however speak from personal experience. I wish someone would make a radial that hooked. It would make things a lot more stable at the big end.:(



PS--I did a lot of research before I bought my tires and in the end I just went with what worked best at the track on similar cars---
Mickey Thompson ET Streets 26*11.50*15 on 10 inch Draglite in the stock wheelwells. The don't stick out and there is plenty of room---It almost looks like I could go wider:D

the tires i had were 245/50/r16 michelin pilot xgt h4's. i would have loved to have the pilots just like now if i could justify the high expense. :(

the xgt h4's were excellent. like i said i had them for over 5 years and loved them in everyway possible. it might have been nicer to have a more aggressive z rated tread pattern; but money wasn't there at the time. either way i cannot complain as they were great. i would buy them in a heartbeat if i had the 16's again.

as far as toyo....toyo tires are kind of a bigger name in import aspect because they come on their supercars. they have just started to be picked up by some of the better made american vehicles which is why they are such a nice deal. the t1sc is the model that i just bought which has a really aggressive tread pattern that rides as smooth as my old michelins.

unfortunately they aren't michelins....but, if i have to have something else these are it.

i'll get pictures up in 4 weeks or so when the car is done. good luck in your choice.

Ok WUPTHIS
 

give us the spec on this ALL motor, I am thinking you have a DZ302:D

and if you do:p

Without getting to specific. My motor is a 400 small block .040 over. I have aluminum heads, pump gas compression, forged pistons, single plane intake, and a Holley 830 race carb. As for my cam, lets just say it's a bottom of the page grind. All that runs through a TH350 with a 3500 stall (no brake) and 4.10 gears. That should answer your question, at least without posting my build sheet. I have already met people on this web site that live by me and if I give to much info out it 'll be hard to take their money next year:D