Road tyre options for track?

[boxsey]

I've been using Toyo R888s for quite a few years now and have always been happy with how they work on dry and to a certain extent, damp tracks. I can put up with the noise they make on the road and just drive to the road conditions when it rains. However, I've become increasingly frustrated at them being useless on a very wet track. I've had to sit out a couple of wet days recently because the tyres simply wouldn't cope with the conditions. Most notably at Castle Combe last Friday (did half dozen low speed sideways laps).

As I have to drive to and from the track on the tyres because I can't carry spare wheels, I'm thinking of changing to a more road biased tyre. I accept that I'll miss the dry grip of the 888s but I'd rather sacrifice some grip for the ability to still make it out on track when it's wet (and stay on the black stuff ).

So, what road biased tyres have you used on track that work in both wet and dry?

Track car is a Porsche 964C2 and the usual tyre sizes are 225/45/17 at the front and 255/40/17 at the rear if that matters?

[boxsey]

AD08Rs could indeed be worth looking at. From the promo stuff I've read they seem to fall right between a track tyre and a road tyre.

I really like what I've heard about the Michelin supersports but as with many of the newly developed tyres they only appear to be available in 18 inch size and upwards.

[boxsey]

LaSource said:

Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s...everytime.

Great for both dry and wet...and great wear rates too...

I hear they are a huge step forward over the original cup but unfortunately yet another newly developed tyre that they only make in 18 inch and upwards (mine are 17 inch).

There was a 991 GT3 there on Friday which was presumably on cup 2s.....he looked to be struggling in the conditions too. Although I will admit that the conditions were very extreme that day!

[boxsey]

braddo said:

Like I said, I was surprised how well the Contis held up in the dry, and they were very effective on a sodden track. But it's probably a moot point when it appears that the AD08R is available in the sizes Boxsey wants.

All suggestions welcome . I use conti SC2 tyres on my road wheels so was interested to hear your thoughts on the new SC5 but a quick search showed that the 255 40 17 rears are not available.

[boxsey]

NJH said:

Honestly Andy I don't know as you are in a unique place. I ran Continentals on my old SAAB 9-5 a few years back and only got 6k miles out of them from normal road driving. On the 968 I had Yokohama AVS, really liked those tyres a lot (came from Boxsey funnily enough) but they only lasted about 4.5k purely road miles many of those driven by my wife. As you're tyres wear down they usually tend to wear less so with only half tread and 2k miles you're well on course to get more miles on track out of those tyres than we managed from pure road driving in a 968 shod with Yokohamas. I think their AD08 is probably the perfect answer to this question for those who can't get the other new tyres in their sizes, the Yokos tend to have mega stiff sidewalls so cars like our old 968 on stock suspension was much sharper and solid in the handling department and this in turn got more out of the tyres. I am big fan of Yokos.

He he...I remember those wheels and tyres. Hope you're well mate.

Those tyres were great in the wet. Helped a lot by them being 16s and narrower I think.