[s-cars] DE Track Tire Question

[Mark Underwood]

I'd say if you have that much experience, and can afford it, try the R
tires. It's been my experience that unless it is bitter cold (less than 40
degrees), you can get the race tires to work, and chances are it won't be
that cold at VIR in November, so I'd go ahead and try them. The worse thing
that could happen is that you won't get much tire wear
 
the "story" goes: I got invited not to participate after I had words with a
guy named John Sullivan who was running the school. He had brake checked me
just before the dip on the second uphill esses, and the guys running the
event didn't see anything wrong with that. I do, at any rate, have three
music gigs that weekend, Saturday morning, Saturday evening and Sunday
afternoon, so it doesn't look good for attending. 

I am going to be doing some sorting out of the car over next few months,
there is a suspension noise in the RF, the brake warning lamp is flickering
(I believe it I because the track pads on the car don't have the wear sensor
but the red bake lamp is flickering), I am running John Petersen's software
which is really top end and uses a lot of gas but doesn't really have a lot
of throttle response, etc.

Hope to see you at a HPDE soon in any case

 
 
 
Thanks,
 
Mark Underwood
(919) 782-3024

-----Original Message-----
From: Manuel Sanchez [mailto:manuelsanchez at starpower.net] 
Sent: Sunday, October 12, 2008 9:02 PM
To: s-car-list at audifans.com
Cc: mark at underwoodgroup.com; Wylie Bean
Subject: Re: [s-cars] DE Track Tire Question


Mark, 

I'm in the blue group, which I think is at least 15-16 track days. I've had
a good time with street tires to date but I am curious about the R compound
tires. I would NOT be interested however, if the roughly 1,000 bucks was not
going to be a big improvement over street tires at the cooler temperature
events I tend to get to (April & November).  If I ran a summer event I think
I'd likely make the plunge, besides I have a extra set of rims Rossatoing in
the basement.

Must be an interesting story "not sure the Audi club will have me back at a
track event", what did you do?


Regards,

-manny


On Oct 12, 2008, at 3:00 PM, s-car-list-request at audifans.com wrote:


Message: 1

Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:12:07 -0400

From: "Mark Underwood" <mark at underwoodgroup.com>

Subject: [s-cars]  DE Track Tire Question

To: <s-car-list at audifans.com>

Message-ID: <041001c92c85$465a5f10$6501a8c0 at mark>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"




Manuel,




I would make my tire choice based on your on-track experience: If you have a

number of events go for the "R" rubber. If you are at an intermediate or

beginner level, save your money and buy a used set of tires and put a set of

brake pads on the car. Don't use your street tires you'll wear them out

especially if they have any tread left in them, you'll probably either chunk

them or flat spot them (I did both at my first track event). Figure on

remounting your street tries and changing back to your regular pads the week

after the event. Starting out you will not get anywhere near the limit of

the car, you won't be needing the sticky rubber. Actually you'll learn more

about car control with a little less grip. Plus, the Audi events are run

pretty conservatively anyway and you'll be more than safe. On the other hand

if you are fairly experienced go for the R rated tires, you'll enjoy the

extra grip. 




I am in Raleigh NC and I was hoping to make the November VIR event with my

recently resurrected S6 but it looks like I'll be working that weekend and

not sure the Audi club will have me back at a track event.




Thanks,




Mark Underwood