Upgrade from stock wheel help
11-29-2017, 04:26 PM
#22
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Low performance tires break away gently with much audible warning. They do this at lower speeds when the car is carrying much less inertia. Learning to catch a car and feel its breakaway characteristics and learning to dance on the edge of it breaking away is an imperative skill for track driving. It is much safer to learn at lower speeds with a tire that gives warning and breaks away gently. This is about learning skills and developing a feel, not being fast. Being fast comes after you learn how to save yourself and what it feels like when it goes.
After you have learned car control you can step up to sticky street rubber and find its limits. Then graduate up to slicks of you like. But if you find the limits of sticky rubber and have not practiced what to do you will be carrying way too much speed and inertia to have time to learn before you crash on many tracks. It's how many high performance cars are lost at HPDE's. The new Porsche/M3/Z06 is really incredible at adhering to the track until the moment it isn't and there is just too much going on too quickly in too small a space for a new driver who has never felt it get loose on the street to recover. It's about learning first, so you can safely be fast later.
And it isn't about skimping on performance brake pads. Don't do that. That's not what I'm saying. You need performance brake pads because stock pads won't survive a stock car at the track. The track demands better pads and fresh fluid. Even for a stock Miata.
After you have learned car control you can step up to sticky street rubber and find its limits. Then graduate up to slicks of you like. But if you find the limits of sticky rubber and have not practiced what to do you will be carrying way too much speed and inertia to have time to learn before you crash on many tracks. It's how many high performance cars are lost at HPDE's. The new Porsche/M3/Z06 is really incredible at adhering to the track until the moment it isn't and there is just too much going on too quickly in too small a space for a new driver who has never felt it get loose on the street to recover. It's about learning first, so you can safely be fast later.
And it isn't about skimping on performance brake pads. Don't do that. That's not what I'm saying. You need performance brake pads because stock pads won't survive a stock car at the track. The track demands better pads and fresh fluid. Even for a stock Miata.
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12-02-2017, 12:08 PM
#23
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Montreal, QC
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Performance summer tires are plenty for a track noob IMHO. Even my very aged S. Drives on 6" wheels were fun and predictable for the first season. Then I went to new BFG Comp2 - a 340 treadwear tire, and in my opinion was well matched to my FM springs. In fact, I predict that on those spring rates (about twice stock - which is less than half as stiff as actual track-quality suspensions), that more tire would start to feel unsettled on my current setup, even though it would undoubtedly be faster. The BFGs stood up to my 20 minute lapping sessions just fine, with just slight wear on the front outer shoulders after a few hours, something that I'm sure would be mitigated by running a bit more front camber.
As long as it's in good shape and not complete junk, run what you have. Worry about upgrading later if you want, but there's lots to learn and enjoy on even a stock Miata. I will agree that upgrading the brake pads and putting in fresh fluid will be required sooner rather than later, especially if you're running on a track that's hard on brakes.
As long as it's in good shape and not complete junk, run what you have. Worry about upgrading later if you want, but there's lots to learn and enjoy on even a stock Miata. I will agree that upgrading the brake pads and putting in fresh fluid will be required sooner rather than later, especially if you're running on a track that's hard on brakes.
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12-03-2017, 09:06 PM
#24
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Low performance tires break away gently with much audible warning. They do this at lower speeds when the car is carrying much less inertia. Learning to catch a car and feel its breakaway characteristics and learning to dance on the edge of it breaking away is an imperative skill for track driving. It is much safer to learn at lower speeds with a tire that gives warning and breaks away gently. This is about learning skills and developing a feel, not being fast. Being fast comes after you learn how to save yourself and what it feels like when it goes.
After you have learned car control you can step up to sticky street rubber and find its limits. Then graduate up to slicks of you like. But if you find the limits of sticky rubber and have not practiced what to do you will be carrying way too much speed and inertia to have time to learn before you crash on many tracks. It's how many high performance cars are lost at HPDE's. The new Porsche/M3/Z06 is really incredible at adhering to the track until the moment it isn't and there is just too much going on too quickly in too small a space for a new driver who has never felt it get loose on the street to recover. It's about learning first, so you can safely be fast later.
And it isn't about skimping on performance brake pads. Don't do that. That's not what I'm saying. You need performance brake pads because stock pads won't survive a stock car at the track. The track demands better pads and fresh fluid. Even for a stock Miata.
After you have learned car control you can step up to sticky street rubber and find its limits. Then graduate up to slicks of you like. But if you find the limits of sticky rubber and have not practiced what to do you will be carrying way too much speed and inertia to have time to learn before you crash on many tracks. It's how many high performance cars are lost at HPDE's. The new Porsche/M3/Z06 is really incredible at adhering to the track until the moment it isn't and there is just too much going on too quickly in too small a space for a new driver who has never felt it get loose on the street to recover. It's about learning first, so you can safely be fast later.
And it isn't about skimping on performance brake pads. Don't do that. That's not what I'm saying. You need performance brake pads because stock pads won't survive a stock car at the track. The track demands better pads and fresh fluid. Even for a stock Miata.
I did an 'autocross' on all seasons because that's all I had at the time. I was very very very slow but it was friggin hilarious. I had a blast getting sideways without meaning to and I had to catch the car a lot. I had 0 experience doing that, so it was a good environment to do that in.
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