are slicks allowed on trackdays?

[poshgit]

....as the title says - do most tracks allow them, and is it down to the event organisers or the actual venues - i appreciate that they wouldn't let you near the track if it was wet but what about in the dry?

my car, by the way, is a standard (stripped out) road car.

[chilled]

most won't allow slicks without rollover protection: ie roll-cage.

However semi slicks, a la Toyo R888's and Yoko AO48's are ok.

[poshgit]

thanks for that advice. i have a roll cage so should be ok on that front but am interested in trying to source a set of part worn Toyo R888's and Yoko AO48's as they seem to be coming up regularly on the forum as a recommendation and maybe it would be better to go for them first to see how i get on.

[chilled]

Why part worn? I'll start by saying I've not used either of those tyres, but most tyres when they're worn get to harder, less grippy rubber. The rubber is what keeps you out of the arnco, so isn't something worth skimping on.

The main advantage of R888's et al, is that they're road legal too.

[Tim S]

chilled said:

most won't allow slicks without rollover protection: ie roll-cage.

However semi slicks, a la Toyo R888's and Yoko AO48's are ok.

I have never seen this stipulation at a track day. In my experience track day organisers will happily let you out in the wet on slicks if that's what you're fool enough to want to do.

poshgit said:

i have a roll cage so should be ok on that front but am interested in trying to source a set of part worn Toyo R888's and Yoko AO48's as they seem to be coming up regularly on the forum as a recommendation and maybe it would be better to go for them first to see how i get on.

Not sure about R888s but A048s can go off when part worn so you'd probably be better buying new. They don't last all that long on the track anyway.

What car is it? If it's a Caterfield CR500s are popular.

[chilled]

Well bookatrack definitely stipulate roll over protection when using slicks, in the wet or dry.

[clubracing]

I wouldnt use slicks on a trackday car. The grip from slicks is much greter than road tyres, so that the suspension components cannot take the increased loads. Road car based racing cars that run slicks, even with strengthend racing components still need huge amounts of maintainance to run them. Wheel bearings need changing after every meeting and stub axles require regular replacement as it is not uncommon for these to break, suspension bushes and joints need replacing, the list goes on. The wear rate on all parts of the car increases dramatically despite getting far less track time from one race meeting than you do on a full trackday.

I would just stick with tyres like the toyos or yokohamas.
Besides, you may get bored with slicks beacuse you could end up with far more grip than the car can use.

[Tim S]

chilled said:

Well bookatrack definitely stipulate roll over protection when using slicks, in the wet or dry.

Fair enough - don't think I've ever done a track day with bookatrack. I've certainly seen non-caged cars out on slicks before.

[poshgit]

thanks for all the info chaps.
i think i'll give slicks a miss for now - that info about extra/unseen wear on suspension/steering geometry etc is something i had not factored in.

[VTECMatt]

Just on the wear and tear thing when using slicks it is higher than normal, but I replaced one wheel bearing and thats it in 20 trackdays on them (Civic) I guess it is dependant on car and driver as much as anything else.

The one thing I found was having to upgade components due to the extra grip, stiffer bushes, arb's, spring rate's, bigger brakes, the gearbox and clutch took a bigger hammering and so do you the driver really tired me out.

[Durabang]

Easytrack will let you use them in the dry as long as they are in good condition - was at Cadwell last week with them - plenty of tin tops with slicks on and plenty of Westileds with RAC tpe roll over bars on - Not full cages.

[rallycross]

clubracing said:

I wouldnt use slicks on a trackday car. The grip from slicks is much greter than road tyres, so that the suspension components cannot take the increased loads. Road car based racing cars that run slicks, even with strengthend racing components still need huge amounts of maintainance to run them. Wheel bearings need changing after every meeting and stub axles require regular replacement as it is not uncommon for these to break, suspension bushes and joints need replacing, the list goes on. The wear rate on all parts of the car increases dramatically despite getting far less track time from one race meeting than you do on a full trackday.

I would just stick with tyres like the toyos or yokohamas.
Besides, you may get bored with slicks beacuse you could end up with far more grip than the car can use.

not sure where you are getting this info from?
having driven all sorts of cars on track, and put slicks on a fair few of them, I've never had any problems, bear in mind we are only talking about track days' here, I suspect you are massively exaggerating this potential problem....

[D_G]

I run 048s on my track car, the're not that expensive actually. Grips great even in damp conditions but when fully wet
Mine have done two sprint seasons and still have some life left.

Dave

[924racer]

clubracing said:

I wouldnt use slicks on a trackday car. The grip from slicks is much greter than road tyres, so that the suspension components cannot take the increased loads. Road car based racing cars that run slicks, even with strengthend racing components still need huge amounts of maintainance to run them. Wheel bearings need changing after every meeting and stub axles require regular replacement as it is not uncommon for these to break, suspension bushes and joints need replacing, the list goes on. The wear rate on all parts of the car increases dramatically despite getting far less track time from one race meeting than you do on a full trackday.

i agree, even racing on R888's is causing stub axles, wheel bearings and trailing arms to need regular maintainance/replacement, so slicks would cause even higher rates of wear.

[NJH]

924racer said:

clubracing said:

I wouldnt use slicks on a trackday car. The grip from slicks is much greter than road tyres, so that the suspension components cannot take the increased loads. Road car based racing cars that run slicks, even with strengthend racing components still need huge amounts of maintainance to run them. Wheel bearings need changing after every meeting and stub axles require regular replacement as it is not uncommon for these to break, suspension bushes and joints need replacing, the list goes on. The wear rate on all parts of the car increases dramatically despite getting far less track time from one race meeting than you do on a full trackday.

i agree, even racing on R888's is causing stub axles, wheel bearings and trailing arms to need regular maintainance/replacement, so slicks would cause even higher rates of wear.

2 guys in the 944 trackday community have had serious accidents caused by mechanical failure which in turn was caused by the too high a stress put on the car. Lucikly no injuries. One guy had a snapped ball joint the other total brake failure. This is making me think that a track special 944 really needs full cage.

[EDLT]

I wonder what happens if you put slicks on a 2CV, think of the lean!

[NJH]

EDLT said:

I wonder what happens if you put slicks on a 2CV, think of the lean!

I imagine that looking at the road through the side window will be quite exciting until you then realise that the side window is one the road then it will be terifying.