Cal Club Autocross Forums

Good day!

Picked up my miata earlier this week and we are hoping to make it out to our first event soon. My wife just went to the ladies school and is hooked. However, I can't justify getting new tires at our skill level or budget limits.

If you, or someone you know, has a set with some life left in them, two novices would be grateful.

Best Regards,

-Shields and Liz

Why not run a street tire class?

Tell us about your Miata... year, package, mods etc.

Its a stock 95 with leather package. So far my only modification is removing the wood dash kit.

I believe STR would be the next class up that runs street tires, as the LSD would not meet the requirements for STS. But I could be missing something.

SK2 (Stock on street tires)- that's where you want to be I think:)

Max Hayter wrote:SK2 (Stock on street tires)- that's where you want to be I think:)

Yep Max is right for once
There is also a Novice class, but i am not sure about the SK2 index and novice class.
Someone will chime in and give you the skinny on the Novice class.

PS run the tires that are on the car now till they are bald.

SK2 = E-stock on street tires - plus the other "low horsepower" stock classes (CS, DS, ES, GS and HS) all combined together and running against each other based on pax.

SK1 = SS, AS, BS and FS

Thanks for the quick responses!

Not so sure having dedicated street tires would be any more cost effective as I couldn't risk the DD tires.

Still, something to consider for sure. Should see us on the 11th regardless.

Shields Hull wrote:Thanks for the quick responses!

Not so sure having dedicated street tires would be any more cost effective as I couldn't risk the DD tires.

Still, something to consider for sure. Should see us on the 11th regardless.

Yeah! Don't be scared of the SCCA stock classes that generally run R-compounds. Your car is a good choice for E-Stock, one of the most economical and arguably the most stable class in the stock category.

Besides R-comps are way more fun (or so I'm told ;) )

If you run novice, you'd run as E Stock.

I've never driven on R comps before, but as it's been explained to me, you're better off learning how to autocross on street tires, as R-comps have so much grip they hide some things you're doing wrong. You can get a set of autocross-only "street" tires for pretty cheap. I just bought a brand new set of Hankook RS3s (225/45-17) for $504. If you don't shave them, they should last all season. Then you wouldn't have to risk your DD tires.

Tom Denham wrote:

Max Hayter wrote:SK2 (Stock on street tires)- that's where you want to be I think:)

Yep Max is right for once
There is also a Novice class, but i am not sure about the SK2 index and novice class.
Someone will chime in and give you the skinny on the Novice class.

PS run the tires that are on the car now till they are bald.

I highly recommend running the novice class. One well your competition is dirverse, they are in theory all newbies, so your all going up the learning curve together. 2nd and I am a prime example it's your best chance to get a trophy. I still don't know how, but I actually won 1 event and placed second in the most recent, both of which earn a trophy and I am currently (until the new standings comeout) 4th in points. No way that would happen with my running in BSP.

The only downside with Novice is you have to wait until the end of the day after the last runs to know who won. Also since everything is handicapped best scratch time doesn't always equal a win, so when your out running you don't know in real time what you have to push for, you can only do your best.

Kurt Rahn wrote:If you run novice, you'd run as E Stock.

I've never driven on R comps before, but as it's been explained to me, you're better off learning how to autocross on street tires, as R-comps have so much grip they hide some things you're doing wrong. You can get a set of autocross-only "street" tires for pretty cheap. I just bought a brand new set of Hankook RS3s (225/45-17) for $504. If you don't shave them, they should last all season. Then you wouldn't have to risk your DD tires.

I was told the same thing, tried it, don't believe it anymore. I have run the last 6 events on used R Comp and the performance is night an day. But the reason I don't buy the learn on street tires anymore is that my driving style is completely different between the two. I would never attach corners and transitions the way I can now and I spend more time on strategy and technique than hanging on to the car. Before I tried R Comps I thought street tires were fun, now I would much rather have my R comps.

Having said that run what you have it's better than not running.

Arthur Grant wrote:Having said that run what you have it's better than not running.

Thats the plan!

Just got a good deal from Tire Rack on some Star Specs for regular duty, and they should be more than sufficient for a weekend or 2 until I can come across a set. Difficult to find many good tires that will fit a 14".

Shields Hull wrote:Thanks for the quick responses!

Not so sure having dedicated street tires would be any more cost effective as I couldn't risk the DD tires.

Still, something to consider for sure. Should see us on the 11th regardless.

Star Specs make pretty decent DD tires, and there's really not much risk in running them at an auto-x, aside from accelerated wear. BTW, I'll be out there on the 12th with a '94 Miata on the 14" Star Specs.