I remember when the talk at driving schools was about the hot, new "plus one" tire concept from Pirelli and the oohs and aahs that the P6 and P7 generated. Just about the same time, a small Japanese company called "Yokohama" came along with a nifty tire called the A-001R that was unbelievably quick. And somewhere along the way, Yokohama offered tires marked left and right and A and B with directional arrows which needed to be mounted differently if you were using them on a front drive or rear drive car.

BF Goodrich joined the scene early too. But the original Composition Traction/Advantage was famous for chunking, especially on heavier, high horsepower cars like Camaros and Mustangs. You see, in those days, we didn't know much about shaving tires and heat cycling was a term you used only at the laundromat. But times and technology changed.

Right through the middle '90s, the king of the road was the BF Goodrich Comp T/A R1. It was a fine performing DOT-R tire in the dry, especially when properly heat cycled and shaved, and an excellent wet tire at or near full tread depth. It was also a tire that folks liked to run at very low tire pressures. But the R1 was famous for one quality and infamous for a second. The R1 gained notoriety because its unusual construction (i.e., differential sidewall spring rates) caused the tire to flex under cornering forces in a way that had the effect of dynamically increasing a car's negative camber. This was an extraordinary bonus for cars not purpose-built for the track. It meant that the tire was more likely to run across its full width when cornering rather than the contact patch being moved to the outer edge of the tire. It became the tire of choice among driving school participants and enjoyed popularity among club racers, especially those competing in stock classes.

The effect of the asymmetrical side wall construction on the R1 coupled with the tendency to run the tires at low pressures resulted in a wear problem which was lovingly referred to as the "groove of doom". Sometimes a ring would start forming around the tire, just about in the center of the tread. You could watch it grow as you continued to use the tire; that was where the tire cord would start to show, well before the outside edge was worn through.

In a move that stunned many "TEAM T/A" members, BFG announced more than a year ago that they would stop production of the R1. It is now replaced by the new g-Force T/A R1 which does not have the asymmetrical sidewall construction of its predecessor and therefore the new tire offers no special camber correction.

Production problems attributed to the building of a new plant by BFG meant that all DOT-R tires in some sizes were in short supply by the end of the 1998 season. However, this is not expected to be a problem in 1999 as I was assured by suppliers and distributors.

This article is a brief review of the DOT-R competition tires which will be used by experienced driving school enthusiasts and BMW CCA Club Racing competitors this season. Novice and intermediate driving school students should avoid using these tires until they have refined their skills. I focus on radial tires but it is worth mentioning that some folks have success with bias ply tires from Goodyear and especially the Hoosier Street TD. Furthermore, I do not get into the hardcore world of racing slicks.

This is a selective and subjective review. I was unable to locate a comprehensive and objective test of the available tires. I relied instead on my own observations, the opinions offered to me by club racers, and the judgments of tire experts. At the same time as I was preparing this article I ran across an e-mail message from James Pettinato posted to the E30 M3 listserv which I also drew on especially as confirmation of a few of the facts and opinions expressed herein.

I begin by covering a few of the basics about the care and feeding of competition tires. This should be of assistance to driving school enthusiasts as well as those who are just taking the plunge into the world of competition. At the same time, I think I've found a few tidbits that even the veteran racers will find useful. Next is a comparison of the tires followed by comments from BMW CCA club racers. I hope you learn and enjoy.

All the tires described in this review are radials which meet or exceed the minimum standards for a passenger tire as set by the United States Department of Transport (DOT). DOT standards provide a speed rating, wear rating, traction rating, and temperature rating. A DOT rating means the new tire is certified legal for street use. But a DOT rating is not a recommendation that a competition tire should be used regularly on the street. Most, if not all of them, should not be used on the street since they wear quickly, the tread is soft and easy to cut or puncture, and the tire may not be particularly good in the wet, especially at shallow tread depths. The tread depths on the competition tires range from 3/32" to 8/32" when new; the treadwear ratings range from 00 to 60. In comparison, a performance street radial might have a tread depth of 10/32" and a treadwear rating over 180. Note too, that these ratings are set by each manufacturer and are not established by the DOT.

Finding the right size Club racing rules regulate tire and wheel sizes somewhat, especially in the stock classes. But even when tire and wheel sizes are unregulated, it is possible to "over tire" your car and make it slower around the track, not faster. Many enthusiasts are of the mistaken impression that the taller the wheel and the lower the tire profile, the better. They also believe a wider tire is better too since it increases cornering forces by elongating the contact patch. (The contact patch is that area of the tread which comes in contact with the pavement. It is about the size of a 3" X 5" index card.)

Unfortunately, things are not that simple. Bigger wheels and wider tires can add unsprung weight to the axles, otherwise making your car slower and less responsive. And while a wider tire can be better for cornering (assuming the additional width does not adversely affect understeer/oversteer), it will probably reduce your car's speed in a straight line. On power limited cars and tracks with long straightaways, your overall lap times can be reduced if you go overboard with wheel and tire fitments. Do not assume that bigger is better. Consult an expert like one of our club sponsors.

Installation What? I have to be careful about this too? You betcha! The first thing you want to check before mounting your tires is that the wheels are neither damaged beyond cosmetic blemishes nor out of round. The practice of keeping your best wheels for the street and your second best wheels for the track is backwards. Mount your competition tires on the best wheels you've got. Make sure the wheels are true by having them spun on a balancing machine with the tires unmounted. Don't use wheels which are out of round; you'll probably never get them balanced well enough and the vibration will drive you crazy.

A good technician who takes his time can balance a mounted tire using the lightest tire weights. The colored dot on a tire sometimes indicates the tire's heavy side which is meant to be placed adjacent to the valve stem. Make sure the weights are securely installed; consider covering them with duct tape to hold them in place. Metal valve stems are no longer considered as safe as rubber stems; the metal can shear if contact is made with a curb or another car, with dramatic consequences due to loss of air pressure. By the way, did you know that filling tires with nitrogen rather than compressed air can limit the extent to which a tire's pressure increases due to heat buildup?

Finally, not all wheels are created equal. Be careful that you buy aftermarket wheels up to the challenges of track use such as those bearing the German TUV markings. Wheel fitment is critical too. Proper offset is important and the use of a hubcentric wheel helps reduce suspension shake and shimmy. Finally, use wheel spacers with caution even when it is legal to do so. While they can help increase the track of a car, they do put an extra strain on lug bolts, wheel bearings, etc.

Shaving For cost-no-object racing, shaving is usually the way to go. It gets a tire down to race ready tread depths in the neighborhood of 3/32" - 4/32". The cost of shaving the rubber off a tire is about $15.00 US per tire and must be done before a tire is driven on. However, several DOT-R tires come from the manufacturer molded to this depth so that shaving is not necessary. If shaving is done properly (a big if I'm told) and the shape and balance of the tire is not affected there are at least two advantages. First, the reduction in tread reduces the build up of heat. Second, the reduction in tread means the tread block squirms and flexes less and has slightly reduced mass. The combination of these factors means that a shaved tire will, as a general rule, outperform an unshaved tire, all other things equal.

Racers on a budget try to get their tires ready to race by using them at events prior to a race. In general, this can be almost as good as shaving as long as the car is properly set up and tire wear is even across the tread. If treadwear is not even, a worn tire will not be as quick as a shaved tire. I was also told that shaving does a better job of removing mold release compounds than pre-conditioning a tire by wearing it in.

For driving school purposes, shaving is less of a necessity since timed laps are prohibited. Here the major consideration is usually longevity or laps per dollar spent. Proponents of shaving for driving school purposes argue that shaving a competition tire just a bit (e.g., tread depths of 5/32") will result in the longest wearing tire. But remember that you'll also have the added expense and hassle of shaving the tires to consider.

Heat cycling Each of the competition tires in our review likes heat cycling but not to the same extent. To heat cycle a new set of tires means to GRADUALLY bring the tires up to their recommended tread surface operating temperature (somewhere in the range of 160-230 degrees Fahrenheit with 180-200 the ideal) and to hold it there for, say, five to ten minutes (i.e., overall, the heat part of a heat cycle is about the length of time of a single driving school session) after which the wheels and tires are removed and stored for at least 24 hours. Heat cycling increases the life of a tire because it allows the chemical bonds within the compound to break down when first heated and then to reform and align when subsequently cooled in such a way as to provide a consistency and strength that was not there before.

Common methods of heat cycling include use during a single session of a driving school, repeated parking lot figure eights in both directions (make sure you get approval; ask me how I know!), or 100 miles of highway driving. The advantage of these methods is their cost. The disadvantage of the driving school method is that you must have another set of wheels and tires for the remainder of the day. Both the driving school and parking lot methods may not heat cycle the tread surface equally. The highway driving method will probably provide sufficient flex for a decent, evenly distributed heat cycle but at the risk of cutting the soft tire surface.

Commercial methods of heat cycling are available for about $10.00 US a tire. Proper heat cycling is done by spinning the tire at speed under pressure from a large roller which acts to flex and heat the tire. Other commercial methods which are available but NOT recommended include immersion in boiling water and heating in a pizza oven. Shades of baking your brake pads in a toaster oven!

Tire pressures and suspension tuning Cold tire pressures for DOT-R tires are generally in the range of 32-42 psi; a few pounds higher than your owner's manual recommends for regular street and highway use. To check cold pressures, you might want to try doing so first thing in the morning before the car is driven. However, keep in mind that tire pressure increases 1 psi for every 10 degrees change in ambient temperature. This can result in what appears to be a big change when overnight temperatures plummet and should be compensated for. Remember that direct sunlight also causes tire pressures to rise.

An old driving school trick for roughly estimating your tire's proper inflation is to use tire chalk or white shoe polish to mark the outside edge of the tread and sidewall of each tire before a track session. After the session examine each tire's markings. Good pressure means all of the markings on the tread are gone but the sidewall markings are untouched. If the pressure is too high, marks will be visible on the outside edge of tread. If the pressure is too low, all the tread and some of the sidewall markings will be worn away. Make adjustments to the pressures in increments of no more than 3 psi per tire between track sessions and re-test. Typically, a change of 3 psi will mean a quarter inch change in the sidewall markings you've made.

Keep in mind that adjusting tire pressures is a small thing you might be tempted to take too far. On stock suspensions, there is not going to be sufficient negative camber to prevent a tire from rolling onto its sidewall under cornering. For example, on a track with primarily right hand turns, the left front tire will tend to roll onto its sidewall no matter how high tire pressure is raised. So don't overinflate. This is where common sense and seat of the pants tuning become important too.

In the final analysis, you'll want tire pressures which give your car a neutral feeling when cornering. Non-neutral steering means either understeer or oversteer. Understeer is the tendency of the car to continue in a straight line when you turn the steering wheel to corner. Oversteer is the tendency for the back end of the car to want to break free when cornering. An experienced driver can detect understeer and oversteer by how light or greasy the front or rear of a car feels in a corner. The tendency to turn in early can be another sign of an understeering car while the tendency to turn in late can indicate an oversteering car.

Fine tuning your tire's pressures is usually the last step in adjusting your car's suspension. Tire pressures can only do so much in compensating for a car's handling quirks. So before we take a look at the fine points of tire pressure adjustment and the use of a tire pyrometer, let's look at the basics of suspension tuning for adjusting understeer and oversteer:

Most modern BMWs have limited suspension adjustments. For example, the E30 M3 can only be adjusted for front toe-in/toe-out. A proper track suspension will have somewhere in the range of -2 degrees to -3 degrees negative camber at each corner, more than one degree different from the factory settings. Increased negative camber can be achieved in numerous ways including lowering the ride height, use of camber plates and offset strut bushings, and so on.

Most club racers rely on a tire pyrometer to measure the temperature of the tire tread. A tire pyrometer in nothing more than a thermometer. There are two basic types: probe and infrared. Basic probe-type pyrometers are usually cheaper and are also preferable because they are able to record temperatures below the tread surface nearer the belt pattern. Prices start at under $100 US. The accuracy of probe-type pyrometers can be verified by immersing the probe in boiling water and checking the read-out.

Timing is critical when using a pyrometer; tread temperatures change quickly by as much as 30 degrees Fahrenheit as soon as a car comes to a stop. Remember this especially when you are using an infrared pyrometer which reads temperatures off the surface of the tire and usually records lower temperatures than a probe-type pyrometer. With either device, measurements should be taken in the pits IMMEDIATELY after a few hot laps. Temperatures are also affected somewhat by the last hard corner (left vs. right) before pitting and this must be factored in. It is best to have an assistant ready to take and record pyrometer readings and to follow a prescribed sequence every time. For example, record inside, middle, outside temps for each tire in LF, LR, RF, and RR sequence.

Here's a look at tire temperatures at one wheel and what the readings suggest:

Failing to achieve identical pyrometer readings across the tire tread is not the end of the world. Instead, linear pyrometer readings is what you should look for. A linear pyrometer reading is a progressive heat reading across the tire's tread surface with no irregular peak. A pyrometer reading of 180 (inside), 190 (middle) and 200 (outside) is considered linear. A pyrometer reading of 170 (inside) 200 (middle) and 180 (outside) is considered nonlinear.

For final tuning, try a slightly lower tire pressure than a slightly higher pressure. While higher inflation pressures may enhance responsiveness, they sacrifice traction. If, however, uneven wear begins to appear at low pressures this is a signal to increase pressures. This should further help you find the appropriate tire pressures best suited to your car, the track, and your driving style.

Finally, remember that a tire pyrometer is just a tool. It does not have mystical powers. You should not make tire pressure adjustments solely by using a pyrometer. Lap times (for competition purposes only) and seat of the pants impressions are important sources of information too.

Tire rotation As you become familiar with performance and competition tires you will encounter asymmetrical and unidirectional tread designs. Asymmetrical tread designs mean the tread pattern is different from outside to inside. For example, some competition tires have large, smooth tread blocks on the outside as an aid to cornering. Asymmetrical tread patterns mean the tire must be mounted in a certain way on the wheel when the tire is new and unshaved. But once mounted, it is not critical which corner the tire and wheel combination is placed. That means you can and should rotate your tires to insure even wear and optimal performance. Furthermore, once an asymmetrical tire is worn or has been shaved, it is acceptable to remount the tire in any orientation and use it on any corner of your car. This should help the budget racers wring every last bit out of their tires.

Unidirectional tread patterns mean the tire was designed such that the tread is supposed to be pointed in a particular direction. Usually, the direction of travel is indicated on the tire sidewall. If you follow this advise, you will be able to rotate your tires from front to back only, not left to right (unless you dismount them from the wheel first). However, it is important to understand that the direction of travel indication applies only to unidirectional tires used in the wet. Used in the dry, placement on any corner will neither accelerate wear nor increase lap times. Used in the wet, however, does require that one respect the directional nature of the tread design.

Care and storage It's a good idea to inspect your tires after every track session for damage and wear. At least you outta know when you're going out with the cord exposed! Remove debris, such as tire gumballs, by day's end while the tire is still warm. Owners of streetable cars will sometimes get the tire surface smooth again by highway driving short distances. But remember that a soft DOT-R tire is especially sensitive to damaging cuts and abrasions when the tread is warm or worn thin.

Between events, tires should never be stored where they can be exposed to the elements. Competition tires do not like ultraviolet light from the sun, heat or extreme cold. A cool, dry, and dark storage place is best. They should not be stored near strong electric motors and you will probably want to remove them from your car and store them horizontally. Finally, for longer term storage (e.g., over the winter) keep them in a sealed, opaque plastic bag. This will help create a micro-climate and reduce the rate at which the tires age.

Competition tires age rapidly after they have been used, especially if they are not stored properly. But even unused tires have a limited shelf life of 1-2 years before the compound begins to harden, resulting in a noticeable performance decrement. The manufacturing date of every tire is stamped into the last three digits of the sidewall marking. For example, "268" means the 26th week of 1998.

Traction aids You can purchase liquid traction aids which are designed to soften the rubber on competition tires which have grown hard with time. Unfortunately, traction aids appear to soften the tire compound only until the tire is brought to its operating temperature after which there is no benefiical effect. Furthermore, I have been told that using traction aids will eventually result in a decrement to a tire's track performance.

Runnin' in the rain Competition tires with tread showing may be used in moist or damp conditions. They will probably be acceptable in a light drizzle. But when it RAINS, and especially when there is standing water, it is important that your track tires have sufficient tread and are designed to prevent aquaplaning. For the rain, narrower is better; a narrow tire helps cut through the water and minimizes aquaplaning. Tire pressures should be changed too. To get better grip in the wet you'll want to raise pressures from dry settings by 4-8 psi.

When it is possible, you can also make suspension adjustments to account for inclement weather. Reducing negative camber, softening the suspension, and raising the ride height to increase body roll and weight transfer all help in the wet. In other words, returning your car toward its stock configuration may very well make you quicker when runnin' in the rain.

OK. Let's cut to the chase. The table below gives the most critical information on DOT-R competition tires in size 225/50/15. Pay special attention to the column labeled "Speed Ranking". I've divided the tires into three groups or tiers to indicate important differences and similarities.

Unfortunately, the rankings are not based on a systematic, objective testing of the different brands. It is my best guess after talking with our tire experts, getting input from club racers, and using my personal experience. Your own experience and rankings may be different.

1. Prices accurate as of March 1, 1999. Exclusive of shipping, handling, taxes, heat cycling, shaving, mounting and balancing. Price differentials between brands vary as a function of size.
2. Availability includes: TR = Tire Rack; TT= Talon Tire; CP= Contact Patch; VT= Vilven Tire; and CT= Competition Tire.
3. Hoosiers available in 225/45/15.
4. Just as this article was going to press, I learned that Pirelli stopped production of fifteen inch competition tires to concentrate on larger sizes.

Top tier The first group or top tier includes the Goodyear, Hoosier, and Goodrich tires. Each of these tires comes from the manufacturer molded to racing depths. They may not be used in wet conditions where there is standing water but with sufficient tread they are fine in the damp. Goodyear offers the Eagle S for rain use while Hoosier recommends its Dirt Stocker, a DOT approved bias ply tire for steady wet conditions. For 1999, BFG is promising a rain tire based on the molds and construction methods of the R1.

Each of the tires is fairly similar in providing quick lap times. The Goodyear and Hoosier are almost identical in short sprint races like most BMW CCA club races while the Goodyear has an advantage for endurance racing. There is not a great deal yet known about the g-Force. It is expected to be almost as quick as the Goodyear and Hoosier with consistent performance making it another good choice for endurance events.

Both the GS-CS and the g-Force are made with steel belts. This adds to their weight but may help explain their performance stability in long events.

The Hoosier is the lightest DOT-R competition tire at a mere 17 lbs., a big advantage in unsprung weight. But the tire is more easily damaged by off-road excursions and is susceptible to lock-up and flat spotting, so use the ABS if you can. Both spring and shock rates may be set higher than other brands. It likes higher cold inflation pressures too. The Hoosier likes a fair amount of negative camber--3 degrees is good--while less than 2.5 can result in premature wear to the outside edge. In general, the tire wears quickly but especially when the elaborate procedures devised by Hoosier for initial break-in and heat cycling are not followed. Finally, the Hoosier autocross tire (A3S03) may be used as a replacement for the road racing tire when track conditions are cold. Check the Tire Rack web page for detailed instructions on the care and feeding of Hoosier competition tires.

The tire shoulder of the Goodyear is fairly square and therefore it is not as demanding of negative camber as the Hoosier. These tires are quite expensive in smaller sizes but become more affordable in larger sizes. The tire is available through the seven regional Goodyear Race Tire Distributors serving the US and Canada. The Eastern US region is served by Competition Tire East (610 375-6190). Canada is served by Competition Tire Canada (905 684-7418). See the Goodyear website for additional information and the distributor for your region.

The Goodrich is the new kid on the block. It was designed to challenge the performance of the other tires in the top tier. But its appearance also signaled the demise of the old R1 which Goodrich was unable to maintain in production. Do not confuse Goodrich's new DOT-R tire with those street tires with a similar name but ending in KD. It's not the same in the dry and if you mistakenly think so, you'll be sorry. The KD may serve adequately as a wet weather performer only compared to the other tires in this comparison.

BFG claims that the g-Force is a true racing radial while the Hoosier and Goodyear behave more like bias ply tires. The difference has to do with belt construction. The Hoosier and Goodyear tires have belting angled about 50 degrees while the g-Force has belting angled approximately 85 degrees.

One of the notable characteristics of a bias ply tire is that you are required to brake early, but you can more readily accelerate as you put the car into transition, more noticeably powering around a corner. In contrast, a radial tire allows you to brake much later (deeper), but you can only maintain speed while in transition, not fully accelerating until the car is straightened and exiting the corner.

A word of caution too. For those of us who have grown up using true radial street and track tires, getting used to the Goodyear and Hoosier tires may take some time. Give yourself more than a couple of lapping sessions before you race on these puppies. Take the time to adjust to their handling characteristics.

The g-Force was designed for strength, longevity (i.e., better than the R1), and handling. Its quick turn-in characteristics allow the suspension to run with less toe-out, increasing on-center feel. It also seems to like slightly softer springs, shocks, and sway bars than some other tire brands, making it a good choice for stock classes. You will definitely need to run more negative camber than you used with the R1s, closer to other brands, but since these tires like high pressures between 40-45 psi, you might be able to get away with streetable suspension settings. It may be fastest when it is nearly corded. (OK boys. I said "nearly corded".)

Goodrich is also reporting that pyrometer use is not as reliable a source of information because of the steel belts used to construct the tire. For example, a high middle temperature on a drive wheel may not mean that the tire is overinflated.

Longtime users of the R1 know that customer support from Goodrich was one of its strengths. Unfortunately, the monthly Team T/A newsletter has been discontinued but happily plans are underway to replace it with an expanded web location (found in the Racing section) with a permanent home for such features as "Tech Tips". Jim Fogerty, of BFG's Engineering Department, is preparing a document on the care and use of the g-Force which should be available soon. For now, check the Tire Rack web site for instructions.

Second tier The second tier contains two tires, the Kuhmo and the Toyo, pretty evenly matched in performance. Both are a notch slower than their tier one counterparts. Both are available full tread or can be shaved for optimum performance. And both can be used as a dry tire and in the wet. Both are reasonably inexpensive and long-lasting with the slightest edge in wear going to the Toyo. In other words, these are versatile and economical DOT-R competition tires. Definitely more "bang" for the buck here.

For short sprint races, the Kumho may have a slight edge on the Toyo. The reverse appears to be the case for endurance events where the Toyo's heritage as the successor to the IMSA Firestone Firehawk is apparent. The Toyo is also forgiving of abrupt driver input. It tends to avoid brake lock-up, it doesn't snap, and it will give you ample warning when it's letting go.

With the demise of the old R1, many people are calling the Kumho the heir apparent. Its dry weather performance appears to match that of the R1 as validation to the claim. But it lacks the fundamental and unique quality which made the R1 famous--differential sidewall spring rates. Like all the other tires in this review, to be at its performance best and to wear well, the Kumho will want more negative camber than any stock BMW is capable of providing. Set up and use instructions can be found on the Tire Rack's web site.

Third tier The arrival of the Yokohama A032R was greeted with great enthusiasm given the outstanding performance of the company's other competition tires since 1981. For the serious uncompromising racer, the tire has proven a disappointment. Its dry weather performance is notably slower than the others reviewed here, especially those in Tier One. And its use in BMW CCA Club Racing has diminished over time. My own tests of the tire showed it to be 1-2 seconds a lap slower than the old R1 at NHIS. In the wet, however, the tire may well lead the pack. Its unidirectional design is especially well suited to runnin' in the rain.

The tire's versatility and its long wearing qualities make it my personal recommendation for a driving school tire where fun and low cost are more important than lap times. Indeed, I cannot recall a DOT-R tire, present or past, that wears as well as the Yokos. Finally, Yokohama continues to advertise the road racing A008RS and its autocrossing counterpart, the A008RS II.

The mystery tire Although first introduced in Europe in 1990, the P-Zero C (not to be confused with the P-Zero high performance street tire) has seen little duty here in North America. The rain tire was the spec tire for the Ferrari Challenge events. Nevertheless, its longevity speaks to its performance possibilities. Early test results, probably of a different compound than now produced, showed it to be as quick as the DOT-R tires of the day with better stability for endurance racing and better subjective ratings in both wet and dry conditions. Its lack of popularity here may be traced in part to its premium price, especially in smaller sizes. This price disadvantage has disappeared relative to a couple of tires in this review and it is time to give the P-Zero C serious consideration. Pirelli has recently renewed its commitment to supporting the performance enthusiast and motorsport clubs. And I am happy to report that Pirelli Canada has agreed to give me a set of P-Zero Cs for testing as evidence of its faith in the tire's potential and desire to get the P Zero-C in wider use. I hope to report back to you in a few months with my findings.

I used the Club Racing list as one way to solicit comments on the DOT-R tires reviewed in this article. Here's what a few of the BMW CCA club racers had to say.

BF Goodrich g-Force T/A R1 (Ralph Warren) "I'm currently using the new g-Force so here's a bit on them. Called "The New R1" these tires are anything but. They do not have the design of the R1 and therefore will not help out a softer sprung car like the R1s did. The g-Force is not directional so it can be mounted either way on the rim. In 1998, it was used as a spec tire in SCCA. This is "good" because you can buy a set from a guy who used them for 10 laps for qualifying then mount them opposite side out. The g-Force mounted on stock E30 M3 wheels offers an extremely flat surface area. I don't get this kind of surface with Kuhmos on stock 7" wide wheels for some reason, I get kind of a crown. As much as I like the g-Force though, I must say that the Kuhmos are stickier and last longer. I know, I know, how can a stickier tires last longer? Personally I feel a sliding r-compound tire will wear out much faster than a tire that sticks. The Kuhmo sticks and therefore offers decent tread life. Your mileage may vary, literally."

BF Goodrich g-Force T/A R1 (Don Schack) "As far as my personal observations go, I have had some problems. The old R1s I could use 245/45/16 tires. The new tire of the same size has a wider carcass and will no longer fit. The other problem is the 225/50/16 is narrower than the old tire of the same size. The wear rate is higher for the new tire. The turn in is immediate, which I think is due to the higher pressures. The new tires like pressures in the low to mid 40s. I have found that they have a tendency to wash out in the turn. So you have a quick turn in but develop a push going thru the turn. I have now set the car up a little loose to compensate. However I still find that my exit speed is still not as good as the old tires. These tires also like a lot of negative camber. Figure 3 deg. is a good starting point. You'll remember the old ones had about 1-1/2 built into the tires. You can not use these tires in the rain. BFG says that they are making a rain tire from the old molds and construction. But then you have to reset your alignment. You will also note that BFG says that their new tire likes a softer suspension set up. Seems to me that they would like you to change everything to suit their tire rather than the other way around. These are my views only and should not suggest that you don't try them for yourself. This information might help you if you should so choose to try them. BFG is a wonderful company to do business with. Their service is great and you are certainly treated like a human being."

Goodyear Eagle GS-CS (Peter Klein) "As far as the E30 M3 is concerned., I have used Hoosier and Goodyear GS-CS. My personnel background, having been a ski bum in my earlier years and from Motocross, has influenced my style and approach to turning. I think personal style enters into racing and tire choice more than people may think. I enjoy and prefer to carve turns. My background has shown me that the most precise control, for me, is to favor carving (otherwise known as a tight line). I can also slide with varying levels of slip angle. The Goodyear's are more of a carving, set it and forget it tire. The Hoosiers exhibit a higher degree of slip angle. They like to get hot and slide. As the race progresses they feel rather slick. They do produce good lap times and go fast. The more you slide them the faster they go, until they go, and you get a lot of understeer. The Goodyear's, for me, are responsive longer into the race than Hoosiers and they are very predictable. The Hoosiers have a longer overall life however. The Hoosiers are available in 225 x 55 x 15 and 225 x 45 x 15 sizes, the Goodyear's are not. Normally I use a 45 but at a venue with a long straight away (Sebring) I use the 55. It will give me a slightly higher top end. Just a few thoughts. I hope it is of some help."

Hoosier R3S03 (Asher Hyman) "On my M3CSL (HP), I have used both the old R-1's and Hoosier R3S03. The R-1's were 255/40-17 (shaved) and Hoosiers were 245/40-17 (unshaved). The car is highly prepared. The R-1's would need to be warmed-up, and once warm, were pretty consistent and confidence inspiring, even at the ragged edge. The problem occurred during my first race at Lime Rock, where I qualified outside of row 1 for a June race. When I started working the tires hard without warm-up, they were OK at first, but then the longer the race went, the more the tires went off, inducing more and more understeer. Of course, the driving style of continuing to push harder and harder certainly didn't help the tires. Most of the other racers were on Hoosier's and seemed not be struggling as much. The R-1's were quite good on longevity and were usable in wet conditions. I then decided to go with the Hoosier's, running their recommended 2.5 degrees negative in front, 2 degrees rear. I can run the Hoosier's hard, right out of the box, in racing conditions, for example. The Hoosier's generally give me .5-1.0 second gain per lap, at certain tracks (typically the 1.5-2.0 mile circuits of LRP, Pocono, Summit). As Hoosier states, the tires work best when they seem to be "skating", which is a spot-on assessment. I'm running 600-700 lbs. springs front and rear, and yes, the car certainly slides more before it takes a set. The tail end always has felt looser with the Hoosier's as opposed to the R-1's; the car will feel a little more tail happy, but no so much that it will spin on you. The longevity of the R3S03 is much improved over the R3S02, it's predecessor, and can have a life closer to that of the R-1. My only experience in the rain was in misting, cold conditions at Pocono in October, with a primarily dry track. However, I would be judicious with deeper water and move to a "rain tire". Note that once the tires are past a certain point in their life, it's best to discard them, as the tail-happiness increases. With the R-1's, you could drive on them even though the tread may have gone away (and before the cord came through!). As to break-in, BFG liked to see 24 hrs., while Hoosier said 24 hrs. minimum, and preferably, the following race weekend. I get the Hoosiers heat-cycled by Tire Rack at Hoosier's recommendation, and usually, wait at least a week once they have one cycle on them. Hoosier seems to know their stuff and I follow their recommendations pretty closely. Longevity and performance are both enhanced accordingly."

Hoosier R3S03 (Bob Ball) "Now if you want to go fast, my knowledge is limited to 13", but nothing beats a Hoosier. I like the street TD as a bias ply tire. They are $138 US each plus shipping so about $147 each, they wear out in 5 or 6 sessions, but they are a second faster on the short tracks and come in a range of sizes to reduce gear. I like 225/45 under the stock wheel arch. So you could have 6 Kumhos for $630 US that will last 5 events if rotated, or 4 Hoosiers for $588 US that will be toast in 2 events but real fast."

Kumho V700 Victoracer (Ralph Warren) "Kumhos are excellent tires for a car that has had some suspension work done to them. I've seen them burn up the outside edge on "stock suspensioned" cars. If you don't watch the tire pressures, they will burn up the edge on an all-out race car too. They don't have the side wall that the R1 has but they have much stiffer sidewalls than the GS-CS and the Hoosier. They last just as long as the R1 and they feel very similar. I basically run them at about the same pressures as the R1 and the new g-Force. They are a great choice now that the R1 is gone. They are marked left and right but Kumho will tell you it doesn't matter. I have seen them come apart at the seam once, but I believe the tire was replaced. The seam is across the tread block where the belt ends."

Kumho V700 Victoracer (Bob Stommel) "When the BFG R1s dried up last year, I started racing on Kumhos (225/50-15). Had them shaved to 3/32. They have lasted through two days of racing, one driver school, and one lapping day and still have some treadlife left. There was no perceivable diffference in lap times compared to the R1s. The only major difference is the lack of built-in negative camber in the Kumho. Since the R1 lost its built-in negative camber when it became the g-Force R1, I'm staying with Kumho."

Kumho V700 Victoracer (Bob Ball) "I ran 205/60/13" Kumho's and they are an excellent value in a track tire. Now you know that 2002 types are cheap, and that these tires represent efforts to get the best for the buck. They worked very well for the first three events, and after about the 6th or 7th heat cycle got a bit greasy, but never showed any cord, and never blistered. I strongly recommend the Kumho Victoracer as a very competent dry tire. (When ordering you can get them shaved for autocross or road race)."

Kumho V700 Victoracer (Dan Martinez) "My experience is with the Kumhos, the BFG R1's and the Yok AO32's. My favorite is the Kumho which was a surprise. It gave the best feedback and tended to be about .5 sec. faster than the R1 on a 3 mile course. The R1 lasts a little longer but other than that, the Kumho was my choice. The AO32 was just a hair better than an non-R compound tire. The Michelin MXX3's were almost as grippy. However, in heavy rain, the AO32 was superior to the R1 and the Kumhos. In light rain, the R1 reigned supreme."

Toyo RA1 (Jim Pettinato) "I tried a set of Toyos at the end of last season when my R1s ran out. I only had a few events left in the year. The first of which was a SOLO 2, On my first runs out on this medium-fast type course I was waaaaay off the pace. The car felt really different. This tire was going to take some getting used to. The sidewall construction is so much softer than the old R1 that it really required me to almost re-learn how to drive the car. I feel the Toyo RA1 is much more forgiving than the R1. You can push it hard and it won't bite you. Even at SOLO 2 speeds it has an almost "skating feel" when pushed hard, that once I got used to, was a pleasure to drive. Overall grip was very good. Toward the end of the event I was trying to spin the car (within reason) to see how the tire would break away and I couldn't . Turn in is nowhere near as crisp as the old R1. It has a ìsettingî at turn in which can be disconcerting until you get used to it. I attribute most of the learning period to me, being very used to the old R1. By the end of my first event my times were down where they should have been on R1s, but it took me all day of experimenting to get them there. My first high speed event on them was again a learning experience, but not as much. The same conclusions were drawn. The softer sidewall takes a bit of getting used to as it "sets". Overall grip was very good at speed and the car drifted much nicer on the Toyos than on the old R1s which was a pleasant surprise. I also had the chance to drive in wet conditions with this tire and I was very happy. Anyone who was at last Octoberís Delaware Valley chapter driving school/ Club Race at Pocono knows it was wet, and this tire went well for me. IMHO better than others in my group using R1s and Yoko 032s, especially on the first day when it was very wet. I should note though that technical advice from Toyo's technical department was less than stellar during my learning period. Wear for an R compound tire is excellent, after a 2 day school, 2 (4 session) lapping days, 2 Solo 2 events, (which I drove the car to, ON the Toyos) they still have an awful lot of tread left. (I did buy them full tread though). I would highly recommend this tire (especially for wets). Just give yourself some time to learn the tire."

Yokohama A032R (Bob Van Epps) "I have been using A032Rs for the past two years, In the initial testing on my E30 these tires were 1-2 seconds slower per lap than equivalent other brands in 225/50-15. I decided to try 205/50-15s and now have equivalent lap times and performance due to the ability to get the tires hot enough to stick. We are shaving them to 4-5/32s, rotating the tires by using a new shaved set for qualifying, last events qualifying set for the race(s) this event and older sets for practice. The wear factor on these is excellent and they do not change performance during the race. Full tread A032Rs are excellent rain tires and when they are worn down 3/32nds now are good dry tires. As a school tire they would be a good choice for the student or instructor who wanted to drive to and from the track on these as well as use them on the track."

BF Goodrich Tires
http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com/
800 race-bfg
800 231-5842

NOTE: The B.F. Goodrich Company is no longer in the tire business. BF Goodrich Tires is a subsidiary of Michelin Tires.

I want to express my special appreciation to John Rastetter of the Tire Rack (888 376-8473 or 800 428-8355), Howard Korzenstein of Talon Tire (514 337-0833), and Peter Wright of the Contact Patch (416 720-1585). The Tire Rack is a sponsor of BMW CCA Club Racing and they deserve our business. Their web site (http://www.tirerack.com/) is definitely worth repeated visits. Its also nice that members of the BMW Club of Canada can count on the assistance of Talon Tire and the Contact Patch, both of whom advertise in the newsletter and come out to our events with their tire trucks. They've earned our business too. It was great to speak with Bob Vilven at Vilven Tire (800 251-0017 or 217 583-3277) and I appreciate his help.

In the final analysis, I take responsibility for the contents of this article and the inaccuracies it surely must contain. What do you expect from a psychologist, anyway?