Theoretical situation: Local season trophy on the line. Forecast calls for 40 degree weather and chance of rain / sleet.

You can pick any tires in any size / composition except for studded tires.

What do you choose?

A: Mental health counseling
B: Skinny Hoosier A6s
C: Hoosier Wets
D: Summer tires
E: Snow tires

I guess intuitively I might reach for the snow tires... anyone have any personal anecdotal experience to share? Besides moving to Texas?

 

Snow tires would be my choice due to the temps but good luck with the tread squirm

 

Why not an all-season? A few years ago we had a cold, wet opening day where I tried using my new, full-depth Victoracers and was being beaten by a fairly new driver on S02s. I was able to ultimately win the class without changing tires but many of the SM drivers switched back to their street all-seasons and did much better.

Unless the snow is piling up, snow tires wouldn't be a choice at all, especially if they're near full depth.

 

A. Stay home and sleep in.
B. If A is not available. Rent someone's Toyo R1R's

 

Well if I just had tires I could reasonably have lying around I may try my all seasons. If I knew I lived in an area where days like this were fairly common I would seriously consider shaving snow tires down to cut out a lot of tread squirm, would be worth a shot.

 

I have half-worn Blizzaks that I was going to give away. I also have the full-tread OEM CR B'stones that might work, too. No all-seasons on hand, though.

 

I would say a full tread Ra1 or dunlop direzza but you might be ok with regular tires as long as theres no standing water

 

Finally, a question for the Canadians!

Do you have a co-driver and tire blankets? I can definitely confirm that 245 A6's at just above freezing with standing water will never heat up even with a co-driver and are basically rock hard. Don't even bother. If it dries up, they'll be faster once you get some heat in them, but the early runs will be dicey.

The top guys that day ran RE01R's and Hoosier Wets for very similar times. Try to avoid as many puddles as you can going to the start and coming back to grid, that will REALLY help. Get the blankets on as soon as you get back and take them off at the last second.

This past weekend was 45F with quickly drying puddles. We got noticable warmth into my 225 Dunlop Z1s by the end of 2nd runs. 1.5 hours of sunshine later and 50F temps meant my previous FTD got beat by ~2 seconds by Jeff J. in an STi on A6s.

No matter what you do, the early runs are going to be slippery. A little sliding is good to build heat, but spinning sucks.

 

Thanks, Corey! I have a co-driver, tire blankets, and an enclosed trailer...

Looks like I might go with half-tread snows in the morning if <40 and raining.
Full tread RE-050s (070s?) if there is standing water / rain and temps 40-50.
Hoosiers if temps get above 50 and dry.

 

One time I went to auto-x in a snow condition. I put on Toyo R888 at home which is sunny about 60F. Then I drove 45 min to the site. It's about half an inch of snow cover the whole track. We clean all the snow out just a cold wet track. My R888 never worm up cold to touch after each run. To my surprise it grip better than most of the street tire.