nate

Yesterday, I spent about 4 hours at Second Creek Raceway in Denver and did about 30 or 40 laps (it's a 1.55 mile, 10 turn course). Ran with winder's 2000 S4, two early-90's S4s (one very tricked out -- RS2 header, chip, exhaust, Porshe brakes, etc), an M3, and about 6 Vipers (one that was all hopped up and pushing around 520hp).

Anyway, this was the first chance I've had to take the Yokohama A032R tires out to the track. Previously, I've just run with my RE040s and the SP Sport 8000E tires I had on my A4 1.8.

Conditions were: about 45 or 50 degrees F, track was dry (except for a puddle in an annoying spot), cloudy. I had the fronts at about 44 psi and the rears at about 40. The tires are 235x40x17.

Let me just say that these tires are amazing. They just stick to the road. Period. You want to start turning here, OK, not a problem. You want to take that corner at 45? OK, no problem. A HUGE difference from the RE040s. They are definately loud, though. Anyway, I just can't say enough about those tires. On the first straight at Second Creek, I usually start to drift to the left and chew the tires up pretty good before the corner after the S (doing about 85), and this time I was just stuck to the road. The same thing all over the track -- stick, stick, stick. I wasn't really even pushing them that hard (I think) as they were not even close to getting lose on me. God, it was great. And the tires aren't that expensive -- $165 a piece from TireRack. I still have plenty of tread left.

I let Larry (from Champagne Motors) drive my car, and winder rode shotgun -- I wanted to listen to my car and get Larry's opinion about how it drives. Sounds like a jet - the turbos sound really cool, and braking on those tires also sounds very cool.

-nate<p>

<a href="http://www.protomatter.com/nate/s4">My S4 Site</a>

BrianCS

Do you just use these for the track? How do they perform in the wet?

Thanks,

B.

nate

Well, right now I use them all the time, but that's because my RE040s were shot and I wanted track tires for a couple of events and didn't want to shell out an additional $1,400 for a set of AVS Sports and spare rims for the A032Rs.

I won't be using them for regular driving, just track time, but for now they are on all the time.

As for wet performance, it rained like mad in Denver on tuesday (or wed, I can't remember). They were actually fine in the wet -- now, they DO hydroplane really easily in big puddles, but on wet pavement they were pretty good. I didn't feel like I was going to get in trouble at any time, except for in deep water.

-nate<p>

<a href="http://www.protomatter.com/nate/s4">My S4 Site</a>

BrianCS

Nice to know, thanks again.

RM

Not a good track tire and not a good street tire. You must have never run a good R compound tire on the track to think they are that great. Try a set of Kuhmo's if you want a good track tire. The A032R's also make a godawful noise, I really hate those tires. They are way too loud for the street. They do work OK for the track but nowhere near the Kuhmo or Hoosier's. Sounds to me like you are running way too much pressure. I ran 30 lbs hot when I had the A032's and had fairly even tire temps(Porsche). The tires do seem to last. I switched to the Kuhmo's before the A032's were worn out.