Autocross tires for LT RS

[Jasonxander000]

I am looking at getting an entry-level autocross for my 2012 Camaro LT.
I was originally looking at the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar, but I'm not really wanting to spend $1,600+ on tires just yet.
Would something like the Nitto NT555 G2 or BFG G-force Phenom T/A be a good start, or should I suck it up and spend the extra money for higher-end tires?


(Current tires are a mix of two different brands, whatever was on it when I bought it)
(The LT Camaro is in the street division. Tire width must remain the same.)
(Front 245/45/20 rear 275/40/20)

[Coz3z3]

The supercars are good tires, but they don't heat up quickly. I love the 3R's for track days. For autocross, I really liked the Falken rt660. They heat up quick and stay warm. A lot of people like them. Another popular one is the Yokohama Advan A052. I have heard good things but haven't used them. Other popular options are going to he the Toyo R888r, and the Bridgestone RE71rs. Hope that helps! Have fun out there!

[Jasonxander000]

Originally Posted by Coz3z3

The supercars are good tires, but they don't heat up quickly. I love the 3R's for track days. For autocross, I really liked the Falken rt660. They heat up quick and stay warm. A lot of people like them. Another popular one is the Yokohama Advan A052. I have heard good things but haven't used them. Other popular options are going to he the Toyo R888r, and the Bridgestone RE71rs. Hope that helps! Have fun out there!

Unfortunately none of those are in my sizes :(. One of the issues I'm having is finding ones that fit

[Coz3z3]

Just a quick search, the Advans have your front tires. The rears, you should be able to squeeze into the 285/35-20. The recommended wheel width is 8-9 inches for that size. You would just have to look at your classes. I know my 1LE was in CamC for autocross

[ariZona28]

Originally Posted by Jasonxander000

Unfortunately none of those are in my sizes :(. One of the issues I'm having is finding ones that fit

A quick question: How experienced at Auto X are you? As you mentioned "entry level" I'm assuming you're just getting started. Maybe run what you have for the first events and see if this is something you want to fully invest in OR you decide to only do a few races a year just for fun. I dabbled in Auto X with my Z/28 a while back and my Michelin Pilot 4S tires were excellent for my ability. A bit pricey but they are a good dual purpose tire.

*Note* I just looked at tire rack and they call out for a 245/45/20 for your front. Plenty of 300 treadwear tires in your sizes.

[Jasonxander000]

Originally Posted by Coz3z3

Just a quick search, the Advans have your front tires. The rears, you should be able to squeeze into the 285/35-20. The recommended wheel width is 8-9 inches for that size. You would just have to look at your classes. I know my 1LE was in CamC for autocross

I'm still in street division. so I can't change the tire widths without moving up into the bigger leagues. It does love to understeer. So I guess I could slap some better/grippier tires on the front as a start

[Jasonxander000]

Originally Posted by ariZona28

A quick question: How experienced at Auto X are you? As you mentioned "entry level" I'm assuming you're just getting started. Maybe run what you have for the first events and see if this is something you want to fully invest in OR you decide to only do a few races a year just for fun. I dabbled in Auto X with my Z/28 a while back and my Michelin Pilot 4S tires were excellent for my ability. A bit pricey but they are a good dual purpose tire.

*Note* I just looked at tire rack and they call out for a 245/45/20 for your front. Plenty of 300 treadwear tires in your sizes.

I've done two. And I like it. So I've already started changing some things. Another more experienced driver recommended the same about staying with whatever I have until I get better as a driver. So I didn't start relying too much on the tire and not skill. But I was going to see if there was a halfway decent tire better than 'whatever is on it's. As a good starting point

[CamaroDreams76]

Classes
• Super Street (SS) -Sports cars and other high-performance ve-
hicles classed by performance potential.
• A Street (AS)
• B Street (BS)
• C Street (CS)
• E Street (ES) – Very affordable older sports cars with an empha-
sis on low cost entry and acceptable availability. Class stability is a
priority.
• D Street (DS)- Sedans and Coupes classed by performance poten-
tial
• G Street (GS)
• H Street (HS)
• F Street (FS) – Heavy, high-horsepower RWD vehicles in the spir-
it of “V8 Pony Cars.”
Cars running in Street Category must have been series produced with nor-
mal road touring equipment capable of being licensed for normal road use
in the United States and normally sold and delivered through the manu-
facturer’s retail sales outlets in the United States. A Canadian-market ve-
hicle is eligible for Street category if it is identical to the US-market coun-
terpart except for comfort and convenience modifications as allowed per
Section 13.2.A.
A member may request classing for any car models not specifically listed
in Street Category. Any requests for models produced in low quantities
(considered 1,000 or less in a model year) will be closely scrutinized by the
SEB and may not result in a Street category classification for eligibility at
National Solo events.
A car will remain eligible for National events through the end of the 30th
calendar year after the manufacturer-designated model year of the car.
This eligibility limitation applies only to the Street classes.
The SCCA Solo Rules are intended to help members enhance their vehicles
for improved performance during autocross activities. All modifications
are made at the member’s discretion, and each member accepts full re-
sponsibility for the safety, legality, and roadworthiness of their vehicle.
These rules are not intended to encourage modifications that compro-
mise vehicle safety on public roads. Members are expected to know and
comply with all applicable laws and drive responsibly, especially when
displaying Club or partner branding. The Club assumes no responsibil-
ity for any consequences arising from vehicle modifications or driving
behavior.
Except for modifications authorized below, Street Category cars must be
run as specified by the manufacturer with only standard equipment as de-
fined by these Rules. This requirement refers not just to individual parts,
but to combinations thereof which would have been ordered together on
a specific car. Any other modifications or equipment will place the car in
Street Touring®, Street Prepared, Street Modified, Prepared, or Modified
Categories as appropriate. Configurations involving damaged parts (e.g.,
blown fuses) are not typically authorized by the manufacturer and hence
are not allowed.
Option package conversions may be performed between specific vehicles
of a particular make and model, but only between configurations from
within a particular model year. Such conversions must be totally complete
and the resultant car must meet all requirements of this Section. These re-
quirements are not met by simply pulling a fuse to disable a feature which
distinguishes one model from another.
Updated parts, replacement parts, or any other changes by the manufac-
turer documented in the parts catalog or other manufacturer documenta-
tion as superseding the original part number used when manufactured are
considered to be standard parts.
Alternate parts (parts that may fit due to common platforms) listed in a
factory parts manual are not authorized unless their use is specifically ref-
erenced in the factory service manual or in a service bulletin for the spe-
cific model and/or option package.
See Sections 3.8 and 8.3.1 for documentation requirements.
Alternate components which are normally expendable and considered re-
placement parts (e.g., engine and wheel bearings, seals, gaskets, filters,
belts, bolts, bulbs, batteries, brake rotors, clutch discs, pressure plates,
suspension bushings, drivetrain mounts, fenders, trim pieces, fuel filler
caps, etc.) may be used provided they are essentially identical to the stan-
dard parts (e.g., have the same type, size, hardness, weight, material, etc.),
are used in the same location, and provide no performance benefit. The
allowance for use of such replacements does not include camshafts, differ-
ential covers, or ring-and-pinion sets, nor does it authorize the use of pis-
ton rings having different configurations (e.g., “Total Seal®”) from those
of the original.
Hardware items (nuts, bolts, etc.) may be replaced by similar items of un-
restricted origin. Safety wire, threadlocker compounds, and locking nuts
are permitted. These allowances are strictly to allow components to be re-
placed from alternate sources other than the original manufacturer. They
should not be construed as an allowance to replace components with those
which could be considered a “higher performance” alternative. Parts avail-
able as replacements through the dealers parts department, the factory,
or any other source which do not meet standard part specifications (e.g.,
hardness, size, etc.) are non-compliant in Street Category, except as spe-
cifically provided elsewhere in these rules.
Specific vehicle classifications are located in Appendix A of these rules.
13.1 AUTHORIZED MODIFICATIONS
If a modification is not specifically authorized in this or previous Sections
of these Rules, it is not allowed.
The addition of small holes for attachment hardware for authorized modi-
fications is implicit (e.g., holes for fasteners to mount additional gauges,
holes for brackets to mount shock absorber remote reservoirs). However,
these holes may serve no other purpose.
All repairs must comply with factory-authorized methods and procedures,
or industry standard methods, as follows: If the OEM does not provide
an appropriate method of repair, industry standard methods and proce-
dures may be used. Such repairs may not result in a part or combination
of parts that provides a competitive advantage (e.g., significant change
to weight, suspension control, power, etc.) as compared to the standard
part(s). Competitors are strongly cautioned to use this allowance to make
common-sense repairs only.
Front bumpers, rear bumpers, body trim pieces and attachment points
may be reinforced to prevent or repair damage from hitting cones. Rein-
forcements that are not visible to the exterior of the car are allowed. Such
repairs and/or reinforcements may serve no other purpose.
It is not permitted to use non-compliant parts even if they have been set
to OE specifications.
Refer to Appendix F for past clarifications of these rules.
13.3 TIRES
Tires may be replaced with any size that fit the allowable wheels and fend-
er wells without modification. Tires must meet all of the following specifi-
cations and requirements to be eligible for use in the Street category. Any
tire may be excluded from National competition for reasons such as, but
not limited to, low volume production, availability limitations, specialty
design, and/or going out of production.
A. Specifications
1. Minimum UTQG Treadwear Grade of 200.
2. Minimum molded tread depth of 7
/32” as specified by the manufac-
turer.
3. Listed in a current year or prior 2 years of the “Tire Guide®” and/or
the “Tread Design Guide®” (www.tireguides.com).
4. US Department of Transportation (DOT) approval.
5. Tires must be designed for highway use on passenger cars.
B. Eligibility Requirements – The following are prerequisites before a tire
can be used in competition at National Solo® events. New tire models
not meeting these requirements by Jan 1 are not eligible for National
Solo® competition until after the Solo® National Championships of
that year, however may be used in Regional Solo® events provided all
requirements of 13.3.A are met.
1. Tire availability – Tires are considered available when competitors
13. Street Category
can take possession through retail channels. Pre-orders are not con-
sidered available.
2. Tires must be equally available to all competitors. Tires that are in
short supply do not specifically violate Section 13.3. Extensive short-
ages may result in the tire being placed on the National Event ex-
clusion list until supply is replenished. Tire variations differing from
standard specification, delivered only on a limited basis, or only to
selected competitors may not be used.
3. Tire models must have tires available in at least 4 rim diameters and
in at least 6 sizes which meet these requirements.
4. Material Change – Tires which previously met the eligiblity require-
ments that undergo a significant compound change, tread pattern
change, or other significant redesign reset the requirement for eligi-
bility described in Section 13.3.B.
5. A tire model which was previously allowed by these rules continues to
be eligible for National competition unless until specifically placed on
the National Event Exclusion List.
6. Re-introduction – Models that were once discontinued will be con-
sidered a new model once reintroduced and must meet all the re-
quirements of Section 13.3.
7. Tires will not be added to the National Exclusion List after June 30th.
C. Other
1. Any tire which is OE on a car eligible for Street Category may be used
on that car in Regional Solo® events. OE tires must meet all require-
ments of Section 13.3 to be eligible for National Solo® events.
2. Tires may be shaved evenly and parallel to the axis of rotation, but
may not otherwise be siped, grooved, or modified.
3. No recap and/or retread tires may be used.
4. National Event Exclusion List – Tires appearing on the following list
are not eligible for SCCA National Solo® events however may be used
in Regional Solo® competition.
• Vitour Tempesta P1
• XComp H/P
13.4 WHEELS
Any type wheel may be used provided it complies with the following:
A. It is the same width as standard and as installed it does not have an off-
set more than ±7.00 mm (±0.275”) from a standard wheel for the car.
The resultant change in track dimensions is allowed.
B. Wheel (rim) diameter may be increased or decreased 1” from the stan-
dard part. This change may be applied to the front, rear, or both axles.
Cars equipped with 21-inch wheels or larger may decrease to 19inch
wheels.Wheel spacers are permitted provided the resultant combination complies
with the offset requirements of this Section. A wheel spacer shall be con-
sidered as a part of the wheel. Wheel studs, lug nuts, valve stems (includ-
ing pressure-relief types), and/or bolt length may be changed. Wheel bolts
may be replaced with studs and nuts but the number of fasteners may not
be changed. Tire pressure monitoring sensors may be removed.
Centerlock/Spline Drive/Knock-off type hubs may be converted to lug
type hubs provided the resultant combination complies with the offset re-
quirements of this Section.

[CamaroDreams76]

Basically you're stuck with what you have if you want to read all that. Highlighted is what i find interesting. If you had a 13-15 seems like you could run 1LE suspension because that became an option late 2013 to just equip the vehicle with the suspension. Also it seems to be a gray area if you can swap the rear sway bar with the updated FE4 because its technically an updated part that was superseded in 2013. Im not affiliated with SCCA but it would certainly be something to inquire about.

The best part it says you are able to drop wheel diameter which would open up the window for the BFG rival, Bridgestone RE71-R and similar.

[Jasonxander000]

Yeah. No one was able to help answer my question. Thanks
I ended up buying some pirelli Pz4s from tire rack because they were on sale for 60 percent off.

[morepowerjoe]

Originally Posted by Jasonxander000

Yeah. No one was able to help answer my question. Thanks
I ended up buying some pirelli Pz4s from tire rack because they were on sale for 60 percent off.

Yeah a little late but I have used the Nitto G2's and they pretty much suck. Then I have tried the R2's and those are really good, but I know your autocrossing so you need to stick with 300+ treadwear. So for that I had some Continental extreme contact's and they are the best ones I ever used for a treadwear above 300.