Updated: My Tire experiences so far...

[Mikamaro]

Obviously budget is always an issue, mine is getting smaller each year with a growing family so I always look at used opportunities for a great street/track tire, So here are my tire experiences since the beginning with the Camaro:

1st Year: NEW OEM Pirelli PZero 2x 245/45R20XL & 2x 275/40R20XL:
Compliant setup, soft and forgiving, good wear & good Grip when hot, front push on corner entry. Greasy over 38Psi hot. better grip with low PSI at 34 Hot. Very noisy when cornering before it's limit, lets you believe you’re at the limit when you're only at 85% close to it.

2nd Year: Still on OEM Pirelli PZERO But upgraded to 4x 275/40R20XL USED:
Front size greatly reduced understeer close to none. Better front steering input & it’s more accurate to place the car on top of the right side Apex. Great wear and tear for a lot of hard driving, As noisy as ever when cornering but no humming on high speed straits. Although the OEM suspension has soft spring rate and high travel this tire cannot reach the suspension limit, tire gives away first.

3rd Year: 4x NEW NITTO NT05 275/40R20XL:
At first glance, the look of these tires are awesome, probably second best after looking at a some big fat hot sticky slick racing tire. (miam miam; I would make Chewing gum out of those!) It has a hard & stiff side wall but the thread compound is soft. Grip is Increase by a lot, especially in hot weather. With those sticking to the track you realize after a few hot laps that the OEM suspension gives up before they do. So haft way into the season I’ve upgrade my suspension with GM’s 1LE track Package. This combination proved to be the fastest so far. Tight & heavy steering feel, responsive entry and exit from low to high speed Apex. Throttle over steer is limited only when they become greasy after 25 minutes. Best temp is 32 Cold and 37 Hot. The better they become closer & past the wear bar, just like slick at the end, Loved it!. Corner noise is almost absent, only a slight screech at the limit before letting go in a progressive matter. Strait line hum is more present. The wear and tear is 3 times as fast as the Pzero.

4th Year: 4x USED Michelin Pilot Super Sport 255/45R20XL:
This setup has a higher center of gravity with less contact patch but produce the same level of grip and results then the 275-NT05. Love the soft compound and the grip is phenomenal but because of the setup did not feel as tight or secure getting into fast Apex. Wheel hop increase on hard start but faster time in strait line. No doubt the tire is great. A lower profile and wider patch is recommended. Wear and tear is good similar to the Pzero I would say but has a longer life span. Noise? Only at the right time they let you know you are about to past their limit.

5th Year: 4x lightly USED Pirelli PZero ROSSO 275/35ZR20XL:
At first look, They have a stiff side wall and rock hard outside ribs & a softer center rib thread compound. The center ribs have a progessive wear thread design, so the more used the more contact patch it seems. Low profile. Z rated. 285mm from edge to edge. Seems like they will perform well at super hot temperature. One interesting fact about the seize 275/35ZR20XL is that they were developed for a +4500lbs Bentley and most importantly manufactured in Germany. Take note that many other sizes aren’t.

So far, After driving the Pirelli Rossos 250 miles on track circuits & 7000 street miles total: I think these are great overall street performer! On Highway speeds in dry conditions; they are better than oem PZero & the NT05 has they do not wonder as much between road ruts and are quieter. They feel similar to the Michelin PSS. For city driving; better off the line traction than oem PZero, less grip than NT05 but similar to the PSS. Provides good steering feel & are more agile than all in quick lane changes. On Track Circuit; given this is a street tire, it’s pretty solid, Runs better between 35-38psi when hot. Lots of screeching but very progressive let go after 8/10th. Not as sticky as the NT05 and a tad less than the PSS but very sure footed & very fun to drive. When Wet driving; they provide absolute confidence at any speed. The best by far in this pack! The tread wear is very good so far, they only loss about 3/32.Like all low profile tires, they need to warm up to get going & they will provide some steering shaking in the process but in less and 2 miles, you are good to go! I grade these has my all-around champion. They do everything good..

[White_SS/RS]

Good write up on your tire experience to next track season!

[Mean Green Z28]

Nice writeup, I'm learning!

[Mikamaro]

Update in BOLD in my first post...