Racing Tire ? / Advice....
 

As most of you know I have an AUTO 04 GT with a few bolt-on performance mods...(in sig)

I am going to be doing some bracket racing over the summer with this car at some NMRA events, World Ford Challenge, and at the local track......My goal is consistent ET's....AND NOT TO BREAK ANYTHING!!! (Slicks are completely out of the question)

I have a set of 15 x 7 in rims from an 00 V6 mustang that I want to use. My question is what tire size/brand should I go with? Would a set of Mickey Thompson/ ET streets be too much? Any tire ideas that have worked for you guys on 15's would be much appreciated!

275/50/17 should do you well, they are 26.1" tall and the ET streets in that size have an actual 10" of tread width, I'm pretty sure the 245/45/17's are 25.7" tall so you won't have to worry about loosing any mph from more rotating mass.

A step down from the ET streets would be the BFG Comp T/A Drag radials in the same size, another choice is the Nitto DR

I would recommend gettin a good torque converter and shifter for the auto.

Don't think 245/45/17's will fit on a 15 inch rim.

Good idea. I wish I would have tried a little bracket racing back with my v6. It was slow, but it ran consistent at 16.3.

BFGoodrich is a great drag radial, and you will see the best performance, but with that comes the price of less tread life. Nittos wont hook up AS GOOD but you will see much better tread life. Also with your auto I would say get nittos.... you wont be having traction problems like a manual would dropping the clutch at 3500.

275/50/15's sounds good...another site suggested 275/55/15's...would that be too big for the 15 x 7 rim? I just needs somthing with some bite to keep consistent in those late rounds!

I usually race my 73, but I thought it would be cool to try the 04 GT this year, and let my dad run the 73....keep up with the good suggestions!

Only used that for a size refference as it is the standard size that comes on the 17" wheels

I work at Discount Tire and i'll have to agree with you that 245/45/17 won't fit on a 15" wheel, I know from first hand pickin up the wrong tire to mount.

I don't think you really need to do more than a DR with an auto and a stock/fairly stock car, I have heard good things about the Nitto DR's as well as the Comp T/A's. I would recommend a DR as they are cheaper than ET streets and you really shouldn't need more grab than that, a guy I work with has a set of Nitto DR's on his 18" wheels and can't manage to get more than a long chirp from them if he mashes the throttle from a stop in his lightning, he used to slide all over the place before the DR's and they gave him more than enough traction to be plenty consistent, both his runs were within the same 1/10th last time we went to the track.

275/55/15's would be cool but i've never heard of anyone making them..?

You will not break your rear end with slicks with an automatic.

With a stock auto you mean.


but i 2nd that, you ant gonna break the rear with a stock auto on slicks.

Automatics just don't hit as hard as manuals. I run 15" 275's on mine and made 158 passes this season with no issues. Mine is not stock.

Thanks for all the help guys....The local BFG dealer quoted me a price of $109/tire for 225/50/15's so I think that is the route I am going....

BLUE02GT..your going to WFC8 this year right? There is also a big event up here in KC sponsored by the NMRA.....I am going into the ET3 class with the GT, and I think ET2 with the Maverick...

I should be running in both this year.

Slicks=consistency. You will not break your rear end with ANY automatic(built or not)unless you have a transbrake. Shocking the tires is combo of converter/motor/trannybrake.

Adam

Look into getting a tuner, you're gonna wanna remap your shifts to get the most out of your car.