[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

Wait,what exactly are R-compound tires? I thought any tire designed for track & competitions but driveable everyday on the street is a R-compound tire

european car has opted to classify everything that falls between the minimal D.O.T. certification and the top of the line Max-grip tire as an R-compound tire.

http://www.europeancarweb.com/tech/0408ec_performance_tire_guide_r_compounds/index.html

mmm..you can't really drive an R-comp everyday. Puts allot of strain on the drive train. Also, I'm not sure if heat cycling is an issue--you may end up with Flintstone's wheels, too hard.... and there is standing water to deal with as well.
The "R-Comp" usually have the bare minimum tread to pass for DOT. Not what you want in a daily driver but during rainy track events it doesn't seem to be an isssue.

R-comp was a tire industry reaction to some grassroots formulas banning slicks in favor of DOT approved tires for their events. They basically took the sticky slicks and carved out tread for wet weather. But now some sereis require not only DOT but a certain minimum tread wear.