Quote:
Originally Posted by kcpaz
The point that I was trying to make, was that if all you are doing is DE (which is defined as driver's education and not a competition in any way) then what's the point of running an R-Comp tire? You're not competing against anybody, there's no contingency programs, and a lot of clubs won't even record lap times, so unless you have your own lap timer, you have no idea how fast you're going anyway. If your goal is to try and turn the fastest lap time possible, then move up to time trials and make your effort actually mean something. Why not? If you've got a lap timer in your car during your DE run and you're trying to compare your lap times against your fellow DE drivers, then you aren't using DE for it's intended purpose. I can't imagine being satisfied for 10 years just doing DE and never moving up to any sort of competitive group.
Also, the O.P. stated that he was going to be using the R-Comps on a stock Boxster. Seems like there should be about 4-5 other suspension modifications that I would consider first before moving up to a better tire.
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A couple of thoughts:
Why R-comps at DE's? How about they give you more consistent performance over a 20-30 minute session? Same with high performance brake pads. Street tires/pads and brake fluid eventually will succumb to the heat generated on the track; I enjoy the extra capability of driving a complete session without dealing about slowing down because my tires or brakes are becoming less effective.
Lap timers:
I use my phone as a lap timer to determine if I'm getting better at a particular track with changes in tires, brake pads or a technique. I continually experiment on my technique and note what works or what does not. My lap timer gives me speeds through various sectors, where I braked, where I turned in and where I was on the track. Over time, you should improve your lap times as your knowledge about the track and familiarity with the car improves.
I see the DE experience as largely self improvement (of driving skills) rather than a competitive exercise. Everyone wants to be fast and be competitive with other drivers, but measuring my own performance against my previous times lets me know how I'm doing and if I'm getting better. This may not work for everyone but it works for me.