Learn Racing · Setup · 7 min · All Levels
Tires 101: Compounds, Pressures, Wear
Track tire basics for grassroots racers: choosing a compound, setting hot pressures, reading wear and making tires last longer.
Tires are the only part of the car touching the track. Every input you make — braking, turning, accelerating — goes through four contact patches about the size of your hand. Understanding them is the cheapest speed you'll ever find.
Compounds
- Street performance tires: great for first track days; forgiving, long-lasting, they warn you as they slide.
- 200-treadwear 'extreme performance' tires: the grassroots sweet spot for many classes.
- R-compound and racing slicks: maximum grip, short life, less warning at the limit.
Beginners learn faster on less grip. Sticky tires hide mistakes and make the limit arrive suddenly.
Pressures
Tire pressure rises a lot as tires heat up. What matters is the hot pressure right after you come off track. Start with the tire maker's recommendation, check hot pressures immediately after each session, and adjust by bleeding or adding air from there. Write everything down.
Reading wear
- Wearing the outer shoulder: pressure may be too low or you need more negative camber.
- Wearing the center: pressure is likely too high.
- Graining or chunking: overheating — too much sliding or the wrong compound.
- Flat spots: a lockup. Usually a braking technique issue.
Making them last
Warm them up gradually on the out lap, avoid sliding the car around, cool them on the in lap, and store them out of the sun. Heat cycles age a tire even when tread remains, so note how many sessions each set has done.
Want help reading your tires or dialing in setup? Get in touch — it's one of our favorite conversations in the paddock.
