So I competed in my second auto-x today (first on these tires) and they continue to impress me despite their low price. Despite my driving (I did get better through the day) I managed a 13th fastest RAW time (of 44 drivers including 2 carts) and actually beat a Ferrari 458 Italia and a 2010 AWD Porsche 911 Turbo and a few other cars. I felt like I had another .5 or so left in the car and I think I could have gotten it into the 47s pretty easily if I could have just gotten a good run in and 'connected all the dots'.

To reiterate and give specifics:

Car: 2009 Cobalt SS/TC (G85)
Tire: GT Radial Champiro UHP1 235/40/r18
Pressure: RF:35 LF:35 RR:30 RL:30
Suspension: Stock
Modifications: Catless downpipe, Intercooler, Muffler delete, stock tune

Results:

RAW: Final Raw Time Results
FINAL: Final Results (shows all runs for all cars)

I ran in the STU class in novice and won novice beating a B Stock Solstice GXP on 265 Hoosier A6 slicks. I was in the 2nd run group so all the cars before us (pro class etc) got to run before the rain so their times were not affected. This is my fastest run (48.499) and last run of the day in the 2nd run group:


After this my friend Justin (3rd fastest time of the day in the GXP Solstice) Wanted to give my car a try (fun run at the end of the event) and the sky absolutely opened up and it started pouring. There was a pond in the middle of the parking lot 2-3" deep through the slalom and in the beginning you can see us laughing as the 350z drifts/hydroplanes his ass off through the whole course.

He ended up running a 50.477 first time driving my car, in the rain, on $85 tires. I'm pretty impressed with these cheap-o tires. He actually (unsolicited) mentions how much grip the car has during the run.

Rain video here (sorry my helmet was all in the way):


I will check tread depth as soon as its not pouring out but my first impression is that despite 6 runs this event the tires showed little signs of wear. Turn in was excellent and the ability to put the power down (watch the boost gauge in the first video, I get on the power pretty early out of the tight corners) was better than expected.

 

Damn good times bud! You could probably be #1 on the day if you switched to some decent rubber in stock size. I found 235's really rolled around on stock tc rims and made for sluggish transitions between the cones and slaloms.

 

Thanks man - I was told I really need to work on unwinding the wheel on exit and I can see it - i was going left to go right and vice versa a few times and really gave up some speed. I had gone much faster thru the slalom too in earlier runs, but I didnt want to risk a cone on my last run!

Such a blast tho - I am addicted. All I want to do is race

 

My biggest problem is that I tend to charge in too deep. The rule is slow in fast out. I kind of do that backwards too much, then rely on the torque of the car to make up time. That usually doesn't work well and is poor strategy. I blame it on my crappy brakes.

 

That is hard not to do - I also get overconfident in the brakes and although they will stop you quickly it can upset the balance of the car to the point where you cant initiate the turn properly.

seat time, seat time, seat time i guess!!!