The main objective of this track day was to evaluate the tyre options for the series control tyre. We had previously already specified the control tyre as the Yokohama A539 and these have been used by several cars without any problems. But since then we have been given the option to run our cars as an invitation class in the BMWRDC Kumho Challenge. Obviously we would need to run Kumho tyres for these races and so if we could find a Kumho tyre tyre that met our own requirements then we would be onto a winner!

Over the last 16 years, Kumho have developed their own control tyre for the Kumho series. This is the Kumho Ecsta V700 in a hard compound. Everything about it sounded great apart from the price at £108 per corner where we were used to spending £40 for the Yoko's. Even though they promised to last an entire season the up-front cost was looking to be just too high. A Kumho road tyre was also suggested, the Ecsta Supra 712. A set of these was fitted to my car before the day and the BMWRDC were kind enough to supply a set of V700's for testing. Two other BMW's in attendance at Brands were already running the Yokohamas.

Yokohama A539

Kumho Ecsta V700

Kumho Ecsta Supra 712

Unfortunately, the day at Brands was wet (very wet!) and we didn't get any dry running at all. Unsurprisingly the road tyres performed best but I was very impressed with the V700's, being only a little slower. The flipside was that I found them very tricky on the limit. Of the road tyres, the Kumho 712's came out on top, being friendlier on the limit and subjectively a little quicker.

So to cut a long story short we have decided to take our chances with the Kumho 712. From what we've heard of their dry use wear rates they will not fall apart on track and at a quarter of the price of the V700's we don't mind if we get through a few sets! So their wet performance and price make them very attractive, with the added advantage that there is far less "barrier to entry" to get our guys trying their hands at a few of the Kumho Challenge races.

The weather was very frustrating and track time was limited due to standing water at the bottom of Paddock Hill Bend leading to temprary track closures and the fact that you run out of daylight at 3:30pm. This really messed up my attitude to the day and I was subconcsiously "rushing" things all day, trying to get the maximum amount of track time in, even though there was nothing I could do about it. This rushing about extended to my driving style and I was not really happy with my performance. It wasn't until a day or two afterwards that I really started kicking myself about it. I never took the time to analyse my driving and make adjustments even though I was making blindingly obvious mistakes all round the circuit and doing the same things lap after lap. Paddock: braking too early; turn-in too early; power-on too late. Druids: braking too early; turn-in too late. Graham Hill: entry too fast; turning too late. The list goes on.

I have resolved not to make the same mistakes again. Not the driving errors themselves but the lack of self-analysis and corresponding adjustments. I doubt very much if I went any quicker on my last session of the day to my first. And judging by the pace of Alan Wileman in his 320, I do not have the luxury of a talent advantage!

fourwheels racing © 20-Dec-2003