[rotis]

Originally Posted by FNxR3DNECK

If you read on they said they got 1:20.0 out of the AR-1 after letting them heat cycle.

Yes, they got a 1:20.0 a few days later, on a cooler morning, after letting them heat cycle. Unfortunately they didn't run either of the other tires to see how they compared in the same conditions. I don't think the order would have changed, maybe the gaps would have.

The AR-1 has been very popular here, because it was a very inexpensive "fast enough" option. That may be changing, as Nankang is getting hit with pretty steep tariffs in the US due to dumping, so it's removed most (if not all) of its price advantage. (edit: oh damn, it's worse than I thought. The 325/30-19 SC3 at TireRack is $364 w/free shipping, the same size AR-1 from Phil's is $399 + shipping. After you're done paying shipping, the AR-1 is $200 more per set, maybe other sizes aren't so bad)

Depending on the type of event you are running, and session length, that may affect your tire choice. The SC3 and SC3R both tolerate heat well, and will maintain pace over the course of a full session. The out lap might be sketchy, but the tire will hang on. The AR-1 is certainly the opposite. You get one or two flyers, then it tapers off. That type of behavior makes sense for a TT, where you'd be catching the tail of the field by lap 3 anyway, probably less helpful for general HPDE stuff.

[R3ctivision]

Hrm, I didn't consider the tariff aspect. Hopefully I didn't just waste my money on my 18" setup.. only one way to find out now!

[rotis]

18's will give you the most options in terms of tire choices. You've got the RT660, Rival-S, CR-1, or the new Conti ExtremeContactForce. I think the SC3 is the only option that really requires 19" in our sizes.

[R3ctivision]

18s are super super tight on brake caliper clearance though. I get rub marks inside my wheels from random pebbles and clag on track. I also can't put full steering lock without hitting my SS brake deflectors. The 18 tire options also have slightly shorter outer diameters and therefore have a bit different gearing as well.