[L78toLT1]

Hey guys, I am registered for my first track say of the season at Road Atlanta tomorrow. In order to make it to the track in time for registration, tech check, driver's meet, etc. I will need to leave home at 5:30am, when the temperature is forecasted to be a balmy 25 degrees. It's a 65 mile ride to the track.
The car is basking in a 70 degree garage where it will remain until I head out for the track. I'm running Goodyear Supercar3's. I'm hoping that immediately getting on the road with warm tires will enable me to make it to the track without incident.
Assuming I make it to the track, the temp should be around 35 degrees for my first session. The forecast calls for full sun all day, which will certainly help. By my 2nd session, it will have warmed up to 40 degrees. What do you guys think? I have a good bit of tracking experience, but have never driven summer compound tires in temperatures any where near this cold. I was caught with my pants down in this situation. 25 degrees in Georgia this time of year is certainly not the norm.

[olblue75]

I drive my 5th Gen n colder without issue you just have to be smart about things.

[Christian1LE]

You will be fine, I've done several trackdays at this point where the temps start below freezing and go to around 40F by the hottest part of the day. Take 2 or so laps to get your tires up to temperature depending how aggressive you drive. The first 4-5 turns will have 0 grip.

[L78toLT1]

Originally Posted by Christian1LE

You will be fine, I've done several trackdays at this point where the temps start below freezing and go to around 40F by the hottest part of the day. Take 2 or so laps to get your tires up to temperature depending how aggressive you drive. The first 4-5 turns will have 0 grip.

Thanks man. I'm not to worried about it when/if I make it to the track. It's the 65 mile ride to the track in 25 degree temps is just plain scary.

[L78toLT1]

Originally Posted by olblue75

I drive my 5th Gen n colder without issue you just have to be smart about things.

My scariest experience so far is when i drove in the mid 30's, in rain. I survived that, so 25 in the dry may actually be a piece of cake.

[Msquared]

Agree with the above replies. Your tires will be fine. The worst part would be when you leave home, but you're keeping them warm in the garage. Once you're rolling on them, they'll generate enough heat to avoid any damage. Once you start making laps at the track, they'll generate quite a bit of heat for themselves.

[Silveradoss573]

I went through this about 2 years ago and had no issues. Although not quite as cold, we left at 5am with temperature around 30*. I picked a route that kept the speed up to keep as much heat in the tires for the 1+ hour trip to the track. Also ran a space heater in the garage the night before to get as much heat in the tires as possible. My garage usually sits around 70* year-round to begin with. When we opened the door that morning to leave, it was around 78* so we had a good starting point. My car has the Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2's btw so obviously not quite as soft as yours but still concerning as I never drive the car in those low temps. Still had to be very cautious and gentle with throttle but not as bad as I was expecting. 👍

[wakespeak]

The 3Rs don't grip until warmed up on the track. Car will be loose. Be careful on warm up with maybe two laps in the first sessions. Driving there should be ok at 25F, air up for the drive.

[L78toLT1]

Just finished my last session and the tires were a non issue both on track and on the way over. It was just so stupid cold this morning that I didn't know what to expect. While I will avoid track days that barely get out of the 30's in the future, at least I know that, if push comes to shove, I can make it work.

[Christian1LE]

Originally Posted by L78toLT1

Just finished my last session and the tires were a non issue both on track and on the way over. It was just so stupid cold this morning that I didn't know what to expect. While I will avoid track days that barely get out of the 30's in the future, at least I know that, if push comes to shove, I can make it work.

The worst part about driving in the cold is that you're forced to keep the windows open, and even with gloves on my hands will freeze at those temperatures. I usually can only stay out there for 15 minutes or so before my hands turn into ice.

[cdrptrks]

Originally Posted by wakespeak

The 3Rs don't grip until warmed up on the track. Car will be loose. Be careful on warm up with maybe two laps in the first sessions. Driving there should be ok at 25F, air up for the drive.

I would not try to drive on Supercar 3Rs in 25°F temperatures! I was spinning the rear tires at half throttle in 1st and 2nd gear with traction control on in the paddock when they were 40°F! Maybe it would be ok because of the heated garage but I wouldn't try it. Agreed about being careful warming them up...I started using PTM Dry for that when it is cold outside and even then they are sketchy for 3 laps. I have nearly lost control driving 3Rs with traction/stability control off when it is cold outside several different times (including on a straightaway) and I have seen others spin out on them when the tires are cold.

Thankfully the OP had Supercar 3 (not 3R). I drove on Supercar 3s in the high 20s °F to VIR after the car set outside in the cold all night at the hotel and thankfully had no issues but I was uneasy about doing it.

[cdrptrks]

Originally Posted by L78toLT1

While I will avoid track days that barely get out of the 30's in the future, at least I know that, if push comes to shove, I can make it work.

The car is capable of the fastest lap times in cold temperatures if the sun is out to warm up the track surface but it is definitely not the most comfortable experience for the driver!

[N Camarolina]

Originally Posted by cdrptrks

The car is capable of the fastest lap times in cold temperatures if the sun is out to warm up the track surface but it is definitely not the most comfortable experience for the driver!

Tell me about it! Last February I did my first (and only) cold day at VIR. Right around freezing overnight at the hotel. I drive to the track and the DIC is telling me the tires are cold the whole drive there. I think they didn't hit "normal" until I pulled into the VIR property. Of course by the time the first session started they were cold again.

On the track in the morning, traction was down, as the day was only partly sunny, and it was taking me about 2.5-3 laps to get the tires warm. Some suggested I slide the car around a bit to try to warm the tires faster, but that was an uncomfortable feeling because there wasn't much demarcation between traction and exceeding the limit. Whoever coined the phrase "like driving on hockey pucks" wasn't kidding!

So how do you guys go about warming the tires as quickly as possible on track?

[Msquared]

Guys, unless I'm missing something, the OP is on SC3s, not 3Rs.