[ericsmc83]

I'm toying with the idea of picking up a pair of drag wheels/radials for better traction for the occasional weekend drag at the track. I need something that would work well with a 350whp+ 335i 6MT. They'll never see the street or rain.

I've pretty much decided on the Kosei K1 17x8.5+40 for the wheels because of their low weight and cost ratio.

Basically just need to find a good drag-only tire to pair them with. I've looked at the following:

* BFG T/A DR II (275/40 only)
* Nitto 555R (245/45 or 275/40)
* Michelin PSC (225/45 or 275/40)

The Michelin's are ~50% more expensive and also seem more like a road course tire (correct me if I'm wrong), so I'm leaning more toward the BFG's or Nittos.

My primary questions are:
1. For those who frequently drag race, which brand of tire would you recommend and why?
2. Should I be looking at other brands for strictly drag usage (e.g. Hoosier, Mickey, etc)?
3. What size would work best on an 8.5" wheel, 245 or 275? I think 275 is beyond the "normal" range for that size of wheel, but I'm curious to see where the line exists between size/weight and performance/traction.

Looking forward to your responses!

[Chowbow]

The Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial is the best to hook with. The Nittos last a long time but don't hook worth a damn compared. After the MTs, the BFG T/A DRs are good too. 275/40 for sure, the 245s will be too narrow. I'd get either one of those 2 (MTs or BFGs)

Honestly, on 350RWHP it wouldn't matter between those two, even a really good street tire and killer driver can get good 60's on a setup like that. There are plenty of people running 1000RWHP through those MT street radials. A few 6 and 7 second cars running them too and enough to get those guys to hook.

[Mr. 5]

IMO, the Hoosier Drag Radials are the best!
I picked up a set of wheels that had these on and they are far far superior than Nittos or BFGs.

Put a set of 275/40 17s Hoosiers on a set of Koseis and you won't have a problem with hooking up

[ericsmc83]

Thanks for the tips guys.

I have a feeling I could vastly improve my 60ft's with a lot more practice and perhaps slightly better track conditions. My best with my PS2 non-RFT's is ~2.26, but that was also my first time at the track with the 335i. So my ET's were meh, but the traps were definitely there.

My curiosity is just getting the better of me trying to see what I could run if I could get all that power to the ground properly!

[ineedae46m3]

Originally Posted by ericsmc83

Thanks for the tips guys.

I have a feeling I could vastly improve my 60ft's with a lot more practice and perhaps slightly better track conditions. My best with my PS2 non-RFT's is ~2.26, but that was also my first time at the track with the 335i. So my ET's were meh, but the traps were definitely there.

My curiosity is just getting the better of me trying to see what I could run if I could get all that power to the ground properly!

Out of curiosity what did you have the rear PS2s inflated to during that run? DTC or DSC on/off? What did you launch at. That really is not all thart horrible for the first time @ the strip to be honest.