Test Result Video
Best Racetrack & Autocross Tires of 2026: Hoosier Track Attack R Race R8 & A8 vs. Yokohama ADVAN A055 vs. Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Track
Length: (13:17)
Tires Tested
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What We Liked
Strong grip, excellent steering, good wear, minimal fall-off.
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What We'd Improve
It could last forever.
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Summary
Fast, fluid, and a fantastic category choice.
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What We Liked
Strong grip, excellent steering, good wear, even less fall-off.
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What We'd Improve
There's little to ask for beyond more outright traction and speed.
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Summary
Speedy, consistent, and a pleasure to drive.
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What We Liked
Fun handling, nice even wear, an enjoyable tire to drive.
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What We'd Improve
Quicker warm-up and a bit more grip to lean on.
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Summary
Not the most of anything, but its even wear and gleeful handling put it in its own lane.
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What We Liked
Well-balanced, consistent, and speedy.
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What We'd Improve
Keep its characteristic balance and dial in a bit more outright speed.
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Summary
Satisfying and friendly. Even without the crown, an excellent performance option.
Vehicle(s) Used
2024 BMW M2
Test Report
Which Racetrack & Autocross Tire Wins?
Short answer: on our 2024 BMW M2, the Hoosier Track Attack R Race A8 swept the test: fastest combined average, fastest morning average, fastest single lap. Its endurance-focused sibling, the Hoosier Track Attack R Race R8, was within a tenth on combined average and brought slightly better consistency. The Yokohama ADVAN A055 (our reigning benchmark) finished third but remained one of the most forgiving and predictable tires of the group. The Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Track rounded out the field with the best wear of the group and a fun, looser personality, but couldn't match the Hoosiers for outright pace.
Lap-Time Results at a Glance
| Tire | Combined AM/PM | Top 6 AM | Top 6 PM | Best AM | Best PM |
| Hoosier Track Attack R Race A8 | 1:39.37 | 1:38.93 | 1:39.81 | 1:38.13 | 1:39.03 |
| Hoosier Track Attack R Race R8 | 1:39.48 | 1:39.00 | 1:39.96 | 1:38.55 | 1:39.31 |
| Yokohama ADVAN A055 | 1:40.07 | 1:39.51 | 1:40.63 | 1:38.66 | 1:39.78 |
| Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Track | 1:40.13 | 1:39.66 | 1:40.60 | 1:38.84 | 1:40.14 |
The Four-Part Series
This is a four-part test, with each segment covering its own group of tires. See the other parts here:
- Streetable Track & Competition
- Racetrack & Autocross Only (you're here)
- Super 200
- Endurance 200
What Are Racetrack & Autocross Tires?
The Racetrack & Autocross category might be the most unambiguous tire category there is. These tires are often street-legal, but the use case is clear: they're built for competition, time attack, race days, and the celebration of going really fast in a safe, legal space. Most carry "NOT FOR HIGHWAY USE" somewhere on the sidewall, so their purpose is plain. They're the most agile track tires available short of pure racing slicks.
Hoosier dominated this segment for a long time with their R7 and A7. While a few tires have outpaced the R7 - Yokohama's ADVAN A055 and last year's new P Zero Trofeo Track from Pirelli among them - Hoosier hasn't been sitting idle. They've recently launched the replacements for the R7 and A7: the Track Attack R Race R8 and A8 (or just R8 and A8 for short). The A8 is, in theory, less of a direct competitor here, as it's billed as a more autocross-focused tire - but this was the perfect time to see how it actually feels alongside the other three. We test to separate theory from truth, not take anyone else's word for it.
How We Tested
We added camber plates to the M2 this year, giving it 2.5 degrees of negative camber on the front axle to better take advantage of the high-end performance tires we'd be driving. Hot inflation pressures for each tire in this set were determined during our previous skid pad test. All sets received a Tire Rack heat cycle for consistency. To reduce braking variability, we used Hawk Performance DTC-70 pads in the front and DTC-60s in the rear.
We continued the all-day testing format on a large local road course: Control 1, A, B, C, Control 1 in the morning, then Control 2, C, B, A, Control 2 in the afternoon. That allowed direct comparison across cool morning conditions and hot afternoon sessions.
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Lap Times
- Combined AM/PM Average: 1:39.37 (fastest combined average)
- Top 6 Average (AM): 1:38.93 (fastest morning average)
- Top 6 Average (PM): 1:39.81
- Best Lap (AM): 1:38.13 (fastest single lap of the test)
- Best Lap (PM): 1:39.03
On Track
In a word, or a pair of words, or three words (one a contraction, so we're back to two): it's good. The A8 was the fastest tire we drove all day, period. Best single lap, quickest average - this was the pace to judge by.
It felt planted and composed throughout, even with the aggressive driving necessary for good performance testing. The front end was pointy and easy to guide, with the rear following dutifully. We could provoke a bit of rotation by mashing the throttle at corner exit, but for the most part it stayed glued to the track. Even mid-corner, short of the absolute limit, there was enough reserve traction to make corrections - the available-grip ceiling felt huge. On the morning track especially, heat and evolution were well mitigated; there were never points where we felt a massive fall-off by the time laps were done. If anything, the A8 actually took some time to warm up, and the change was abrupt but positive. Our fastest times came on the third lap for both drivers, rather than the first.
Afternoon Sessions
In the afternoon, things inverted a bit on the warmer track surface. By the third lap we did see some fall-off, but the A8 remained our speediest option.
Wear
The A8 spread wear pretty evenly across the tread face - roughly 1-1.5 mm of degradation overall - apart from some rubber pickup on the inboard shoulder toward the end of testing. Every tire showed concentrated wear on the outboard shoulder, and the A8 was no exception, likely due in part to body roll wearing the shoulder in turns beyond what 2.5 degrees of negative camber could counteract.
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Lap Times
- Combined AM/PM Average: 1:39.48
- Top 6 Average (AM): 1:39.00
- Top 6 Average (PM): 1:39.96
- Best Lap (AM): 1:38.55
- Best Lap (PM): 1:39.31
On Track
It's difficult to talk about the Hoosier duo for long without comparing one to the other, something that's been true in previous generations of the A/R divide too. The R8 felt very similar to its sibling in most respects, with the primary difference being that it traded absolute traction and speed for consistency. And not by much, judging by lap times alone. It wasn't as abrupt as the A8 in warming up, coming in more gradually and not feeling drastically different once it got there, even as it gained speed. Across both morning and afternoon sessions, the R8's third lap was its fastest - though all laps were close enough that the spread was nearly flat, which is the R8's real strength.
Afternoon Sessions
The R8 kept a consistent feel across both morning and afternoon sessions, with no real notable changes beyond a slight slip in lap times, much like the other tires here.
Wear
Likely due to the identical tread between the two tires, the R8 showed a similar wear pattern to the A8 - including the deep outboard shoulder scoring - but to a slightly lesser degree across the whole tire.
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Lap Times
- Combined AM/PM Average: 1:40.13
- Top 6 Average (AM): 1:39.66
- Top 6 Average (PM): 1:40.60
- Best Lap (AM): 1:38.84
- Best Lap (PM): 1:40.14
On Track
The P Zero Trofeo Track was a distinctly different flavor from the other tires here. Ultimate grip was lower - it wasn't as attached to the track - which required a different approach to extract its best. Some tires want a hardline to rail around your chosen path; some want you to wiggle the rear and kick around the corner with a little panache. The P Zero Trofeo Track committed to the latter, and it made for a genuinely fun tire to drive. Even if it wasn't the absolute fastest, it appealed to a more free-wheeling style. Discipline was still required to post respectable times - we couldn't get too crazy - but it took a specific approach.
On average, the P Zero Trofeo Track was slower than the others, though not so much that it was completely out of competitive consideration - particularly if the track and tires were on the cooler side. It took time to warm up initially, not fully hitting its stride until the third lap. Once there, it remained very consistent.
Afternoon Sessions
There was a significant gap between morning and afternoon performance, and heat undoubtedly played a part. Even on the warmer afternoon track it took time to come up to speed; we added an extra lap because it wasn't fully "on" even after warm-ups, and was still waking up well into its first timed lap. Once it shook off the grogginess, it remained fun to drive. The front could give up and dive into understeer, but largely we could lean on it and have a good time.
Wear
The P Zero Trofeo Track had some of the best wear characteristics in the group, losing only around 1 mm or less across most of the tread face. Even the outboard shoulder, where we consistently saw the deepest material loss across the test, showed the shallowest loss of the group, dipping only an extra half millimeter.
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Lap Times
- Combined AM/PM Average: 1:40.07
- Top 6 Average (AM): 1:39.51
- Top 6 Average (PM): 1:40.63
- Best Lap (AM): 1:38.66
- Best Lap (PM): 1:39.78
On Track
The ADVAN A055 has been one of our go-to tires - our control tire for the past two years of track testing, and a fantastic tire to drive. For a while, even through new releases, it seemed like the only tire that would beat it would be Yokohama themselves. As we found, that's no longer the case. It remained a great tire to drive: consistent, fast, forgiving, with wonderful handling that walked the line between pointy immediacy and smooth, analog feedback. We could engage the throttle quickly out of turns, or ride it through the S-curve, and the A055 just held the line and carried us where we intended to go.
Unfortunately, what feels good isn't always fast, and what's fast doesn't always feel good. The ADVAN A055 finished third in combined average lap times, and while it certainly had competitive laps in it, it lagged a consistent half-second or more behind the leaders.
Afternoon Sessions
Unlike the other tires in the test, its fastest laps were its first ones in both morning and afternoon, with fall-off occurring early before settling into a nice, consistent plateau. There was mercifully little change between morning and afternoon handling either, beyond predictably losing time on the sun-beaten track.
Wear
The ADVAN A055 didn't exhibit any isolated areas of extreme wear and stayed relatively even across the tread face, but it also experienced the most tread loss of the group, ranging from 1.5-3 mm.
Test Summary
The Verdict: Best Racetrack & Autocross Tire on a BMW M2
Lap times are the primary consideration in this category for most drivers: which one was the absolute fastest? Maybe wear and durability if you're using a single set for the season or treat track days as an infrequent hobby. It's an easily rank-able data point, but how a tire feels, handles, and how easy it is to sync up with as a driver is arguably just as important. When you have tires that do both, the result can be pretty magical - and that's exactly what we found with the Hoosier twins.
Best Overall (and Fastest on Track): Hoosier Track Attack R Race A8
The Track Attack R Race A8 swept the temporal measurements - it was the fastest tire out here while also not feeling adversarial to drive. It's on your side, it's consistent, and it's just a great experience top to bottom once it warms up. If the goal is the fastest possible lap on the M2, this is the tire.
Best for Consistency: Hoosier Track Attack R Race R8
The R8 feels like it delivers 95% of what the A8 has to offer, but holds a little back to focus on endurance and repeatability. If you're running longer sessions or want the tightest lap-time grouping for the day, the R8 is the smarter choice. Both tires are more than worthy successors to their A7/R7 predecessors in every way.
The Friendly Benchmark: Yokohama ADVAN A055
The ADVAN A055 may have been surpassed here as a benchmark, but that's what benchmarks are for - and it doesn't suddenly stop being one of the best category options just because something new came along. It remains a very competitive choice, and in the right hands, on the right vehicle, in the right circumstances, the gap to the Hoosiers might just disappear. Still the most forgiving tire of the group.
Best Wear & Most Fun: Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Track
The P Zero Trofeo Track is fun to drive, fast, mostly grippy, and consistent lap to lap. It does take a while to warm up and doesn't hold on quite as well in long sweepers. It also posted the best wear of the group. If you're mixing time-attack with a few extra track days and want a tire that feels playful - and lasts - this is the most distinctive choice in the test.
Other Tire Tests
We can't help ourselves, we're always testing more tires out on the track. It's a good thing too, because with so many different categories and so many different features to evaluate, there aren't many places you're going to find this type of in-depth analysis. It's not a stretch to say with each tire test we do, you're going to learn something new - and maybe even find your next set of tires.
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Tires Tested
- Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
- Yokohama AVID Ascend LX
- Falken Sincera SN250 A/S
- Pirelli Cinturato WeatherActive
- BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS
- Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4
- Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
- Vredestein Ultrac Pro
- Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS
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Tires Tested
- Bridgestone Potenza Sport AS
- Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus
- Goodyear Eagle Sport All-Season - (T0 SCT)
- Goodyear Eagle F1 All Season
- Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4
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Tires Tested
- Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RZ
- Vitour Tempesta P1 P-01R
- Vitour Tempesta P1 X-01R
- Yokohama ADVAN A052
- BFGoodrich g-Force Rival +
- Continental ExtremeContact Force
- Falken Azenis RT615K+
- Hankook Ventus R-S4
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R
- Hoosier Track Attack Pro
- Yokohama ADVAN A055
- Hoosier Track Attack R Race A8
- Hoosier Track Attack R Race R8
- Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Track
Orders
