Pro Touring fans, you have been put on notice. Hoosier has unveiled the ultimate 200 treadwear tire. This “extreme street performance” and “track day weapon” is appropriately named the TrackAttack Pro. Brain sloshing G-forces will be capable with what looks to be the grippiest tire on the market in a UTQG 200 rating.
The TrackAttack Pro uses H-DNA Technology, derived from racing compounds for unrivaled responsiveness, handling, and grip. You can expect the sort of braking that will plant your nose in the windshield and comes in 46 sizes for 15 to 21-inch wheel diameter. With wheels that big, it seems we can expect some supercar and modern muscle car sizes as well as your typical 18-inch Pro Touring wheels.
“We set out to redefine tire design by asking ourselves, ‘What if we infused our racing expertise into an extreme performance summer tire?’” said Joerg Burfien, CEO & President of Hoosier Racing Tire. “This was uncharted territory for us. We leveraged Hoosier’s cutting-edge racing technology to push the boundaries of what a street-legal tire can achieve. Our goal was to create a tire that delivers both unparalleled track performance and everyday street drivability.
“We’re thrilled to introduce this highly addictive product. Our TrackAttack Pro truly embodies the spirit of racing. It’s designed for enthusiasts who want to drive to the track, dominate their laps, and drive home on the same set of tires. We expect that our customers will love this new addition to our product line-up, because we already do!”
“One simple question posed by Joerg (Burfien, President & CEO Hoosier Racing Tire), altered our traditional mindset when comparing street versus racing tires,” said Nic Moncher, Head of Marketing, Hoosier Racing Tire. “Our goal was to redefine our racing pedigree, to master both street and track, as we grow our TrackAttack family line. Exploiting Hoosier’s DNA, the TrackAttack Pro empowers enthusiasts to dominate life on and off the track, utilizing the same set of tires. Coupling the Ultimate Track Day Weapon with Extreme Street Performance, we trust that our customers will truly Conquer. Every. Drive.”
Story Updated: 9/19/24
Let the Reviews Begin
The Britts don’t know how to spell “tire,” but they sure do know a lot about them and performance driving. Tyre Reviews says the Track Attack is nearly as good as the R7, a DOT legal race tire, which he also compares to the Medium Racing Slick. The Track Attack’s only downfall is that it tends to fall off more than the dedicated race tires with increased laps, as heat builds up. This is to be expected, he said, and was also noticeable on the other top 200 treadwear tires. Tyre Review intends to compare the top 200 treadwear tires in the future. Do you think the Hoosier will reign supreme?
Controversy Ensues
You wouldn’t think that a black rubber donut would cause such a stir, but nearly as quickly as this new tire was launched it was banned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the Ultimate Street Car Association (USCA). Or was it?
Word on the street is that the SCCA banned the tire because it did not have sufficient tread depth, but when I called the SCCA the story was a little different. “The tire is not banned from usage in SCCA, in fact it’s eligible for any open tire class,” stated Heyward Wagner, Vice President of Rally, Solo and Experiential Programs. “For restricted classes, though, in order to be eligible it needs to 1) be available on January 1st of the calendar year and 2) have 7/32nd of tread depth. We developed that requirement with our partners at Tire Rack because historically tires intended for road use are 7/32nds. This tire hit the market at 5/32nd. In order for the tire to be allowed in 2025, the tread depth rule would have to be changed. At this time, Hoosier has declined the opportunity to request the rule be reviewed. Should the tire be updated to 7/32nds, the SCCA program boards could then decide to exclude the tire based on cost, performance or design. That, however is moot until the tire meets the base requirements for competition in categories requiring 200 treadwear.”
The USCA issued a statement that explained its stance, which was not actually a ban on the tire either (and more in line with the SCCA’s deadline for entering the market). Rule #17 states that tires must be in sufficient supply and commercially available. In its view a tire that came to market after six of eight events does not fit the spirit of that rule. At the end of the season, it appears the USCA does intend to do a technical review of the tire and determine if it will be allowed for 2025. Mind you, there are 200 treadwear tires that are not allowed.
