I'm thinkin he was a bit in need of a driver mod
Nice guy though.
I met a few people who had been autocrossing for 30+ years and one rode with me... said I seemed like a natural. So yay me?
Now that I don't have crap tires to blame I guess I actually have to start driving the 'stang better, heh...
According to Grassroots Motorsports AND Car & Driver, the Kumho Ecsta XS's posted THE QUICKEST times out of any of the tires compared through an autocross course (everything from RE-11's, RE-01R's, Dunlops Direzza Star Specs, Falken Azenis, Toyo Proxes, etc). According to the Tire Rack website tests, they also were the only tires in the group to have a dry skidpad lateral grip of over 1.00 G. I have these magazines here comparing the tires if you want to check them out.
The Kumho's aren't that amazing in the rain, compared to their incredible competition... but compared to most street tires, they're still great in the rain. I have the XS's, and I've driven them through some pretty heavy rain... I've never experienced any slipping or hydroplaning of any kind, even when I was going through some minor wet spots on the road. If I see anything major, I obviously slow down.
They are some of the best tires you can get for the purpose (which I assume, is autocrossing), and the numbers back up the speculations. If autocrossing is your game, my advice to you is to go for the Kumho's. Their compound will last a little longer than the Dunlops as well, from what I've heard and seen in reviews.
Yeah I already got the hankooks. They may be .5sec slower around the autox course but that half second isn't worth paying 2x as much to me