Wet Test
This test was conducted on a separate coned-off road course set up in a parking lot at the Auto Club Speedway. Trucks were brought in to add water to the asphalt, keeping the surface slick, with puddles in some spots and a few dry patches in others.Using several 2008 Mustang GT test cars, I drove aggressively through the road course for a total of three laps on each set of tires. When it comes to grip, the Goodyear Eagle F1 tires performed best, followed by the ExtremeContact DW tires, then the BFGoodrich g-Force tires. In all, the differences in grip were minimal, although I experienced less slippage with the Goodyear Eagles. The Goodyear tires feature carved Aquachutes which work to direct rain away from between the tread and the road. This is designed to reduce hydroplaning and enhances traction. The Continental ExtremeContact tires resulted in one spin out, although recovery required minimal effort. The BFGoodrich g-Force tires showed more of a decrease in grip on wet surfaces than the other two tires.
Winner: Goodyear Eagle F1
2nd place: Continental ExtremeContact DWS
3rd Place: BFGoodrich g-Force
Oval
This test was conducted on the 2-mile Fontana oval at the Auto Club Speedway. This is the same track used in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series. I noticed very little fade in performance of the ExtremeContact DW tires even after running quite a few laps around the track at speeds in excess of 100 mph. No doubt, the Continental tires left me feeling confident, which is extremely important when you’re barreling down that back straightaway with your foot to the floor. Continental says, "The tires utilize dynamic temperature distribution which reduces distortion for enhanced energy delivery, lower rolling resistance, and improved tread-life."Unfortunately, there was no clear winner in this category. The Continental ExtremeContact tires had just as much staying power at the Goodyear Eagles and the BFGoodrich g-Force tires. All of the tires were impressive. Of note, this track was used to test the endurance characteristics of these tires at high speeds. The Fontana oval did not require continual braking or hard cornering. I saved that for the Time Attack Style Road Course.
Winner: All tires performed equally well
