Maxxis Expands Drift Tyre Size Range

Maxxis has announced that its speciality drifting and track racing tyre, the MA-Z1 Drift, is now in stock in an expanded range of sizes. The tyre has been praised by Maxxis-sponsored professional drift driver Declan Hicks, who declared the difference between the specialist drift tyre and standard road tyres to be “quite astounding”. E-marked and fully street legal, it is now available in the following sizes:

•195/45 R16 MAZ1 DRIFT 84V XL
•195/50 R15 MAZ1 DRIFT 86V XL
•205/40 ZR17 MAZ1 DRIFT 84W XL
•225/40 ZR18 MAZ1 DRIFT 92W XL
•225/45 ZR17 MAZ1 DRIFT 94W XL
•235/35 ZR19 MAZ1 DRIFT 91W XL
•235/40 ZR18 MAZ1 DRIFT 95W XL
•245/40 ZR17 MAZ1 DRIFT 95W XL
•245/40 ZR18 MAZ1 DRIFT 97W XL
•255/35 ZR18 MAZ1 DRIFT 94W XL

Based on the popular Maxxis MA-Z1 ultra high performance radial, the MA-Z1 Drift features a silica tread compound designed to generate high levels of smoke, which is important for scoring extra points and the generally spectacular nature of the action in drifting. The company says that it is also “exceptionally durable” thanks to double-steel belts and a jointless spiral-wrapped full nylon cap.

This year Maxxis is hoping to make its mark with the tyre in the British Drift Championship, Prodrift Super Series and Need for Speed European Drift Championship – which take place in the UK and Ireland – as well as in Europe’s JDM Allstars and Formula D in the USA.

Where road tyres overheat quickly when traction is reduced, Hicks reports that the hotter the MA-Z1 Drift tyres get, the more grip they have, which means he can carry greater speed around the course. Posting a fifth place in the third round of the Need for Speed European Drift Championship at Silverstone, Hicks used the same pair of rear MA-Z1 Drift tyres for the practice session – 18 runs in 45 minutes – as he had used for the competition stage of the previous round
at Knockhill.

“Maxxis can really handle the drifting environment, which is way beyond anything people would experience on the road, in fact the new MA-Z1 Drifts are just super consistent from start to finish,” he says.

“They produce masses of smoke, which is always a bonus in our sport, but one of the biggest differences is the number of tyres I now take to events. The MA-Z1 Drifts last at least twice as long as the best alternative tyre I’ve used and don’t delaminate or suffer from chunking. They simply keep on going until no visible tread is left – amazing.”

Japspeed boss Paul McCallum, whose team is competing in the British Drift Championship and Prodrift Super Series, agrees; he has switched all his cars to the MA-Z1 Drift tyre for the 2009 season.