I am running nitto 235/45r17 now and have about 3/4" clearance between tail pipe and tire. Will a 275/40r17 fit. I am running 17" 9" wide cobra replicas.
How much power are you making? You don't need near the tire width with a decent set of drag radials for a great launch. Guys have gone 10's on a 235mm tire.
The Mickey Thompson 275 DR is as wide or wider than the Nitto 305 DR. For some reason Nitto's sizes don't match up to other tires. I ran Nitto 275/40 17's on 9" 03 Cobra wheels and they fit the rim perfectly. Now I'm running MT 275/40 17's on 10.5" FR-500 rims and they fit those rims perfectly. Big difference!
Why not pick yourself up a set of 15" 10-holes for the track. Add a set of 235/60/15's Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials and you're golden....and for a lot less money and hassle than buying 17" drag radials and swapping them back and forth on your rims with street tires.
That is unless you plan on running your drag radials on the street. In which case drag radials are technically DOT approved for street use, but I wouldn't personally do it. A little rain, sand, or cold pavement could ruin your day in a hurry. I drove back from the track with my Mickey Thompsons and got caught in the rain one time and it was a sobering experience to say the least. The only ones that seem to fair at all under normal driving conditions are the Nitto's, but they also provide the least amount of grip when you actually get them to the track.
I would like to run the car as I would run it at the track. I won't make to the track alot but the nittos on it know are useless in 1st and second gear. It is fun to drive but to spin the tires at will is going to get me in trouble.
Smaller mickeys and being Smart with the skinny pedal will go a long way. I honestly wouldn't recommend Nittos. Crap at the track and average on the street doesn't add up to a good tire IMO
I have used 245/50/16's Nitto's on my stock pony wheels. Three sets have taken me 33,000 miles. I hate when it rains; I have to cut my speed in half to be safe.