PFC 97 on Track: The Rear Pad, and Why 08 Replaced It
97 is the PFC compound you are most likely to see in an old forum post and least likely to find for a new car. PFC's own page is direct about it: "In many pad shapes, 97 has been replaced by 08 compound." It has not been dropped everywhere. We still carry it for the NA and NB Miata and the early 911, and in those cars it has a clear job: the rear axle, behind a stronger front pad.
This article is part of our guide to PFC pads for track cars. Every 97 shape we list is in the 97 collection.
What PFC says
| 97 | |
|---|---|
| Family | High temperature / endurance (with 08) |
| Torque | "Slight friction rise with temperature with excellent release and modulation characteristics" |
| Wear | "Very low abraded disc wear"; "97 wears the longest of all PFC pads" |
| Status | "In many pad shapes, 97 has been replaced by 08 compound" |
PFC no longer publishes a data sheet for 97, and some PFC distributors already list it as retired, with 11 or 12 as the replacement depending on whether the car does sprint or endurance work. Dealers who still sell it describe less initial bite and torque than 01, a very flat torque curve and easy modulation, and one adds: "It is recommended as a rear pad in applications that tend to lock the rear brakes."
What owners use it for
The rear axle
The best owner report we found comes from a Miata driver who ran 01 fronts with 97 rears at Summit Point: "As advertised by Eric, PFC 97 lasted extremely long on the rear axle. I am confident they were good for over 50 track days." The same driver found PFC 06, a stronger pad from the same family, too much at the back of a Miata — "I was locking up the rear tires fist in hard braking zones" — which is exactly the problem 97 is meant to solve.
That is the rule behind every split-friction setup, PFC or not: the calmer pad goes at the rear. A light rear-drive car with factory brake bias can lock its rears with a pad that would be fine on a heavier car.
As a front pad
Some owners have run it at the front. Keith Tanner of Flyin' Miata, on Grassroots Motorsports, wrote of his rally V8 Miata: "Performance Friction PFC97. It's what I ran on the rally V8 Miata." and "They'd stop in a hurricane." He also wrote that they "destroyed rotors at about a 2:1 rotor to pad ratio" — which contradicts PFC's very-low-disc-wear claim, though a V8 rally Miata is an unusual test.
Recent data is thin
Most track-pad threads since 2018 do not mention 97 at all, because owners on most cars no longer have the option. If you are reading an older thread that recommends it for your car, check whether it is still made in your shape; if it is not, 08 is PFC's own replacement.
Which cars still run it
| Car | How it's run | Our 97 pads |
|---|---|---|
| Miata NA 1.6 | Rear, behind a stronger front pad. | Rear 0458.97 (08 front 0525.08) |
| Miata NA / NB 1.8 | Rear, behind a stronger front pad; the 01 / 97 report above was on a Miata. | Front 0635.97 · rear 0636.97 |
| Classic 911 (1978–83) | Little owner data. | Front 0045.97 |
| Most other cars | Replaced by 08 in many shapes. | See the 08 article. |
What to run instead, if 97 is gone
- For long life and a calm pedal: 08. PFC's own replacement, in the same family.
- For a rear pad on an ABS car: 332, PFC's newer rear-specific compound, "formulated with lower bite and torque for rear applications."
- For a sprint car: 11, which PFC distributors list as the sprint replacement.
97 pads ready to ship
In stock when we wrote this.
 97 Front — Miata NA / NB 1.8 (0635.97) $203.95 Shop on Enzuca → |
 97 Rear — Miata NA 1.6 (0458.97) $173.95 Shop on Enzuca → |
 97 Rear — Miata NA / NB 1.8 (0636.97) $191.95 Shop on Enzuca → |
Browse every shape in the 97 collection.
The Bottom Line
97 is a long-lived, low-bite pad that does its best work at the rear of a light car that locks its rears. If it is still made for your car — mainly the NA and NB Miata — it is a good rear partner for an 08, 11 or 01 front. If it is not, buy 08, which PFC itself says replaced it.
Not sure of your shape? Tell us the car and caliper and we will confirm before you order.
Related guides
- PFC brake pads for track cars: which compound, car by car
- PFC 08 on track, car by car
- PFC 11: the new 01, and where it beats the 08
- PFC 01: the benchmark pad
- Best PFC brake pads compared
- Pagid brake pads for track cars, car by car
- Hawk brake pads for track cars, car by car
- How to choose track brake pads
- Track day brake fade: prevention and recovery