For autox Street / ST class competition use, I'd say the RE-71R is still the tire to beat for the moment, especially when our weather is taken into account.
For non-competitive use, I've been keeping a close eye on the
Maxxis Victra VR-1. Apparently, it is nearly as fast on the track as the RE-71R (whatever that means), but it wears a lot better. Unfortunately, available sizes are really limited now. If you've got some spare 17x9 or 17x10's lying around though, I'd totally recommend you to pick up that 255/40/17.