going fast is the most important thing to me, looks are def. second.. i know little about rims and tires and am curious how much they have to do with going fast and handling.. are there certain sizes and brands that im going to want to stick with or is it not going to matter much

 

What kind of racing? Drag racing? Autocross?
Are you looking for dual-purpose wheels for the street and autocross?
Are the wheels for competition only?

 

the car is my daily driver but i will be using it also for drag racing

 

then u should go for something light and strong e.g. volk ce28n in either 18's or 19's

you get quality and looks, all in one.

 

Get the widest wheel / offset that will fit under the back fenders. (Not some 40lb "bling" wheels) Since this is a daily driver setup you should get front wheels that are within a couple inches of the rear widths. (10.5"R and 9-9.5"F maybe, the lighter the better)

Then get as much rubber on the ground as you can fit under the rear fender. Again, the fronts are not as important for drag racing, but you don't want too much of a stagger for street driving.

Before you buy wheels, get a good idea of what kind of tire and size you want. Make sure they will fit the wheels you want and make sure they are available. (285/40-17 Kumho MX's have been on "back order for almost a year at the tire rack.)

 

Then it matters little. What matters is tires. A good 245 mm tire will outperform a poor 295 mm tire.

 

So fast is the most important thing to you?

thow on these 16"ers and off to the track you go :P