Nascar to bring back spoiler?

[Alexamateo]

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=4806058



"We are currently meeting with drivers and owners to discuss a number of options," Poston said. "Going back to the spoiler is one of them under serious consideration. We'll make an announcement in the coming weeks."
Before the governing body makes a final decision, the spoiler and how it reacts with the new heavier car will be tested in the wind tunnel and on the track. If there are signs the spoiler will improve competition then the switch is likely to occur.


I'm glad they are looking at it, but I am not sure it solves the driver's complaints with the car. The wing/spoiler is just one part of the total package.

[Mark in Oshawa]

It will make someone happy, but I am not sure if there is a point to it or not beyond making it easier for the guy in behind to see the hand signals they use at Daytona or Talladega. The car will still want to lift if they get spinning backwards at 190mph...

[harvick#1]

who me? :p :

[call_me_andrew]

Spoilers make more dirty air than wings. What they need is a smaller wing.

Of course that's the last thing NASCAR wants to do because as the sole wing owner, the cost falls entirely on them.

[colinspooky]

Didn't the large end plates on the wing also help prevent cars from turning around? And please, before the flames, note the words "help prevent".

Several commentators and former drivers said cars going into a slide were stopped from turning completely around because of it. Has to be a good thing, and will be a dangerous loss if the wing is scrapped. Perhaps?

[Mark in Oshawa]

Didn't the large end plates on the wing also help prevent cars from turning around? And please, before the flames, note the words "help prevent".

Several commentators and former drivers said cars going into a slide were stopped from turning completely around because of it. Has to be a good thing, and will be a dangerous loss if the wing is scrapped. Perhaps?

The wind tunnel knows, DW and others are speculating. The broad flat sides of the cars now have is probably as much if not more a factor than small end plates.

Turning around is going to happen in any event, what they want to stop is the taking off like a Frisbee in a windstorm. The roofflaps worked on the old car...not well enough on this car.....

[philipbain]

The roofflaps worked on the old car...not well enough on this car.....

I have suspected for some time that the roof flaps are actually a contributing factor to getting the car to lift when going backwards at high speed, they act in a similar way to flaps on a wing, creating localised areas of high pressure beneath the flap and low pressure above the flap, thus lifting the car.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I have suspected for some time that the roof flaps are actually a contributing factor to getting the car to lift when going backwards at high speed, they act in a similar way to flaps on a wing, creating localised areas of high pressure beneath the flap and low pressure above the flap, thus lifting the car.

The windtunnel says otherwise Phillip. They pop up from the low pressure, they don't have any mechanical device making them come up. When the low pressure above the car is created by the car not going through the air with the right attitude, it pulls the flaps up which create the turbulence that destroys that lift.

[Wade91]

the roof flaps will not always work rather there is a spoiler or a wing anyway, although the wing can create lift lift where as a spoiler doesn't, however on non-restrictor plate races the wing seems to prevent crashes by straighting the cars out when they get lose,

over all though, i the going back to the spoiler a good move, just becouse thats how stock cars have always looked

[call_me_andrew]

the roof flaps will not always work rather there is a spoiler or a wing anyway, although the wing can create lift lift where as a spoiler doesn't, however on non-restrictor plate races the wing seems to prevent crashes by straighting the cars out when they get lose,

over all though, i the going back to the spoiler a good move, just becouse thats how stock cars have always looked

Where's the spoiler?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/StudebakerJohnMarcumNASCARracecar.jpg

Where's the spoiler?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/RichardPettyRoadrunner.jpg

I'd use img codes, but those pictures are huge.

[Mark in Oshawa]

the roof flaps will not always work rather there is a spoiler or a wing anyway, although the wing can create lift lift where as a spoiler doesn't, however on non-restrictor plate races the wing seems to prevent crashes by straighting the cars out when they get lose,

over all though, i the going back to the spoiler a good move, just becouse thats how stock cars have always looked

The wing isn't big enough to straighten the car up. DW stated that, but the wind tunnel tests showed the long flat side of the car when pushed sideways tends to hold the car straighter unless the driver really loses all control.

The spoiler helps the guys on the plate tracks because they used to be able to see through the car in front to avoid things, and signal back to the guy in back. With the wing, that stopped. THAT is the real reason I suspect NASCAR knew they had to dump the wing. THAT, and the fact people just didn't like those wings....