Re: TC

["Bryan A. Savage Jr" <basavage@earthlink.net>]

Russ,

I believe Tom is correct:
> 1. Rooster tails on the salt are not from wheel spin - it is caused by
> the vacuum created behind the car. The severity of the rooster tail has
> much to do with how much loose salt is on the course. I say this because
> of experience in a low HP car that rarely spins its wheels but generally
> carries a tail from about the one mile.

and this is why.
1) An aerodynamic change Howard made to the old 448 reduced the rooster
tail from 20-30 feet to 6-10 and the speed went from 240 to 250. There
was absolutely no other change. Two sequential runs about two hours apart
at World of speed.

2) While I was on patrol in 1986 I noticed that the rooster tail didn't
disappear when the driver shut off the engine and it didn't vary
when the driver was on and off the throttle trying to control wheel spin.

3) Front wheel drive cars have rooster tails.


My conclusion from these observations is that salt is lifted into the air
by wake turbulence resulting in what we call a rooster tail.

Bryan

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