land-speed
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: NASCAR Aerodynamics Question

To: Land Speed List <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: NASCAR Aerodynamics Question
From: Doug Odom <dlodom@charter.net>
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2004 18:23:46 -0700
Dick,  The spoiler was first allowed on the 1966 Dodge Charger. The 
reason was that in testing at Daytona they found out the car would start 
to lift off the track at about 180mph. The 66 Charger was the one that 
looked like a AMC Marlin. Had the long fastback roof line. The year 
before ( 1965) Ford had won all but 6 races so NASCAR  wanted to keep 
Dodge Racing.
 Doug Odom in big ditch

John Beckett wrote:

>Dick
>
>Part of the spoilers function on a NASCAR stocker is for down force to make
>the car handle and the other is to slow it down some, hence the angles used.
>The curve is to fit the body lines, Pontiacs were even scalloped to match
>the deck lid.
>
>I believe a NASCAR spoiler would be the worst situation for your LSR car,
>way too much drag. Remember last year, as Keith removed spoiler he went
>progressively faster.
>
>JB
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Dick J" <lsr_man@yahoo.com>
>To: "Dave Dahlgren" <ddahlgren@snet.net>; <land-speed@autox.team.net>
>Sent: Saturday, July 10, 2004 3:47 PM
>Subject: NASCAR Aerodynamics Question
>
>
>  
>
>>I'm sure NASCAR has spent zillions of dollars wind tunnel testing the rear
>>    
>>
>spoilers on NASCAR racecars.  How much of that spoiler design is for keeping
>the car slowed to what NASCAR feels is the safe limit, and how much of it is
>designed to keep the rear wheels on the ground and behind the front wheels?
>The spoilers seem awfully high and I notice that they are curved in a convex
>manner cupping the air over the rear deck. Would that be a good spoiler
>design for somebody using a late model car in LSR?  For that matter, when I
>look at the profile and shape of the Studebaker from the top of the car
>back, if that type of spoiler was to be placed about two feet back from the
>base of the window, the contours and aero effect would be almost the same.
>Who cares about the "leftover" part of the Stude that would be behind and
>under the spoiler?
>  
>
>>Dick J
>>In East Texas






<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>