Working On My Redneck ™ » spoilers

The Martinsville Car Show?

Leon — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 18:43:44 +0000

(photo courtesy John Harrelson/Getty Images)

Virtually nobody in the garage today at Martinsville expects that the replacement of the wing with the spoiler will radically transform the quality of racing at Martinsville. But if you are looking for “cool” looking cars, then the return to the spoiler makes the Sprint Cup car look really cool!

Driver after driver and crew chief after crew chief has said that the switch back to the spoiler makes very little difference in the way the car handles so far. Martinsville is to small and the speeds are too slow to make that decision. The real test will be at Phoenix, Texas, and especially Talladega. Those races are next on the schedule and some of the more technical answers will be forthwith!

Just to reiterate, if you like “cool” looking race cars, then you will love the way the CoT looks now with the return to the rear spoiler!

So this begs the question:

Since both the drivers and crew chiefs have stated that the switch from the rear wing to the rear spoiler hasn’t really changed the way the car handles at Martinsville. Is NASCAR sanctioning car races or an auto show? Are the fans more concerned about how a race car looks or the quality of the races?

What is your opinion?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

Spoilers In Place By Texas?

Leon — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:37:37 +0000

(phot courtesy Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

NASCAR President, Mike Helton, says there is a “doggone g0od chance” the athe spoilers will be back on the Sprint Cup cars by the Texas race in April. That does not necessarily mean that Texas will be the first race with the spoiler blades back on the rear deck lid, however.

The blade was first tested at Texas Motor Speedway back on Jan. 19 and 20. One team from each of the four manufacturers was there to test the rear spoiler blade on their cars.

Meanwhile, there is a scheduled open test at Charlotte Motor Speedway on March 23-24. that means that the spoiler blade could be used as early as Martinsville on March 28, Phoenix on April 10, or the Texas Motor Speedway.

“We’re hoping that within the next two or three races we’ll be at point where we can say, it is time to take off the wing and put the spoilers back on”, Helton said at a pres conference at TMS during Media Day Monday.

Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage, who posed that question to Helton, is convinced that the first “blade” race will be at Texas Motor Speedway. Additionally, Gossage believes that the new rear spoiler could upset the balance of power in the Sprint Cup series, in which Hendrick has been so dominate in for the last 4 seasons!

After an off season of discussions with the race teams, Helton said the NASCAR teams have been “aggressively” testing the blade anytime there has been a Goodyear tire test slated. The rear spoiler blade inception is to improve passing and prevent the boxy race car from getting airborne when turned around. Both of theses ideas will improve the overall safety and quality of the races.

Possible CoT Changes Coming To NASCAR

Leon — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:50:15 +0000

(photo courtesy John Harrelson/Getty Images)

NASCAR managing director of Corporate Communications, Ramsey Poston, said Monday that rear deck wings could be removed from Sprint Cup cars early this coming season, though not before Daytona.

Mr. Poston said,” should NASCAR decide to replace the wings with a rear deck spoiler blade, that doesn’t signal the end of the Car of Tomorrow (CoT)”. He continues, “that this would only be a continuation of the evolving CoT”. He added, ” it is no secret that both the drivers and the fans do not like the looks of the rear wing. They just do not think that it has all the looks of what they think a race car should look like.”

“Ok, if we go back the rear spoiler and have no loss of competition, or we see improved competition the decision is even easier, then we’ll probably head down that road. So we have got some work to do.”

The initial stages of that work is now underway. NASCAR is meeting with all owners, drivers, and teams face to face. There are a variety of issues being discussed with all of them. But foremost is the topic of how to make the CoT racier and more competitive. After all, the CoT has been the main source of discussion since its inception into the Sprint Cup racing.

There were three main reasons for the change over to the CoT. The car was supposed to be safer, increase competitiion, and lessen the cost to the owners. Only the first point of increased safety has been proven, the other two points are still up for a vote.

If the above issues are addressed, changing back to a spoiler blade and modifying the front end splitter, safety will remain a major concern. There is hope that addressing those issues will also increase competition, as well. Just these two issues alone will require open testing with the Sprint Cup teams before implementation occurs.

Poston adds that in addition to the changes on the cars, there is a desire on NASCAR’s part to let the drivers display their talents on the race track. There is a possibility that NASCAR is willing to eliminate the double yellow line at Daytona and Talladega that start the “out of bounds ” territory.

The key to all these potential changes is the affect on the quality of racing in NASCAR.

What do you think NASCAR should do about the rear wing? What about the “double yellow” lines at Daytona and Talladega?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!