NASCAR Says Rear Spoilers, Yellow Lines, No Bumping Zones May Disappear In 2010
10 Comments Published January 9th, 2010 in NASCAR News
NASCAR’s Managing Director Corporate Communications, Ramsey Poston, said Friday that the sanctioning body is investigating the possibility of replacing rear wings with old-style rear spoilers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, in time for the start of the 2010 Daytona 500. However, Poston told Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody that the change has nothing to do with cars becoming airborne during high speed crashes at the circuits two superspeedways; Daytona and Talladega.
“We took a car to the wind tunnel after last year’s fall race at Talladega and recreated Ryan Newman’s crash to as high a degree as possible,” he said. “Those tests showed beyond any doubt that the rear wing had no effect on the way that race car took off. With that said, we talked to 14 different drivers at the NASCAR Technical Center yesterday [Thursday], and all 14 of them were in favor of going back to rear spoilers as a way of increasing downforce and improving competition. As a result of the input we have received from those drivers, and others, I think it’s safe to say that we are taking a very serious look at the possibility of reintroducing rear spoilers for the 2010 season.”
If NASCAR elects to move forward with the change, Poston said the sanctioning body will wind-tunnel test the package almost immediately, before scheduling an on-track test session prior to the start of SpeedWeek 2010. Poston said NASCAR has met with every track operator since the end of last season, along with drivers, owners, crewchiefs and even media partners in an effort to determine what might be done to improve competition, and that the rear wing/spoiler is only one item on the list.
“If it helps us improve competition, we will move forward with it,” said Poston. “There are other changes that we will announce during the annual Media Tour that I think will be welcomed by everyone; drivers, crewchiefs, team owners and especially fans.”
Poston revealed that NASCAR is likely to loosen the reins on drivers next season, saying, “We’re going to let the drivers drive.” While declining to give specifics prior to the official announcement, it is expected that NASCAR will eliminate the controversial “no bumping zones” at superspeedways, and possibly even the rule prohibiting drivers from racing below a yellow line at the bottom of the banking at both Daytona and Talladega.
They knew the new wing didn’t let the roof flaps deploy on the COT but went along with the plan anyway. Now that drivers are complaining about the possibility of getting hurt 4 times a year someone is going to do something about it. Put the spoiler back on the car and put a higher wicker bill on the roof and leave it alone.
If drivers are complaining about the possibility of getting hurt then they are in the wrong sport. No matter what they do the possibility of getting hurt is always the same, it’s always 50/50. 50% chance you won’t get hurt, 50% chance you will. It’s been like that since the very first auto-races.
How about this, Just eliminate the two worse tracks in NASCAR (‘tally & ‘dega) and have then race a New Smyrna and The Dirt Track at ‘Dega instead. That’ll solve the problem right there and both those races would be way more exciting then Every Tona/Dega race combined.
Don’t knock Dega until you’ve been there live watching, it’s a great track.
Its about time NASCAR decided to let up on the grandma rules and get back to real racing. How much time to do they think drivers have to think? Lets see,am I out of the bump zone? Is this the track with the yellow line rule? As far as the spoiler goes they look like the young kids Jap rice rockets. Kyle will love these rules gone!!!
Getting rid of that ridiculose wig would be the best thing they could do. Stock cars were to have spoilers in the first place..
With the drop of the wing and a return to the spoiler, will the splitter go or stay? Does anyone know what the relationship between the splitter and the spoiler will do? If the splitter or similar device is needed why can’t it be redesigned to eliminate the tire cutting factor? I understand downforce and why it is necessary but I do not have any applied engineering/physics smarts about it.
How about they get rid of Brain-less Brian France? and the chase
[quote comment="57574"]How about they get rid of Brain-less Brian France? and the chase[/quote]
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I agree, get rid of the restrictor plate as well, let the boys have speed, not a go cart.
I’ll believe it when it becomes official.
They’ve tried too HARD to ruin the racing we used to enjoy to change back so easily.
believe the spitter has to wrap the bumper to keep the nose from sliding equal down force in corner not sure you can prevent the tire issue.
not sure if the fences can take any higher speeds although I am for it. I was at the bud shoot out with old cars and one flipped around and sheered off 2 main posts and wiped out the fence like the carl edwards incindent.
Glad as hell the wing is going away looks and safety ; bumping / racing anywhere on the track ..These are all really really good improvments.