Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Sprint car wing designs have a lot of rules that have to be followed. They have to be flat on top, but are there any specific rules about the curvature on the bottom side of the wing? I know that in aircraft wings, there are a lot of variations. For example, the WW II P-51 Mustang fighter was a winner because it had something called a laminar flow wing, that was different than other wings, as the thickest part was further back. Are there big variations in sprint car wings?

10.8.3. Sideboard Panels a) All braces or supports shall be oriented thin edge to face the air stream. Only rectangular, round, or oval metal braces not exceeding 1 inch in width will be permitted. Adjustable bracing will not be permitted. b) Aero elliptical brace material will not be permitted. c) Brace or support shall not resemble a wicker bill or a split wing Side boards must be mounted square to the center foil and parallel to each other. Any kick-out will not be permitted.

Sure, I can see where the rulebook wants to make sure that no one is making the wing braces into airfoils. But what about the body of the wing itself? Changing which part of the wing is thickest changes the amount of downforce and the characteristics of the downforce at different speeds. 

A guess from a putz like me would say all the vendors have almost exactlly the same product. Not much innovation in our sport, cars have been almost the same for over 30 years. 

I dunno. I feel like there has been some innovation but it has been mostly evolutionary not revolutionary. I can think of innovations in:

-Shocks
-Safety
-Paint schemes / wraps
-front axle strength loss
-Traction control ( )

Yep, agreed. Mostly stuff we can't really see or hear. Sprint cars are still my favorite but heading out to IMSA at Road America for the sixth straight year. They seem to have new models every season which helps an old ADD guy like me pay attention. 

+ Tires

Tires have been an evolution through the years.  The tires now appear to be very consistent.  The only time anyone has tire problems is when they hit something with them (See last July at Eldora, for example).

Several years ago I ask an Outlaw driver what the problem was with the tires, and he told me, "You never know what you are getting when you grab one from the truck, one will be great and the next one will be junk!"

I know some teams have showed up with different accents to the underside of the wing.  Small shark fins at the back edge and a ripple effect on the underside.  They where outlawed immediately when they showed up, I believe.  The ripple effect is the most interesting to me.  A golf ball has a ripple texture to help it cut through the air.  It would create greater air speed underneath the wing and increase downward force.  The underside of the wing is where I would focus. 

I don't think the powers in charge are interested in any changes to the wings.  Wings probably won't change at all any time soon.

 Go watch an outlaw race  at Knoxville from the 90s the 2005 and today.  World of difference in how stable the cars are. I wish we could go back 20 years