Wing vs. spoiler

NASCAR is set to begin testing an aluminum spoiler instead of a wing on its new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car this week at Texas Motor Speedway, and several competitors expressed an opinion on the spoiler.

NASCAR will also test at Charlotte Motor Speedway on March 23-24 with the spoiler.

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“What NASCAR is going to spend a lot of time doing – whether it’s in the Charlotte test or a Goodyear tire test – is figure out what balance is good for our cars in clean air,” Ryan Newman said. “This car has been a challenge at times because of the frontal surface area and the fact that it’s got a taller roof and a little bit ‘squarer’ in reference to the whole that it punches in the air.
“It’s become a little more challenging running 15th than with the older-style car. It’s going to open up a new can of worms in respect to a spoiler on this type of race car.”

Newman was involved in a grinding crash at Talladega Superspeedway last year, flipping down the backstretch. He said then he hoped NASCAR would make changes to the car to help it stay on the ground in case of an accident.

“NASCAR has done a lot of testing, and I think that is a definite part of why they’re making some changes in respect to spoiler vs. wing,”
Newman said.

“The fans, ultimately, are what brought these changes along,” Kyle Busch said. “They should be appreciative to NASCAR for listening and to following some of their direction.”

Said Newman, “Is it a better looking car? I like the looks of a spoiler over a wing, for sure. I’ve always thought that a stock car or a full-fendered race car, as in dirt late models or late models or even a street stock at your local race tracks, they have spoilers. That’s just my preference.”

How will a spoiler affect the handling of the car? Time will tell.
“It’s going to have some different effects with the cars side-drafting,” Newman said. “In the end, I hope it keeps the aerodynamic balance the same front to rear because I think we have a good balance with respect to that. I don’t know what it’s going to do for the racing, what it’s going to be like with the aero push and the things we’ve talked about.”

Busch said he doesn’t think the cars will be any easier to drive.
“It certainly can, depending on how big they go on the spoiler,”
Busch said. “They’re talking of keeping the same downforce level in the car, which is only like an inch spoiler. It’s still going to make the cars hard to drive.”