Pictorial Chronology of Aerodynamic Development in NASCAR

[ChexOrWrex]

The gen 6 really is clean as hell. Would like to see the quarter panels not be sails but it's sexy otherwise.

Take all the aesthetic stickers off & its kinda lame, imo. More of a cheap attempt at making it look like the stock car.

 

[DUN24]

Take all the aesthetic stickers off & its kinda lame, imo. More of a cheap attempt at making it look like the stock car.

They've really dulled them down over the last few years it seems

 

[ChexOrWrex]

They've really dulled them down over the last few years it seems

The nose is the only thing that remotely resembles the stock model. From there on out the sides and rears are just squared off in comparison.

 

[LewTheShoe]

The nose is the only thing that remotely resembles the stock model. From there on out the sides and rears are just squared off in comparison.

To me, resembling a production vehicle is not the point, resembling a badass racecar is the point. The Gen 6 cup cars do that quite well. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so YMMV.

 

[ChexOrWrex]

To me, resembling a production vehicle is not the point, resembling a badass racecar is the point. The Gen 6 cup cars do that quite well. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so YMMV.

This is a badass race car

This is laughable

 

[Skoalbandit33]

This is a badass race car

This is laughable

IDK why it is so difficult to see but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[DUN24]

This is a badass race car

This is laughable

I like em all lol

 

[TexasRaceLady]

The only incarnation that I really disliked, was the winged abomination. And it wasn't so much the wind and it was that
miserable, useless plow stuck on the front.

Unfortunately, that thing is still present, but at least it's a bit smaller and less protuberant.

 

[R Clarence]

The splitters are useless.

Noted. Thanks.

 

[kk5fan]

Looks like the early 70's to mid 80's was the pinnacle for "stock" looking cars.

Bring that back.

 

[Mispeedway15]

Love the current look, but IMO muscle cars of the 70s and race cars from that era were the best looking

 

[Skoalbandit33]

Love the current look, but IMO muscle cars of the 70s and race cars from that era were the best looking

Some folks really like the look of the current car and some don't but I think most people would agree that the cars from the mid 60's to the early 70's were the pick of the little.

 

[ChexOrWrex]

Looks like the early 70's to mid 80's was the pinnacle for "stock" looking cars.

Bring that back.

Id be satisfied if NASCAR finally ran Continental Tires style cars with improved safety & performance modifications fit for circles.

 

[KodiakRusty89]

The '89 T-Bird really changed the game imo. It looks so drastically different than anything from '88. The only are that's even close was the Grand Pix. In all honesty, that '92 (guessing?) Elliott Thunderbird does not look all that much different than the cars of today.

 

[Yogisd1]

IMO the trouble started when they allowed front, and rear spoilers. After that they just seemed to keep growing. At the time it gave them a little more speed, but if they had known what the long term effect of that decision would be, I don't think they would have allowed it. Things would be really different now. I'm not saying it would be better, just different.

 

[R Clarence]

“Bertha.” A ‘73 (I think) Monte Carlo. Round headlight openings.

According to Waltrip – when he was relevant - she was the last of the cup cars out of the DiGard shops to use stock chassis parts. Specifically, the rear subframe.

“Wanda” (as in wicked) was her successor. Rectangular headlight openings. A complete ground up vehicle. It took DiGard’s employees a while to figure “Wanda” out.

 

[StandOnIt]

Id be satisfied if NASCAR finally ran Continental Tires style cars with improved safety & performance modifications fit for circles.

compare road course car to road course car there isn't much difference. You have a 190mph picture of a Camaro there..much different animal.

 

[pjmolo]

Damn, all these great pics has got me wondering how many days until the 2018 Daytona 500.

 

[aunty dive]

 

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[aunty dive]

Just for contrast ...

 

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[aunty dive]

Ganassi's Laurel Hill Coast-Down Tunnel.

This is how it works:

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/nascar/the-secrets-of-laurel-hill/


"The rolling hills of Pennsylvania in the Northern United States hold a mysterious secret buried deep under Laurel Ridge. This highly classified test site is re-writing the textbooks on aerodynamic development."

 

[LewTheShoe]

Bring that back.

LMAO. The standard internet solution to the challenges facing Brian France, Bernie Ecclestone, Tony George, Jean Todt, and whoever succeeded Wally Parks and Mickey Thompson...
> Bring back the past.
> Repeal the Laws of Economics.
> Repeal the Laws of Physics.
> Unlearn everything you didn't know 40 years ago.

How could all those guys be so stupid to not see what they should do..

 

[TexasRaceLady]

Ganassi's Laurel Hill Coast-Down Tunnel.

This is how it works:

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/nascar/the-secrets-of-laurel-hill/


"The rolling hills of Pennsylvania in the Northern United States hold a mysterious secret buried deep under Laurel Ridge. This highly classified test site is re-writing the textbooks on aerodynamic development."

Fascinating read -- I'd heard about the tunnel, but never really read anything concise about it.

 

[be9ak7ts16]

One that never made it to the track. 1970 Torino King Cobra

For a mere pittance of $460,000 this can be yours. One of two sold to Bud Moore Engineering.
http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inventory/active/1970 Ford Torino King Cobra/134426

 

[be9ak7ts16]

Slippery devil.

Actually it was quite squirrelly. The program ended before they could get it dialed in.

 

[Zerkfitting]

It has been decades since there was anything stock in a stock car. Once they got past a certain speed a common template is the only way to keep an even playing field.

The first time I saw a Superbird on the street I thought it was the ugliest car I'd ever seen but in hind sight I look upon it with interest - it represents a time when cheating in NASCAR went corporate.

 

[Revman]

Fabulous thread. Thanks @aunty dive. Forgot how bad the COT was. Yikes.

 

[aunty dive]

SPOILER ALERT ...things could always be worse.

 

[Old 97]

It has been decades since there was anything stock in a stock car. Once they got past a certain speed a common template is the only way to keep an even playing field.

The first time I saw a Superbird on the street I thought it was the ugliest car I'd ever seen but in hind sight I look upon it with interest - it represents a time when cheating in NASCAR went corporate.

What speed was that? Speeds were higher in the 80's. Common templates weren't introduced until much later. Not a fan of it at all.