NASCAR

FOX Sports Exclusive

NASCAR sets parameters for spoiler rollout

Share This Story

Lee Spencer

Lee Spencer is the senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com. She has provided award-winning coverage of auto racing over the last 15 years. Spencer has lent her expertise to both television and radio and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM Radio and the Performance Racing Network.

MORE>>
 
     
 

HAMPTON, Ga.

There are still many unknowns in the advent of the transition from wings to spoilers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but the pieces are coming together.

Teams have received retro-fit pieces to adjust the template grids for the change from the wing to the spoiler which will measure four inches on intermediate and down force tracks and 4.5-inches at Talladega and Daytona. A two-inch “ear” will be at the ends of 64.5-inch spoiler for Talladega similar to the construction on the truck spoilers. All spoilers will mount on to the cars at exactly 70-degrees without adjustability, thereby preventing modification by individual teams.

Although NASCAR is preparing for the roll out of the new spoilers at Martinsville Speedway on March 26, teams will be responsible for manufacturing their own spoilers for the test scheduled on March 16th at Talladega Speedway.

Greg Biffle won’t participate in the Talladega test, but was one of the first drivers to run with a spoiler during a Goodyear tire test on Jan. 19. Although rain precluded the four drivers from the opportunity to run side-by-side, Biffle is encouraged by what he felt.

“I’m really looking forward to the spoiler back on the race car,” Biffle said. “The car had a little bit more front grip, it seemed like, than the wing. Now, we’ll just have to wait and see when we get around a big group of cars.

“I think we’re all looking forward to that to see how the cars react around a bunch of other cars, but what I think you’re gonna see is better racing on the racetrack. That’s what I think. The racing is pretty good from where I’ve been sitting these first two downforce race tracks. It looks pretty exciting to me, or at least it has been from my vantage point, so if we improve on that at all, it’s gonna be a really exciting year.”

NASCAR template guru Billy Berkheimer anticipates each team having at least two spoilers by the time NASCAR rolls into Charlotte Motor Speedway for the test following Bristol on March 22nd. Spoilers will be distributed to teams at the same time so one team does not gain an advantage over another. Following the initial distribution, teams will be able to place orders for additional spoilers.

Despite initial wind tunnel reports of the spoiler providing more downforce than the wing on the new car, Berkheimer said, “If this works the way I expect it will, the downforce numbers will the same with the spoiler and the wing.”

Most of the top organizations have tested cars with spoilers at tracks such as Walt Disney World Speedway (1 mile), Rockingham Speedway (1.017 mile) and Little Rock (0.526 mile).

But as Jeff Burton says, “Until we race them, we won’t know.”
Tagged: Greg Biffle

More Stories From Lee Spencer

Member Comments

Please note by clicking on "add a comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Use and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator.

ADD A COMMENT
    PREV PREV   NEXT NEXT    
ADD A COMMENT
    PREV PREV   NEXT NEXT    
SPEED Fantasy Auto Racing on FOX


Trending Now

NASCAR Videos

McReynolds: Kahne keeps going Posted: May 30, 2012
Larry McReynolds on Kasey Kahne's hot streak.

Race Preview: Dover Posted: May 30, 2012
Tommy Kendall previews the upcoming race at Dover.

McReynolds: Stewart's struggle Posted: May 30, 2012
Larry McReynolds on Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman.

Car Warriors

Fox Sports Store

    itemName itemURL imageSrc price itemDescription
    Jeff Gordon Black Low Rider Adjustable Hat http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Jeff_Gordon/browse/featuredproduct/603017/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_603000/ff_603017_xl.jpg&w=100 21.95 Jeff Gordon Black Low Rider Adjustable Hat
    Joey Logano Orange Exhaust Flames Adjustable Hat http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Joey_Logano/browse/featuredproduct/603115/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_603000/ff_603115_xl.jpg&w=100 21.95 Joey Logano Orange Exhaust Flames Adjustable Hat
    Checkered Flag Juan Pablo Montoya Red Exhaust Flames Adjustable Hat http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Juan_Pablo_Montoya/browse/featuredproduct/603117/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_603000/ff_603117_xl.jpg&w=100 21.95 Checkered Flag Juan Pablo Montoya Red Exhaust Flames Adjustable Hat
    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Royal Blue Exhaust Flames Adjustable Hat http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Dale_Earnhardt_Jr/browse/featuredproduct/616723/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_616000/ff_616723_xl.jpg&w=100 21.95 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Royal Blue Exhaust Flames Adjustable Hat
    Chase Authentics Jeff Burton Holiday Driver T-Shirt - Black http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Jeff_Burton/browse/featuredproduct/731363/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_731000/ff_731363_xl.jpg&w=100 23.95 Chase Authentics Jeff Burton Holiday Driver T-Shirt - Black
    Chase Authentics Jeff Burton 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Jeff_Burton/browse/featuredproduct/731374/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_731000/ff_731374_xl.jpg&w=100 23.95 Chase Authentics Jeff Burton 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black
    Chase Authentics Kevin Harvick 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Kevin_Harvick/browse/featuredproduct/731378/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_731000/ff_731378_xl.jpg&w=100 23.95 Chase Authentics Kevin Harvick 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black
    Chase Authentics Matt Kenseth 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Matt_Kenseth/browse/featuredproduct/731380/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_731000/ff_731380_xl.jpg&w=100 23.95 Chase Authentics Matt Kenseth 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black
    Chase Authentics Kyle Busch 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Kyle_Busch/browse/featuredproduct/731381/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_731000/ff_731381_xl.jpg&w=100 23.95 Chase Authentics Kyle Busch 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black
    Chase Authentics Denny Hamlin 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Denny_Hamlin/browse/featuredproduct/786305/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_786000/ff_786305_xl.jpg&w=100 23.95 Chase Authentics Denny Hamlin 2012 Driver Schedule T-Shirt - Black