Yes, that’s a wing. On a Nextel Cup car. At the hallowed ground of Daytona International Speedway.
Hell
has indeed frozen over. NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow, aka the 2007 (or maybe 2008) Nextel Cup-specification racecar, is
testing at Daytona this week with a wing that would look right at home on a tricked-out Civic. The wing is one of many
aero bits that NASCAR is experimenting with in its effort to come up with a new Cup car that is safer and slower than
the current cars. The wing is being looked at as a replacement for today’s rear spoiler, in an attempt to reduce the
wake turbulence experienced by a following car.
That turbulent air behind a Cup car reduces the downforce on the front of the following car, leading to the
infamous “aero push” that can make passing the lead car nearly impossible.
NASCAR’s COT is taller
and wider than today’s cars, and has additional nose and tail modifications designed to increase drag and thus decrease
speed. By using the type of tweakable, bolt-on aero devices commonly used in road racing, like the wing and a front
splitter, NASCAR hopes to make the cars easily adjustable for different tracks, lowering the cost for competitors.
Currently top-flight teams produce unique, finely tuned aerodynamic body shells for each type of track they run on, at
considerable expense.
[Source: autoracing1.com (reg. required)]