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Where does your Class at?


FocusTed

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GAC - the wing I have is an air-foil, not just a blade and the design is one of three approved for Speed WC, Transam. I am not an engineer, but the design is pretty efficient. Yes, it has some drag (downforce comes with a cost). The amount of HP drag, or drag coeffient is also dependent on how I set the wing, typically I have it at 5 degrees for high speed tracks, and about 10 degrees for tighter tracks.

I can tell you this, that my track times improved by 1 to 2 seconds with the wing at all the tracks. For example, without the wing, at CalSpeedway, corners 3 thru 7, I had to really micro manage the throttle. With the wing, I am able to punch it a lot more aggressively. And approach all the corners a lot more aggressively as the downforce is pushing the tires to the ground - with a fairly linear decreasing affect as the car slows.....

Andy

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GAC - the wing I have is an air-foil, not just a blade and the design is one of three approved for Speed WC, Transam. I am not an engineer, but the design is pretty efficient. Yes, it has some drag (downforce comes with a cost). The amount of HP drag, or drag coeffient is also dependent on how I set the wing, typically I have it at 5 degrees for high speed tracks, and about 10 degrees for tighter tracks.

I can tell you this, that my track times improved by 1 to 2 seconds with the wing at all the tracks. For example, without the wing, at CalSpeedway, corners 3 thru 7, I had to really micro manage the throttle. With the wing, I am able to punch it a lot more aggressively. And approach all the corners a lot more aggressively as the downforce is pushing the tires to the ground - with a fairly linear decreasing affect as the car slows.....

Andy

 

That makes sense. I can tell you that some lower hp guys find the tradeoff between drag down the straights and planted in the turns to be one which isn't worthwhile.

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100% correct Dan. A good example of that is BTCC, Speed WC Touring, etc... the touring class cars with lower HP use a much smaller wing, versus the higher HP GT cars.... and up from that, look at the freakin wings on Le Mans cars, just about double the size of my wing (68in x 10x)

 

An Integra or Honda makes great lap times because they carry so much damn speed and dont have HP breaking the tires loose. A guy like Bart with 550hp needs all the downforce he can get......

 

andy

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Andy, where did you get your HPM wing? Didn't HP motorsports go under? We have a dual element ricer wing that is supposed to be somewhat functional that is waiting to be mounted, but I'd rather go with something a bit more engineered.

 

We're also in the midst of a nice messy, resin, fiberglass and carbon fiber project that will hopefully result in an awesome front airdam/splitter.

 

Thanks in advance,

Clay

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I got mine just before HPM went down. Try contacting Paul Brown at Tiger-Racing.com I think he knows the guy that makes the wings or maybe also makes them. Mine was kinda spendy, $1000 bucks. They make 2 sizes, one for Touring cars, and mine for GT cars.

Also, do a little research, there are some other designs that are good and will work. I mainly suggest you just get one that is adjustable, that you can change the angle degrees.

 

andy

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Most lower HP FWD use the rear wing to balance the car out. because they are FWD cars they need a good splitter to get the drive wheels planted to the ground, but the use the rear wing to balance out that splitter. Not much of a wing is needed to keep the rear wheels on the ground, but more is need if those rear wheels are drive wheels.

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Crap, I can see it now. Get to track. Unbolt windshield, bolt on little, tiny aero screen, bolt on spoiler, bolt on big wing, change to racing tires. When will it all end?

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Just so you guys know. I have put specific restrictions on the Aero packages that the FF Cobra guys can add (based on taking away their waiver as "tube frame cars" that I'm allowing in TTU). The front air dam and splitter can only be 4" out from the body of the car, and no wider than the body of the car. No large or exotic wings are permitted. If they go crazy with the aero, they move back into TTR to play with the Radicals and 800 hp Porsches, etc. They have a great wt/hp ratio--better than just about any other car's we have, but they are handicapped by the issues that have been mentioned, so I think it's fair to let them run in TTU as long as they stay below 650 hp, and don't come out with an airplane on wheels.

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don't come out with an airplane on wheels.

 

Yeah, but those airplanes have their wings upside down.

 

 

All that schoolin and you had to teach him that.

So sad.

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Gosh Greg, how is a guy suppose to cheat if you keep putting restrictions on everything....

 

Bart - Exactly. It doesnt stop....

Bart, your issue is similar to Keith Parker. The rear end steps out, and you never want that. As much as the rules allow, you need to seriously consider aero, a rear wing for your car. 100%. It wont take you more than 10 to 20 minutes to bolt on a wing, if you pre-fit it at home, or fit it at home tow the car, then remove it for the race. My wing is easily removable in 5 minutes.... You would much rather have push, just for safety factor.....

 

andy

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well...the front airdam is basically complete. The rear wing is about 25% done...

 

The airdam completely hand made carbon fiber. For our first time it went pretty well. The splitter will be cut from a factory made sheet of .25" carbon honeycomb. It's mocked up in wood in the photo.

 

0210061605.jpg

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