Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 28, 1992 TAG: 9203280091
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: DARLINGTON, S.C. LENGTH: Medium
Some drivers think so.
Harry Gant and Darrell Waltrip were among a number of drivers at Darlington Raceway who said Friday that a larger spoiler will improve racing at all tracks, including Daytona and Talladega.
The new rule calls for a larger spoiler at all tracks except Talladega and Daytona.
"It would help a lot at Talladega and Daytona if they'd run [the spoilers] just like this and take the restrictor plate back out," Gant said before qualifying for Sunday's TranSouth 500.
"I'd say there's a method to their madness," said Waltrip, who suggested that NASCAR may be planning to order larger spoilers for Talladega and Daytona, too.
"We learn something every day and if we're learning something we can use [at Daytona and Talladega], we'll use it," NASCAR Technical Director Gary Nelson said Friday.
Does he hope that NASCAR can use a larger spoiler in place of the hated carburetor restrictor plates to keep speeds below 200 mph at those superspeedways?
"That would be nice," Nelson said.
The restrictor plates have lowered speeds at those two big tracks, but because they restrict engine power, they have made it difficult for drivers to pass and have contributed to a number of multi-car crashes.
The new spoiler rule was announced to the Winston Cup teams Wednesday, but still caught a lot of drivers by surprise.
"I didn't know about it until I got to the track today," Ricky Rudd said Friday.
The spoiler is a metal flap attached across the back of the rear deck of stock cars to interrupt or "spoil" the flow of the wind across the top of the car. The effect is to create more down force on the back of the car, which helps it stick to the track better. And at Daytona and Talladega, the spoiler also slows the cars somewhat.
NASCAR's new rule calls for a 370-square-inch spoiler at a maximum height of 6.5 inches if the width is 57 inches. Teams can use a 350-square-inch spoiler at a maximum height of six inches if the width is 58 inches. And teams can use a 330-square-inch spoiler at a maximum height of 5.5 inches if the width is 59 inches.
Most of the teams can choose which configuration they want, although the narrow Pontiac Grand Prixs are essentially limited to the 370-square-inch spoiler.
But the new rule does not apply at Talladega and Daytona, where the spoiler will remain at 280 square inches.
NASCAR officials said they ordered the spoiler rule change because at least a dozen cars were too loose at Rockingham and Atlanta, even after raising the angle of their spoilers to as much as 70 degrees in an effort to increase down force.
\ After qualifying 14th for Sunday's TranSouth 500 in his Winston Cup car, Mark Martin hopped into his Grand National Ford Thunderbird and broke the track record for GN cars, winning the pole for today's Mark III Vans 200 with a speed of 159.068 mph.
Harry Gant, who qualified 12th for today's race, set the old track record here last year at 158.899 mph.
Robert Pressley qualified second at 158.719 mph, followed by Morgan Shepherd, Kenny Wallace and Tracy Leslie.
The race begins at 1 p.m.
\ Ernie Irvan said Friday he is still sore from the hairline fracture of his left collarbone, but he plans to drive the entire TranSouth 500 on Sunday.
"It's a little sore, but that's all," he said.
Irvan was injured in a multi-car crash in the Atlanta 200 for Grand National cars on March 14 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
\ Barry Dodson confirmed Friday that he has become permanent crew chief for Derrike Cope's Chevrolet Lumina and said Team III is officially dead.
"I feel like I've been fighting cancer for the past six months and finally licked it," Dodson said. "It's fun racing again."
\ Greg Trammell will be driving the Melling Racing Grand National Ford Thunderbird in today's Mark III Vans 200. He qualified 35th in Friday's time trials.
Bill Elliott had been the driver of the car and he said he will continue to drive it in some, but not all, of the Grand National races in which the car is entered.
Meanwhile, Dave Mader III was selected to drive Melling's Winston Cup Ford Thunderbird in Sunday's TranSouth 500. Mader, 36, also will drive in the Food City 500 at Bristol International Raceway next weekend.
Mader got a good start with the team Friday, qualifying 10th for Sunday's race.
\ Car owner Felix Sabates' incentive programs have now extended to his Grand National team.
Driver Kenny Wallace was the surprised recipient of a new Pontiac Grand Prix SE from Sabates on Monday during a party to celebrate his victory in the Miller 500 Grand National race at Martinsville last weekend.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB