Thornton Jr's Door

[TheJet-09]

https://www.facebook.com/rickythorntonjrracing/photos/pb.397029757107241.-2207520000../2325075540969310/?type=3&theater

Unless it's an optical illusion, it appears his driver's door is not flush or "sealed" to the LR quarter. I'm sure it's not by accident (like they ran out of rivets), so I was wondering if anyone saw this in person, or has seen someone do this before?

I can only assume it's to let air escape, but is there something to actually be gained by doing so?

In looking at it again, the pic might have been taken while actually putting the wrap on, so maybe they did just drill out all but the very bottom rivet. Nonetheless, I'm curious...

[Punisher88]

I would 100% bet that they removed the rivets or bolts holding the panels together to install the wrap.

[Jking24]

It's just too install the wrap. Very common practice

[TheJet-09]

It makes sense. I tend to overthink things sometimes!

[rjs21]

They just aren't running fasteners where the door and quarter meet on either side. I believe it is to attempt to let air out from behind the body. He raced it that way I see.

[Jking24]

They just aren't running fasteners where the door and quarter meet on either side. I believe it is to attempt to let air out from behind the body. He raced it that way I see.They took some out of the right side last night 😉

[Ltemodel]

Letting as much air out of the left side as possible will add downforce. Thas why I don't understand all the small wheel wells on the left side. I would open those puppies up and let as much of the air out as possible. When the car is in Yaw, almost all the time, the left rear corner becomes the rear of the car. Trapping air there acts like a parachute and takes away downforce. The right side is the exact opposite. seal it up as tight as possible.

[Burke1118]

Letting as much air out of the left side as possible will add downforce. Thas why I don't understand all the small wheel wells on the left side. I would open those puppies up and let as much of the air out as possible. When the car is in Yaw, almost all the time, the left rear corner becomes the rear of the car. Trapping air there acts like a parachute and takes away downforce. The right side is the exact opposite. seal it up as tight as possible.Cade dillard was letting a lot of air out his LF the other night when his flopper got ripped off....... why do you think he went straight backwards?

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Cade dillard was letting a lot of air out his LF the other night when his flopper got ripped off....... why do you think he went straight backwards?

More importantly, he lost his nose sideboard. It had little effect on getting air out from under the car.

That is also assuming his front end alignment was still all good.

[Jking24]

More importantly, he lost his nose sideboard. It had little effect on getting air out from under the car.That is also assuming his front end alignment was still all good.It was probably letting more in than out

[Ltemodel]

Because of air spillage, the left front operates a little differently than the left rear. Remember a couple of years ago when Richards showed up at Screven, I think it was, his left rear was cut on an angle to let a bunch of air out. I think they outlawed it after the first night I believe. It was a huge advantage. Now, if the side of the front fender got ripped off close to where it mounts to the door, I could see where that would be an advantage. The air passing over the nose needs to create the vacuum formed by letting the air out in the back of the wheel well. That is why we always pull the front end out and tuck it in behind the tire.

[ZERO25]

Many years ago, Ray Stonkus showed up at the Snowball Derby with the front nose completely sealed off. He had my friend who was the crew chief, fabricate a pan attached from the bottom of the nose to the steering rack. He told my buddy that he had been to the wind tunnel with a Cup team an found that it increased front downforce a ton!

[Mopar DLM]

Most all the dirt rule books have had something in them for a while now that deems the pan illegal. Sure seems like a better way and lot cheaper way to help the front end than all the aero crap they are doing now.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Most all the dirt rule books have had something in them for a while now that deems the pan illegal. Sure seems like a better way and lot cheaper way to help the front end than all the aero crap they are doing now.

There are rules against enclosing the lower frame to upper frame down the right side too. But, a lot of them are.