JD in clean air is unreal…

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

A few people who don't like something say a lot of things. That is a lot of what has gotten to be wrong with the sport. A few "he saids" replaces reality.

I can go to almost any vendor in the sport who is selling something and find claims that defy physics and sell bogus science.

Testimonials are almost worthless. Show Me.

[Pennsboro32]

I do know bodies should be priority #1.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I do know bodies should be priority #1.

I agree 100%. That is a way bigger issue than how much a guy drops his wheel out. The front of the cars use the air too much. The nose is less than half the section height of ones 10 years ago. That makes them aero dependent. The middle of the bodies carry too much aero load too. The spoiler? Getting it high does nothing if it isn't there. It's way more effective to end the advantage of doing something than tell someone they can't do it. If there's an advantage to do something, they will find a way to do it.

[lurker]

Pennsboro,

The droop rule has hurt a few guys that had their blade higher than others last year. It makes absolutely no sense that it would make the racing worse in general. It has not affected most cars at all, and any reduction in the hole punched in the air would be positive, not negative.

I'm the first to say the rule is stupid, but we have to use logic and scientific reasoning to make a good argument.

MasterSbilt_Racer,

Can you please tell me the Positives and Negatives regarding droop, droop rule. You’ve politely educated me before when I’ve asked, but droop, droop rule, still miffs me. Especially when I’ve seen it measured after a race (on Flo) --- what are they measuring to and from?

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Lurker,

They are measuring the distance from the ground to the top of the rear t-bar, at a point 6" in from the lr quarter panel. The measurement is taken after the car is jacked up under the frame rail, below the lr axle tube, until both rear tires are off the ground. The assumed idea is to make all cars essentially the same spoiler height while racing on the track.

The huge negative is that there are countless ways to game the process of taking this measurement, such that it is way less than what the car actually does on the track. This isn't difficult, as the jacking under the frame in no way replicates the forces the car sees on the track.

Even worse yet, there are countless adjustments you could make during the night and inadvertently cause yourself to fail. It's not like every pit stall is perfectly flat or you always have extra time to check after making a hurried adjustment. Something as innocent as a slightly bigger or smaller tire in the wrong location could get you a DQ.

I've read comments from Shuman and others saying "rich teams figured out how to get more droop and an advantage." That leads to the following questions: Are only rich teams intelligent? Are we actually vilifying intelligence, but calling it affluence? If the added droop is an advantage, what specifically generates that advantage? Why do we even care if more droop is beneficial? Could it maybe be more effective to change the paradigm and make more droop less beneficial? What is the intended outcome of this droop rule? How is success of the droop rule measured?

[Rajflyboy]

Eldora is coming up and my boy from Gray Court, SC is going to put a whooping on the 49 😁 You know that team is at the shop every day getting the car perfect for this race.

[lurker]

MasterSbilt_Racer,

Thank you very much! Droop is more understandable now. “game the process” is much-much more understandable too. Smart thinking types always figure a way around whatever it is rules wise. What if the LR quarter panel is damaged during the race? What then? As messed up as the bodies are, not everyone is going to measure the same droop? Correct? Sound like this conversation could go on forever. haha

Thanks again for the insight.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Lurker,

You are welcome. Yes, some guys have the lr quarter panel tapered more towards the center of the car than others. More taper will allow the left side of the body to be higher than those with less taper. There are a million setup variables that will change how it measures out as bump travel induced in the front wheels from jacking the chassis will influence the t bar height. You can change how the rear hangs under the car. You can even game the position of the jacking point a little bit. The measurement has become much more complicated than they envisioned. I think it was a knee-jerk decision that was implemented for the wrong reasons. That's why I listed the question and answer process that should have taken place. Personally, our cars will not even come close to passing. I could make it pass, with no impact to the cars handling or deck height on the track, but I have no need to. We quit racing with these guys 4 years ago. We got tired of buying all the new stuff they required of us every winter.
I'm fairly certain a lot of current racers have done a similar thing to make the cars pass, but in their case they need a trick shock or their handling was affected.

There are racers saying the rule is dumb because they can lower the t bar and then pass. In their mind, the rule is then a failure because it didn't address the suspension travel directly. I go back to the question process again. Is it to address suspension travel or spoiler height? This again shines a light on the failure of the rule as the rules makers have failed to properly inform the racers of what the goal is.