Wind Tunnel UPDATE 2: NASCAR took #’s 88, 24, 40 and 18 to the wind tunnel in Marietta, GA., following the race on Sunday at Atlanta(Sporting News)(3-12-2001) The information from NASCAR’s wind-tunnel last week showed all four brands within 20 pounds of each other in downforce. But Bobby Labonte’s Pontiac showed the least drag, according to one GM official, which was a surprise(Winston Salem Journal)(3-18-2001) UPDATE 2: some numbers(unofficial): Test 1 Tested at inspection height, and with the nose taped off as for qualifying, at 3 degrees of yaw, slightly sideways as in entering a corner: #18-1,344lbs of total downforce #88-1340lbs #24-1331lbs #40-1325lbs Test 2 Tested with the nose lowered, in more of a real-race situation: #88-1521lbs of downforce #40-1481lbs #18-1456lbs #24-1432lbs Test 3 Drag Comparison – horsepower needed reach 200-mph in the wind tunnel: #24-505 #88-513 #40-517 #18-538 These are the only numbers I have seen, can’t say I totally understand them so don’t ask me to explain, see the full story at the Winston Salem Journal(3-21-2001)
