Chevy finally gets aero help, Pontiacs unchanged

Posted 4:12PM on Friday 22nd March 2002 ( 23 years ago )

BRISTOL, Tenn. - The Chevrolets finally got some help from NASCAR for their aerodynamic complaints when the sanctioning body announced a change in the inspection process that effectively adds 1-inch to the front of the Monte Carlos. Beginning with the April 5 race at Texas Motor Speedway, the reference lines on the floor of NASCAR's inspection bay that are used to determine the length of the cars will be moved from 99 inches to 100-inches. Dodges and Fords are already measured at 100 inches, while Pontiac is at 100½ inches. Chevrolet teams have complained about a lack of downforce on the nose of their cars all season. Downforce gives cars the ability to stick to the track and gain stability at speed and General Motors claims the Chevy lags behind the Dodge by 10 percent there. "We think this brings the front end of the Monte Carlo in line with the other makes," Winston Cup director John Darby said Friday. "This should give them some more front downforce and balance the cars out a little bit." NASCAR did not give the Pontiac, GM's other model, any help but Darby said the sanctioning body would continue to monitor the plight of the Grand Prix. "Part of balancing it out is picking a target, maybe something in the middle, and working everything toward that," Darby said. "So we helped the Chevrolets and we'll continue to watch (the Pontiacs) over the next few weeks." Downforce is not an issue at Bristol Motor Speedway, site of Sunday's Food City 500, because the track is just .533-miles. But it will be a factor at Texas, a 1.5-mile track. Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon said he anticipated the front-end help would make the Monte Carlo's, which have yet to win a race this season, competitive at Texas. "We're going to have a good amount of downforce from this," Gordon said. "Ultimately, is this what we need for the long-term? I don't know. But short term, it's going to help."

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/3/197062