Tracing the evolution of the F1 Stock Car aerofoil.
Love them or hate them, the aerofoils on F1 stock cars seem here to stay. But when did they first appear? Who set the trend? How effective are they? Do they benefit or detract from the sport? Are there safety issues? This short feature traces the roots of the stock car aerofoil using models from my collection and the odd photograph to illustrate the key moments. The opinions expressed are my own formed from following the sport since the late 60s.
Prior to 1973, stock cars raced without wings and the model below of 244 Jim Esau's 1970 World Final winning car was typical:
However, the constant problem for all drivers was finding better traction with the track surface to enable the enormous power from the engines to be used as quickly as possible into, around and exiting the bends. In other words, greater down force for maximum grip. Drivers and their teams are always searching for that performance enhancement from the car that could give them an edge over their rivals. Nothing has changed over the years in that respect.
In 1973, 229 John Hillam introduced a car with a roof wing and smaller wings fitted to the bonnet sides - more, I suspect, to give it a different look rather than an aid to performance. The smaller wings had a limited life but the roof wing set a trend that was to be copied and adapted countless times over subsequent racing seasons by other drivers including 391 Stu Smith Senior. The model below is John Hillam's 1979 car with the roof wing he pioneered:
Below are examples from my model collection of the variations on a theme that drivers have come up with since that very first wing:
391 Stu Smith Senior's 1976 copy:
345 Keith Jubb's 1978 winged approach:
391 Stu Smith Senior's 1979 car:
51 Mo Smith's 1987 car:
501 Chris Elwell's 1987 car:
422 Nigel Whorton's 1989 car:
260 Dave Berresford's 1992 car:
33 Peter Falding's 1993 World Final winning car with extra wing on front of the car:
515 Frankie Wainman Jnr's 1996 car with shale aerofoil:
515 Frankie Wainman Jnr's 2001 car with twin tarmac aerofoils:
390 Stu Smith Jnr's 2007 World Final winning car with shale aerofoil:
515 Frankie Wainman Jnr's 1998 World Long Track winning car with extra large wing:
It is questionable whether an aerofoil can be wholly effective on a stock car track given the relatively short distances involved. Those used on the longer tracks at the old Baarlo and Venray in Holland, like the 1998 car of Frankie Wainman Jnr above, were probably more beneficial. Possibly the most effective aid to down force came with the 1980 cars of 212 Frankie Wainman Snr and 190 Len Wolfenden in the David Goodall inspired wedge-shaped cars - developed using a wind tunnel. But again, whether the benefits were enough to give a sustained advantage is open to question. Interestingly Len Wolfenden shortened the bonnet and won the 1981 World Final in the car. No great claims were ever made but the cars were both very pleasing to the eye! Below is one of Keith Barber's excellent illustrations of the 212 car from 1980:
The current wings on the tarmac and shale cars are very much standard features. The slanting shale wing causes wind resistance as the cars turn at speed into bends and acts as a brake forcing the rear of the car down and providing greater traction to the outside rear tyre. The more streamlined tarmac aerofoil creates down force on the straights by lifting the front of the car and pressing down the rear wheels to create more traction. That is the theory, and there must be some performance advantage to having them, but in practice I suspect that both types are arguably better as a prominent advertising site for sponsors than as a significant aid to down force.
It was interesting to see a top driver at Coventry having to remove a damaged aerofoil from his car and then proceed to demonstrate the ability to race competitively without it against his winged rivals!
Check out the models below. These are the cars of the three drivers who have each won three World Finals in succession. Dave Chisholm did so with no wings in sight, Stu Smith Senior with modestly sized aerofoils and Andy Smith with the fuller size versions. The evolution of the aerofoil in one picture!
As to safety, it is possible that aerofoils could fold down during a rollover and hinder a driver's exit from the cab but given the number of rollovers and racing incidents, the problems caused by either tarmac or shale aerofoils has been minimal.
There is no doubt that aerofoils divide opinion among fans but for better or worse they are part of the marvellous spectacle that is stock car racing. They are colourful, sponsor-friendly, and that is no bad thing in this cost-hungry sport, and they give the cars that mean, unique look of a BriSCA F1 stock car.
Whether you like them or loathe them - 'May the down force be with you!'