Quote:
Originally Posted by Bhobbs
Arent wings generally more efficient than spoilers?
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Not sure. They
probably are, since they're more common in the racing world than spoilers are. I think I remember hearing another complaint about the Nascar wing was that it left the air too 'clean' behind the car, making drafting harder. Which would indicate that it probably created a lot less drag.
But spoilers have their advantages. They distribute the load a lot more than a wing does. In essence, with a spoiler the entire trunk area (as well as part of the rear window) become a zone of downforce. Less bracing* required this way, and it puts the centre of force closer to the middle of the car.
*Side note, one of the reasons why the wing was so high on the Superbird/Daytona was because it needed to be mounted to the frame of the car, instead of the trunk lid itself, and had to be high enough to let the trunk still open.