Tire brushes

[XJguy]

I dont recall where I read it, probably in Race Car Aerodynamics Designing for Speed, but some drag reduction can be had by preventing the air pumped by the tires from making its way around. This is why you see louvers mounted on top of some race car wheels. Another method to do this is to having body work which would be in contact with the actual tire...obviously that would not be possible, but a brush would...like a broom. By affixing a brush to the body or suspension to remain in contact to the tire tread you can prevent the air form making its way around....it would then have to be ventilated/extracted out of the wheel well. The contact would have to be minimum in order to not add drag to the wheel negating its benefit.

[capnbass91]

Seems a little dangerous, would be much safer to have wheel skirts to stop airflow over the wheel.

[Joenavy85]

how about on the rear of the fender keeping the air under the vehicle?

[mnmarcus]

Brush drag would be greater than air drag it deleted.

[XJguy]

Originally Posted by capnbass91

Seems a little dangerous, would be much safer to have wheel skirts to stop airflow over the wheel.

Wheel skirts do not stop airflow over the wheels. The actual wheel moves air into the wheel well, the tire tread exacerbates this. This is why the more accurate wind tunnels are what are known as the rolling variety.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by XJguy

Another method to do this is to having body work which would be in contact with the actual tire...

Body work and belly pans can be very close to the wheels in race cars.
You don't want them to touch though, because that's extra drag.