Quote:
Originally Posted by Bicycle Bob
I never did hear the rationale for those angled winglets, but they were scrapped after very little testing.
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As I recall, rule book was explicit about horizontal and vertical foil devises but neglected to imagine angled devises. They simply took advantage of this omission before the rules could be updated.
EDIT:
I think same year Joe Leonard (
because of points) ran with the number one on his car.
Link says 1972, I was 12 years old and very into racing and big time wrestling.
EDIT-2:
Neither article mentions the rule book, but the rule book was only just starting to get a little thick back then.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-pr...ones-dumpster/
https://triplettracehistory.blogspot...cing-team.html
EDIT:3
Found some forum banter............
Post #12
https://www.trackforum.org/forum/mot...-vpj-1-chassis
Quote:
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The rear "wings" back then had to be a direct part of the body work. To call them wings by the standards after 1971 is very naive of you.
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Similar era car:
https://www.trackforum.org/forum/mot...-vpj-1-chassis
Post #22
https://www.trackforum.org/forum/mot...-chassis/page2
Quote:
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The addition of the real wings in 1972 caused speeds to jump dramatically, because of the wing crutches. Had the "wings" remained part of the engine cover or body, those speeds would not have jumped so much.
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Post #25
Quote:
I believe he's making a distinction between wings that were an integral part of the engine cover or body work and a wing that stood above the body and was attached and supported to the car by the use of crutches which allowed the wings to catch more undisturbed air.
The first rear wing in use at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a flat plate that Dan Gurney had attached to the top of the tailpipes on his Eagle Ford in 1966.
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Post #32
Quote:
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Okay, if it makes you feel better, they are "wings", but are not as formidable as in comparison to the giant picnic tables allowed on the 1972 and 1973 cars. Thankfully USAC made them much smaller in 1974, among other things, slowed the cars down and made better, safer racing.
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Different forum talking about 1970's wing rules:
https://www.trackforum.org/forum/mot...ules-ims/page3
If you want to get a feel for that era, James Garner documented his own racing efforts in a film.
The Racing Scene (1969)
I think it's also on Amazon Prime or TUBITV.com (free) as well.
NOTE: The original car in question the angled wings were part of the radiator cooling system - perhaps another loophole.