[Tim]

Originally Posted by Geoff Kaiser These side panels increase the side force as the car is sideways thru the corner, helping keep the car straighter for increased speed. They help with driver protection by shielding the driver from rocks, dirt/mud, loose mufflers, etc. They help advertise drivers names and small sponsors which helps with fan recognition. Also takes away some of the sun and or track lighting glare at night which helps the driver focus on the track.

A few observations:

As Mr. Kaiser points out, the panels do help protect the driver from the flying debris. With real (that's to say - non-wing) sprint cars, the car is sideways in the turn more of the time, subjecting the driver's right side to the debris flung by cars in front. A fine example of this was 2008 at Kamp. I was working with a team during sprint weeks. They had put a new body on the car prior to this race. After one session of hot laps the side panels looked like someone had shot it with a BB Gun numerous times. After the night there were large dents and even tears in the mud-guard, and all side panels - it looked like a season worth of wear. My point is, without the paneling, the driver would have taken the brunt of this pelting.

The panels around the engine compartment help keep the motor area cleaner. When I raced the winged cars (without the engine panels), I was amazed at the amount of mud that would cake up on the motor plate, and under the headers, etc. Even the cars of the 50's, etc. had engine covering panels.

I believe the panels ahead of the motor help direct air through the radiator, instead of letting it spill out before going through. this should help cooling.

So, it may not be all about advertising space - There may be some actual performance benefits, along with driver protection.

And, maybe the way we raced all those years without the panels was because we just accepted the fact that this is dangerous and we'd maim or lose a couple of people a year.

Tim Simmons

[DonMoore10]

Originally Posted by 1121 By the way Jeff, never argue with your car owner, even a part time one. Your response should of been , "yes Mr. Moore, you are correct sir! Tom Paterson

hahahaha Kaiser is looking for a new ride right now...... And Geoff, make sure the new ride has panels. LOL

---------- Post added at 01:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:32 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Tim A few observations: As Mr. Kaiser points out, the panels do help protect the driver from the flying debris. With real (that's to say - non-wing) sprint cars, the car is sideways in the turn more of the time, subjecting the driver's right side to the debris flung by cars in front. Tim Simmons

No doubt. I'd hate to take a newby to a dirt sprint car race. I'd have to warn them before going that they are going to be punished in the stands with mud, debris, dirt, dust and who knows what else. During the features with these cars, I think I end up seeing about 10% of the race most of time. The other 90% is spent protecting myself or trying to dial 911. Way too big of tires and way too much horsepower IMO. Not fan friendly at all. At least with midgets, this usually doesn't happen unless you're right on top of the fence. It would help tremendously if some of the tracks would not buy their dirt from the rock and gravel pits like one well known dirt track north of Indianapolis.

[767]

So we start the season with exteended panels, we will probablly end the season with luveirs (sp) ans slots cut into them to make the car faster. But don't worry it will take fans a while to notice because the high dollar teams will start hiding the small modifications in there elaborate paint sckeem. But once an under budget teams shows up with blank pannels and the stick out like a sore thumb everyone will notice. So then there will be a speck put out. Drivers will only be able to run panels that were made by company x and they will cost 10x the amount. it will be interesting to see what the regular night short tracks do with this stuff.

[Geoff Kaiser]

Originally Posted by DonMoore10 You've got enough sheet metal on that 71 car to panel my basement.

I buy it in bulk. :2:

Right side cockpit panels may be a maximum of thirty-eight (38) inches high at the rear and a maximum of thirty-six (36)
inches high at the front as measured from the top of the bottom main frame tube at the engine plate and projected
rearward.

Left side cockpit panels may be thirty (30) inches high as measured from the top of the bottom main frame tubes at the
engine plate and projected rearward

Sun visors are limited to seven inches from the top to bottom including any tabs, extensions, etc. and cannot be wider
than the cage. Sun visors cannot extend above the cage. Sun visors must be flat on both sides without any bends,
wickers or aerodynamic advantages.
For fan recognition, it is recommended that all teams place the driver’s name on the visor in large letters.
Side visors will be allowed, they will be limited to seven (7) inches in height. The minimum right side opening must be
twenty-one (21) inches wide at any point and eight (8) inches tall at any point. Side visors cannot restrict driver vision.
Left side visor may not be larger than right side visor.

[DonMoore10]

There is so much cage sheet metal on some of the spit cars that I could put on a helmet, suit, strap in and you wouldn't even know I was in there. With a little, teeny, tiny, itty bitty opening ( for air no doubt)... reminds me of the slot at the bank for night deposits.

[openwheelfan1]

I've attended open wheel racing since 1966. I have never owned a race car, driven a race car or been in a racing related business. I am a FAN. As such, I can say I despise all the panels and the fact that the drivers are becoming less and less visible to the paying customer. Part of the enjoyment of attending open wheel-open cockpit racing, TO ME, was being able to see the driver at work. Watching him snap his head to the right as he entered a corner and the car rotated, watching his arms and hands crank the wheel and work the wheel through the corner were part of the whole experience. Now you are lucky if you can see the top of the helmet from the right side of the car and maybe down to his shoulders from the left.

I am all for safety...we lost far to many drivers in the 60's and 70's, but there must be some way to provide some visibility of the driver while maintaining safety. Lowering the sides, or utilizing expanded metal (which at least provides some visibility) should still provide safety for the drivers arms. Eliminating the panels between the roll cage down tubes should be a no-brainer. I can think of no safety reason for their existence. In the 60's and 70's day races were the norm. Sun visors are logical, but for 30 years, they didn't exist. Did the sun get brighter in the last 10 years?

As a fan for 40 years, I have seen the "Glory Days" of open wheel short track racing and the lean years. What concerns me today are two things, cost and dissension. Costs are and have been out of control for several years. Until and unless owners and sanctioning bodies get together and develop workable, enforceable rules, we are going to continue to see the sport decline. And unless promoters, owners, drivers, sanctioning bodies and fans ALL work together and quit saying "that will never work" and badmouthing every idea, I fear the sport is doomed.

Steve

[dirtnonwingfan]

Openwheelfan1, I couldn't agree more with everything you said. Well done!!!

[LEADERS EDGE]

There are more sprint cars racing today than at any point in the history of the sport. If that is decline:I can't wait until the sport starts to accend.

There are more open wheel racecars racing today than at any point in the history of the sport. There are so many choices today that it can make you dizzy.

There are more midgets today than ever before;BUT it is true that many only run 1 to 5 times a year. There are many reasons for that and cost is a factor; but another reason for that is the loss of fairground tracks and sprint cars now run where midgets only ran before. It wasn't until Kokomo 1982 USAC ran it's first sprint show on a track smaller than a half.

People always want to say this or that about the cars and what have you, but entertainment is more about cult of personality than the tools the people use.

Eric Clapton had more than one or two guitars that became famous because he played them, but I wouldn't go see some guy off the street play one of his guitars. Same with racing.

The cars of the 50's,60's,70's era were popular because of who drove them and the era in which they were run, not because of the cars. Yes they were beautiful to look at and my favorite style, but if AJ,Mario,Parnelli etc.... were running the cars today then these would be the "classic". At this moment there are young fans who think that today's drivers and cars are classic, because to them they are. No different that the many people who feel the cars of the late 70's through late 80's are the best because Kinser,Swindell,Wolfgang, Doty and Hewitt drove them.

Don't get me wrong; I do believe that some things do need to be addressed cost wise and things always have to evolve.

[jjones776]

Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE There are more sprint cars racing today than at any point in the history of the sport. If that is decline:I can't wait until the sport starts to accend. There are more open wheel racecars racing today than at any point in the history of the sport. There are so many choices today that it can make you dizzy. There are more midgets today than ever before;BUT it is true that many only run 1 to 5 times a year. There are many reasons for that and cost is a factor; but another reason for that is the loss of fairground tracks and sprint cars now run where midgets only ran before. It wasn't until Kokomo 1982 USAC ran it's first sprint show on a track smaller than a half. People always want to say this or that about the cars and what have you, but entertainment is more about cult of personality than the tools the people use. Eric Clapton had more than one or two guitars that became famous because he played them, but I wouldn't go see some guy off the street play one of his guitars. Same with racing. The cars of the 50's,60's,70's era were popular because of who drove them and the era in which they were run, not because of the cars. Yes they were beautiful to look at and my favorite style, but if AJ,Mario,Parnelli etc.... were running the cars today then these would be the "classic". At this moment there are young fans who think that today's drivers and cars are classic, because to them they are. No different that the many people who feel the cars of the late 70's through late 80's are the best because Kinser,Swindell,Wolfgang, Doty and Hewitt drove them. Don't get me wrong; I do believe that some things do need to be addressed cost wise and things always have to evolve.

very well put scott! i could not agree more.

[Need For Speed]

Originally Posted by LEADERS EDGE There are more sprint cars racing today than at any point in the history of the sport. If that is decline:I can't wait until the sport starts to accend. There are more open wheel racecars racing today than at any point in the history of the sport. There are so many choices today that it can make you dizzy. There are more midgets today than ever before;BUT it is true that many only run 1 to 5 times a year. There are many reasons for that and cost is a factor; but another reason for that is the loss of fairground tracks and sprint cars now run where midgets only ran before. It wasn't until Kokomo 1982 USAC ran it's first sprint show on a track smaller than a half. People always want to say this or that about the cars and what have you, but entertainment is more about cult of personality than the tools the people use. Eric Clapton had more than one or two guitars that became famous because he played them, but I wouldn't go see some guy off the street play one of his guitars. Same with racing. The cars of the 50's,60's,70's era were popular because of who drove them and the era in which they were run, not because of the cars. Yes they were beautiful to look at and my favorite style, but if AJ,Mario,Parnelli etc.... were running the cars today then these would be the "classic". At this moment there are young fans who think that today's drivers and cars are classic, because to them they are. No different that the many people who feel the cars of the late 70's through late 80's are the best because Kinser,Swindell,Wolfgang, Doty and Hewitt drove them. Don't get me wrong; I do believe that some things do need to be addressed cost wise and things always have to evolve.

Do you have any hard FACTS/STATS to back these statements regarding the number of sprint cars-open wheel cars-midgets of today VS the past, or is it one of those deals where, because YOU said so, it is truth?? I would love to see your documentation.

With all of the cage bodywork, full containment seats/nets, etc, a guy has to be a contortionist to get in or out of the cars. Not to mention the people in the stands damn near can't even see the drivers when they are in the seat!