Wing to spoiler transition anticipated without dread

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Gary Nelson, one of the "fathers" of NASCAR's new car currently used in the Cup Series, and Jeff Gordon are among those who think the decision to abandon the car's rear-mounted wing in favor of a traditional flat-blade spoiler is no big deal.

NASCAR issued a bulletin to Cup team owners Friday. On next week's Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour, NASCAR is expected to announce possible changes to bump-drafting and out-of-bounds rules at Daytona and Talladega and possibly a larger restrictor plate for Speedweeks, but right now the spoiler is a given.

Wing go

An open test at Charlotte Motor Speedway has been scheduled as part of a transition from a rear wing to a rear spoiler.

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"I don't really expect any big revelations," Gordon said. "I mean, I don't think it's going to like be night and day, but I might be wrong. I think that their goal is to meet the downforce levels that we have now. I'm sure they've done some wind tunnel testing, as well, to figure that out."

Nelson was the Cup Series director until the end of the 2001 season before stepping into a research and development role that including working daily with the former Car of Tomorrow that began its phase-in in 2007 and has been in use full time since 2008.

"We designed the car originally to go either way, so either the spoiler or the wing would bolt onto the exact same spot," Nelson said. "We brought a couple cars to Daytona and tested both ways, and the drivers chose the wing. We said, 'OK, let's go with it, but always be able to go back if we need to, without having to redesign the car -- it's just a bolt-on piece either way.'

"It's that simple, so to me, I don't really know how big of a news item it is."

Gordon was one of several drivers who said that, with NASCAR's overall ban on testing, he couldn't imagine doing more than the March 23-24 test at the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"The first thing that I've heard from our engineers is that a rear spoiler should add total downforce to the car, which might change the balance and give it a little more front [downforce] to it, which I think would be a great thing -- but everybody has different theories," Gordon said. "Until we get out there on the track -- and the wind tunnel is not always the most accurate way to test these things -- but we need more front downforce.

"Every weekend, every team out there is complaining the car won't turn in the middle, won't turn in the middle, won't turn in the middle. I'm up for anything that would get the car to turn in the middle." (Continued)