Drivers ready to wave bye- bye to wings on Cup cars

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- For the most part, NASCAR's Cup Series drivers appear eager to wave good-bye to the wings that have adorned the rear decks of their cars since 2007.

The wing was introduced along with the new car part-time during the '07 season and was used full-time the past two seasons. But after Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the fifth race of the 2010 season, the wing will be replaced by a rear spoiler.

Welcome return

It's official -- Bristol will be the final race with the wing on the Cup car as NASCAR announced Martinsville will be the first event with the spoiler.

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"I think NASCAR changed it because the fans didn't like the look or the appearance of it, more so than the drivers," said Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 Ford. "I really felt they went to double-file restarts [last year] because the fans love that action on the restarts. This is sort of the same thing. They got a lot of criticism like, 'It doesn't look like a race car. We want a spoiler back on it.'

"NASCAR consulted us on what our opinion was and we thought we were OK with the spoiler and thought the car might even be better with the spoiler, so they pursued that and obviously determined to put it back on the car. But I think [the decision] was driven by the fans and the [lack of] popularity."

Kurt Busch, who drives the No. 2 Dodge, said he has an idea of what to do with all the wings that will be discarded.

"Me and Biffle raced each other this past Thanksgiving weekend over the offseason," Busch said. "I've got an old Crown Vic, he's got a Chevy Caprice and we go dirt racing. I put a wing on for rear downforce. That's about all they're going to be good for -- the aesthetic look."

Everyone seems to agree that the Cup car looks better sans wing. And the hope is that it will produce better close racing as well. (Continued)