why do drifters have huge rear spoilers?

[Sam the Mut]

channel flicking onto motors tv what had some jap difting on. Not my cup of tea but is better than inside out. Most of the cars have huge dtm ish rear wing. Why? looks like their only dong 60-70 mph so it's not going to be creating that much downfoce and the last thing you want is the rear pushed down. Is it just for show?

[-Pete-]

Good point, I'd never thought of that. I think you're right, just for show.

[Reardy Mister]

The spoilers are no more pointless that a drift "competition" in the first place. Its so shockingly unquantifiable, I cant bring myself to watch it.

[LiamM45]

it's a myth that drift cars are setup to have little grip, they need it to make the cars controllable.

i have no doubt the spoilers are rather useless but it's the style and culture of the sport, you do see a lot of "de-spoilered" drift cars though, I quite like that sort of look

[slothmeister]

Reardy Mister said:

The spoilers are no more pointless that a drift "competition" in the first place. Its so shockingly unquantifiable, I cant bring myself to watch it.

i'll never understand why people who have no interest in a particular type of sport feel the need to come in to a thread that they know doesn't appeal to them and try and tell/convince people that just because they don't like it no-one else should.

[vtgts300kw]

Sam the Mut said:

channel flicking onto motors tv what had some jap difting on. Not my cup of tea but is better than inside out. Most of the cars have huge dtm ish rear wing. Why? looks like their only dong 60-70 mph so it's not going to be creating that much downfoce and the last thing you want is the rear pushed down. Is it just for show?

I don't follow the sport, but i'm pretty sure the cars usually get up over 160kmh, don't they?

[cptsideways]

vtgts300kw said:

I don't follow the sport, but i'm pretty sure the cars usually get up over 160kmh, don't they?

Yes quite frequently, but at 45 deg's plus to the direction of travel they don't do much. Hence I've never used one. They are called BGW big gay wings for a reason

[luke g28]

Looks mostly. Although there are those that use huge end plates and claim it gives more stability / rear grip.

[Reardy Mister]

luke g28 said:

Looks mostly. Although there are those that use huge end plates and claim it gives more stability / rear grip.

Observe, the Sprint Car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQjOnLupKH4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blx96VxWzzQ&fea...

Built specifically to do a whole race sideways.

A proper sport that spotty drifters have been conveniently ignoring for years. Thats proper drifting AND its proper racing. With useful aero, including the endplates you refer to.

Edited by Reardy Mister on Monday 6th February 21:58

[Reardy Mister]

slothmeister said:

Reardy Mister said:

The spoilers are no more pointless that a drift "competition" in the first place. Its so shockingly unquantifiable, I cant bring myself to watch it.

i'll never understand why people who have no interest in a particular type of sport feel the need to come in to a thread that they know doesn't appeal to them and try and tell/convince people that just because they don't like it no-one else should.

He asked a question, I answered it and offered an opinion. I missed the part where I tried to convert everyone. If you have a genuine interest in a) RACING and b) going sideways, see my post above.

[luke g28]

Reardy Mister said:

Observe, the Sprint Car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQjOnLupKH4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blx96VxWzzQ&fea...

Built specifically to do a whole race sideways.

A proper sport that spotty drifters have been conveniently ignoring for years. Thats proper drifting AND its proper racing. With useful aero, including the endplates you refer to.

Edited by Reardy Mister on Monday 6th February 21:58

Example here of drift car end plates.



Also spoilers / aero would need to be bigger to have an effect at lower speed. In the same way as the pikes peaks cars have silly aero due to thin atmosphere.

[EDLT]

Reardy Mister said:

luke g28 said:

Looks mostly. Although there are those that use huge end plates and claim it gives more stability / rear grip.

Observe, the Sprint Car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQjOnLupKH4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blx96VxWzzQ&fea...

Built specifically to do a whole race sideways.

A proper sport that spotty drifters have been conveniently ignoring for years. Thats proper drifting AND its proper racing. With useful aero, including the endplates you refer to.

Those spoilers always had questionable aerodynamic properties when they were bolted to an almost-as-fast stock car, can't see how they would suddenly work on an Outlaw.

[LiamM45]

Reardy Mister said:

He asked a question, I answered it and offered an opinion. I missed the part where I tried to convert everyone. If you have a genuine interest in a) RACING and b) going sideways, see my post above.

You completely miss the point of drifting, it's an incredibly fun, accessible and cheap form of motorsport and the car control shown by the drivers is fantastic.

You seem to have a very narrow minded view of the sport, it isn't 'spotty oiks' and I suggest you go and check it out in the flesh. There's a brilliant diverse mix of cars and it's great seeing some drive to the track, bang some spare tyres on and go sliding about.

I understand it's not everyone's cup of tea, fine, but slagging off the people who enjoy it is pathetic. I can think of 1,000 things I would rather do than watch Moto GP, starting with inserting sharp objects in my eyes, but I don't go on threads about Moto GP slagging off those who enjoy it.

[Mr Sparkle]

LiamM45 said:

but slagging off the people who enjoy it is pathetic.

LiamM45 said:

You seem to have a very narrow minded view of the sport. >>>>>

>>>...I can think of 1,000 things I would rather do than watch Moto GP, starting with inserting sharp objects in my eyes...

Edited by Mr Sparkle on Monday 6th February 23:36

[LiamM45]

Did I slag off the sport - no.

Did I slag off the people who enjoy it - no.

Did I go onto threads about that particular sport and slag it off/slag fans off - no.

Did you quote me missing off an fairly important part of my comment - yes.

[Reardy Mister]

LiamM45 said:

Reardy Mister said:

He asked a question, I answered it and offered an opinion. I missed the part where I tried to convert everyone. If you have a genuine interest in a) RACING and b) going sideways, see my post above.

You completely miss the point of drifting, it's an incredibly fun, accessible and cheap form of motorsport and the car control shown by the drivers is fantastic.

Fun I can see. And the brilliant part is, there's nothing you can do there that you cant do in a tesco carpark. So full marks to you there. Car control yes, but then you need it to dodge the kerbs and trolleys.

LiamM45 said:

You seem to have a very narrow minded view of the sport, it isn't 'spotty oiks' and I suggest you go and check it out in the flesh. There's a brilliant diverse mix of cars and it's great seeing some drive to the track, bang some spare tyres on and go sliding about.

Fair enough, not everyone who takes part is a teenager. I generalised slightly. I have seen it in the flesh.

LiamM45 said:

I understand it's not everyone's cup of tea, fine, but slagging off the people who enjoy it is pathetic. I can think of 1,000 things I would rather do than watch Moto GP, starting with inserting sharp objects in my eyes, but I don't go on threads about Moto GP slagging off those who enjoy it.

Didnt really slag everyone off did I? My point is, lets call drifting what it is - figure skating in cars. Its like bicycle ballet. Undoubtedly skillful, very cheap and accessible but ultimately its not really cycling is it?

I accept it has its place but to me, motorsport is about racing. Thats why I posted links to a sport that has a large element of your sport in it, but includes the vital ingredient that I think legitimises any motorsport - racing. You cant race in drifting. The very nature of drifting dictates thast you cant take the corner as fast as it is possible to. I'm not saying drifting is rubbish or not skillful, but tell me how a winner is decided? Its unquantifiable. Im amazed the drivers dont wear open faced helmets so the judges can see their smiles? Everyone knows judges like smiles, ask Torvill and Dean. How long will it be before the way to score extra points is to open the sunroof and do jazz-hands?

To me, lawn mower racing is a more legitimate motorsport than drifting. The clue is in the name.

Disclaimer: some parts of this post are intended as a dleiberate wind-up. Sorry.

Edited by Reardy Mister on Tuesday 7th February 10:06

Edited by Reardy Mister on Tuesday 7th February 10:09

[entropy]

Reardy Mister said:

luke g28 said:

Looks mostly. Although there are those that use huge end plates and claim it gives more stability / rear grip.

Observe, the Sprint Car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQjOnLupKH4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blx96VxWzzQ&fea...

Built specifically to do a whole race sideways.

A proper sport that spotty drifters have been conveniently ignoring for years. Thats proper drifting AND its proper racing. With useful aero, including the endplates you refer to.

Edited by Reardy Mister on Monday 6th February 21:58

You do know that WoW/sprints/midgets race on dirt ovals?

The 4-wheeled equivalent to Speedway so going sideways is the fastest way to go round whereas its normal 'grip' technique for paved ovals.

Drifting is a different kind of 'racing'.

[entropy]

Principles of 'racing' still apply:

Tsuisō - basically you're scored on passing an opponent in drifting conditions; extending or closing the lead in drifting conditions.

[otolith]

Reardy Mister said:

to me, motorsport is about racing

[bicycleshorts]

I don't understand some of these arguments.
1. Figure skating is a sport.
2. Drifting involves a motor.

It's not a motor-race, but it is a motorsport.

With regards to the wings, drifting is still about speed. Hence the sticky tyres, big aero etc.

ETA: Good diagram above.