99 Car Oil Tank Lid

[ms0362]

Not sure of the penalty against the 99 car after Las Vegas for having the oil tank lid off or loose. I'd heard rumors about this in Daytona on three other cars. Has anyone heard any commentary or articles stating what type of competitive advantage this could actually do?

[tstran17_88]

I would think the competitive advantage would go to the other drivers that don't slide through the oil left on the track (meaning it's more of a safety concern).

[Lee Roy]

I read on another forum that not having the oil tank lid loose releases the air pressure built up on the underside of the car. Helps the car to stick a bit more.

Apparently, the lid is not the lid on the oil tank itself, but on the "box". Don't know all the details, but it sounds like it was something to enhance the performance.

Maybe someone here knows more details.

[Hoss Ghoul]

I read on another forum that not having the oil tank lid loose releases the air pressure built up on the underside of the car. Helps the car to stick a bit more.

Apparently, the lid is not the lid on the oil tank itself, but on the "box". Don't know all the details, but it sounds like it was something to enhance the performance.

Maybe someone here knows more details.

I've read the same. It is a performance advantage.

Several Nationwide teams were penalized for this at Daytona(including RWR, who's penalty was overturned yesterday). 25 point fine for those teams, I would expect at least that, but perhaps 50 since this is a COT violation.

[cgs]

has a penalty been issued yet? i can't find news of it if it has.

[muggle not]

I read on another forum that not having the oil tank lid loose releases the air pressure built up on the underside of the car. Helps the car to stick a bit more.

Apparently, the lid is not the lid on the oil tank itself, but on the "box". Don't know all the details, but it sounds like it was something to enhance the performance.

Maybe someone here knows more details.
That is also my understanding. It removes air from under the car and creates a situation, better downforce, where they can go faster. The teams push for every little advantage.

[Jonesi]

has a penalty been issued yet? i can't find news of it if it has.

Probably this afternoon or tomorrow at the latest. (They usually have the info on the Tuesday NascarNow, which will be on in a couple of minutes.)

[Racin' Rob]

It is a major penalty and with what Nascar has been handing out lately I wouldn't be surprised if its 100K and 100pts.

[colinspooky]

yep - changes the air pressure under the car. Like the old Ground Effect F1 cars from the 80s I think - with the vertically sliding skirts.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/2001_Goodwood_Festival_of_Speed_Brabham_BT46B_Fan_ car.jpg/800px-2001_Goodwood_Festival_of_Speed_Brabham_BT46B_Fan_ car.jpg (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/2001_Goodwood_Festival_of_Speed_Brabham_BT46B_Fan_ car.jpg)

[Jonesi]

Just posted on Jayski penalty $100k/6 week suspension/100 driver & owner points, and no 10 point bump in the chase for the win (assuming he makes chase).

[muggle not]

http://www.scenedaily.com/news/articles/sprintcupseries/NASCAR_hands_Edwards_hefty_penalties.html (http://www.scenedaily.com/news/articles/sprintcupseries/NASCAR_hands_Edwards_hefty_penalties.html)

NASCAR hands Edwards hefty penalties

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

NASCAR has penalized Roush Fenway Racing's Carl Edwards 100 driver points and levied other sanctions as a result of rule infractions found last Sunday after he won the UAW-Dodge 400 Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
NASCAR has also taken away the 10-point bonus Edwards would receive for the win if he makes this season's Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup. Edwards was the Sprint Cup points leader but now drops to seventh in the standings.
The team was found in violation of the rules because the car's oil tank cover was not attached.
As a result, Edwards and car owner Jack Roush have been penalized 100 championship driver and 100 championship owner points, respectively. In the event the team qualifies for the Chase, it will not receive the 10 bonus points used for determining the Chase seeding order. Crew chief Bob Osborne has been fined $100,000, suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, suspended from NASCAR until April 30 and placed on probation until Dec. 31.
NASCAR has had a series of penalties for car of tomorrow infractions, each of which cost the driver 100 points and led to a suspension of the crew chief.

[tstran17_88]

NASCAR has also taken away the 10-point bonus Edwards would receive for the win if he makes this season's Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup.Now that's a new one.

[tstran17_88]

Chief engineer Chris Andrews will fill in for Osborne on Friday and Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway and general manager Robbie Reiser will join Andrews on the pit box Sunday.Well, at least Robbie will be back on the pit box, where he wants to be.

[harvick#1]

wooooohoooooo Harvick now 4th in points :D :bounce: :laugh:

[tstran17_88]

wooooohoooooo Harvick now 4th in points :D :bounce: :laugh:
:rolleyes: :p

[blown50stang]

my moneys on edwards at Atlanta , hope he will rebound from this cos he dont need any advantages to win .Nascar a little harsh as it seems more of a safety issue than an advantadge.

[Lee Roy]

It was a performance issue. We'll see how well he runs at Atlanta.

from jayski:


Toyota's GM says #99 knew what it was doing with lid: Lee White, GM for Toyota Racing Development, said Carl Edwards' team knowingly caused a lid to come loose on an oil tank in his Ford because it increased the car's speed during Sunday's victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Edwards was penalized 100 points by NASCAR for the missing cover. Roush Fenway Racing has denied the infraction was intentional, saying a bolt broke because of a vibration. The team said it wasn't certain it achieved a gain in performance. White said the manufacturer's testing at wind tunnels in Germany revealed removing the cover on the oil tank (located in a steel box behind the driver's seat) resulted in 170 extra pounds of downforce, the aerodynamic measurement of keeping a car glued to the track. White also said video of a pit stop showed a member of Edwards' pit crew pulling on a right rear fender to open a 3-inch gap to an inner panel. Toyota testing showed that would create about 70 pounds of downforce, White said. NASCAR said the only issue with the car during inspection was the lid.(more at USA Today)(3-7-2008)

[nigelred5]

The oil box is merely an enclosure on the floor of the that the actual oil tank is inside of. It is open to the underside of the car and separates the tank from the interior of the car. Removing the lid or venting the lid decreases the pressure beneath the car, and thus the ratio of downforce to lift is alteres in favor of downforce. Opening the wheel wells does essentially the same. It allows the air accumulating under and inside of the car to vent. Last year I believe it was Ganassi, that was caught using hollowed out bolts to mount the rear spoiler. The hollow bolts did much the same thing, allowing the air that builds up inside of the car to ventilate.