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Image if you will, a year, perhaps in the not too distant future. A year without complaint, no disconcert, every NASCAR owner racing in harmony with the rules, accountable for their own. Welcome to the twilight zone.
Could we make it through a season without Jack Roush complaining about the advantage everyone has over his Fords? We don't know. Jack Roush won't let us.
Maybe if all forty three cars on the track were Fords we could have that year.
Statistics from wind tunnel testing didn't support Ford and the numbers they were searching for. After the Atlanta Race, tested were Bobby Labonte's Pontiac, Gordon's Chevrolet, Marlins Dodge and Jarrett's Ford. According to a NASCAR resource as reported by the Winston Salem Journal, the numbers proved insignificant in the differences of the downforce testing. The Pontiac generated four more pounds of total downforce than the Ford with the nose taped up as if for qualifying at three degrees yaw, conditions similar to entering a corner. The Ford on the other hand generated nine more pounds of downforce than the Chevrolet and fifteen more than the Dodge. The greater the downforce the better the car handles in the corner.
In more of a "real race condition" test, with the front end lowered, Jarrett's Ford had a nine pound advantage over Gordon's Chevrolet, fifteen over Marlin's Dodge and nineteen over Labonte's Pontiac. In drag comparison Gordon's Chevrolet had an eight aero-horsepower advantage over Jarrett's Ford to reach a speed of 200 mph. Which means it took Gordon's Chevy eight horsepower less to reach 200 mph. Ford had a three aero-horsepower advantage over Marlin's Dodge and fifteen aero-horsepower over the Pontiacs.
Using these stats NASCAR greased the squeaky wheel and gave Roush his wish. Come on Jack the Pontiacs aren't complaining, the Dodges aren't whining, they are too busy racing.
The rules change of cutting two inches of width from the rear spoiler of the Fords from 59" to 57" inches is to take effect at Talladega. The finishing order of the Daytona 500 had four Fords in the top ten, three Dodges and three Chevrolets. That has a ring of parity, doesn't it? Yet in similar racing conditions NASCAR has seen its way to give Ford a decrease in drag. The Dodges are going to get increased drag by raising their deflector height (the deflector is run across the top of the car) at the edges by 1 and 3/8" to form a straight line across the top of the length of the deflector.
These changes aren't going to stop engine troubles, pit mistakes or stop you from being in the wrong place at the wrong time Jack, you'll have to care of that yourself. Roush hasn't been the lone ranger in the complaint departments window; Dale Jarrett has been vocal this year about Fords lack of competitiveness too. Even after taking the points lead with a victory at Darlington.
NASCAR initially reacted by declaring there would be no rules changes then flip-flopped and announced the rules changes for Talladega.
James Ince ,crew chief for Johnny Benson's Valvoline Pontiac was "disappointed " as he questioned Ford's need for help. "It's going to help the Ford out a lot on the super speedways. I'm not sure why NASCAR did what it did". "Pontiac hasn't won a race this year. The Fords have whined and it's paying off ". "This will surely help the Ford and hurt the Dodge".
Now can we quit the whining and get back to racing? Can we Jack?