NASCAR Redesigned Its Cars To Keep Them From Flipping At Daytona — Here’s How The A-Post Flap Works
Ever since the seventh generation NASCAR Cup Series car launched in 2022, NASCAR has been trying to keep it from launching off the ground on its superspeedway tracks. The new design, which features a flat bottom, is prone to catch air when it gets sideways.
Josh Berry and Ryan Preece have both had dramatic airborne crashes on the Daytona oval, which has led NASCAR to add features like roof rail extensions, a rocker panel skirt and a piece of fabric with in the roof flap that are all designed to deflect the air and reduce lift.
The latest edition is an A-post flap that is built into the right side front roof pillar. It’s held closed by magnets and a pin, but opens up as the car spins counterclockwise.
Dr. Eric Jacuzzi, NASCAR VP of vehicle performance, said the team at the R&D center has been working on the design for more than a year, going through several iterations that either reduced driver visibility or just looked bad on the car.
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The flap is unlocked if the right side roof flap opens and needs to be snapped back into place in the pits, if it works and keeps the car from being wrecked.
Jacuzzi said it is effective between 60 and 110 degrees of yaw to the direction of travel and increases the take-off speed required to lift the car by more than 25%.
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It will face its first test during the Coke Zero Sugar 400 regular season finale on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET as 20 full-time Cup Series drivers look to secure one of the final two spots in the playoffs.
They are currently occupied by Tyler Reddick and Alex Bowman, with the 14 drivers ahead of them having won at least one race already to lock themselves into the postseason. If there is a new winner that isn’t one of them, they will likely bump Bowman, unless he is able to close the 29 point gap by which he currently trails Reddick.