Page 1 - Combined_103_OCR

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X
DATE
I June 27, 1965
TO - NAME DEPT. PLANT/OFFICE
H. P. Bruns 7590 Engineering Highland Park
FROM - NAME DEPT. SION PLANT/OFFICE
G. M. Wallace 8940 Engineering Highland Park
I

SUBJECT;
RESULTS OF FINAL DAYTONA TEST
OF 1968-1/2 RACE CARS

Results

As a result of the testing of the second 1968-1/2 Charger race
car at the Daytona International Speedway between June 21 and 23,
1968, the previously reported handling problems of the Charger race
car seem to be solved with the use of the proper front spoiler.
With the car handling properly the expected higher lap speeds were
obtained, with one lap of 186.3 mph being run. The 1968-1/2 Plymouth
race car was also tested, mainly to develop the proper suspension
package to reduce wheel travel, and it continues to run in the same
speed range as before.

Discussion

The main objective of this test was to continue the testing of
the 1968-1/2 Charger race car in an attempt to solve the handling
problems found in the previous Charger test, and to find the true
speed potential of the car. The vehicle used for this test was the
second 1968-1/2 Charger race car to be built, the Ray Fox car for
Buddy Baker to drive. As originally built, the car had the same
front spoiler as the previous Charger, and Baker said that the car
did not handle well, that it felt exactly like Car 046 (the original
1968 Charger test car) did for the February race. Car 046 had a
similar shaped front spoiler for the race. The best lap speed
obtained with this spoiler was 182.2 mph. Changing to the Proving
Ground recommended spoiler made the car handle very well and in­
creased the lap speed to 184.1 mph. This 1.8 mph increase in lap
speed was not due to a reduction in drag, but was due to the better
handling of the car that let the driver run a more optimum line
through the turns, so that less speed was lost there.

It should be pointed out that the speeds in this test cannot
be compared directly to the speeds obtained in the previous tests,
since this car was running on the Firestone tires that will be used
for the July 4 race, while the other tests were run on the Goodyear
tires used in the February race. The Firestone July 4 tire is faster
than the Firestone February tire, and probably at least a little
faster than the Goodyear February tire. The Goodyear July 4 tire
is believed to be about 1.5 mph faster than the Goodyear February
tire. Unfortunately there is no good data available comparing the
Goodyear and Firestone tires.

*»• "O-737J
*EV. t-63