New Vs Old

A This morning I was looking over Hoseheads Live featuring shots from Monday's Chili Bowl practice, when I noticed Sammy Swindell's car. It's a Spike Chassis with an Esslinger cookie cutter combination that's so prevalent these days.

I find nothing wrong with that. However I gotta ask why did they replace the traditional tail - the one holdover from when sprints and midgets were beautiful - with a...box?

On the other side of the coin is Cody Brewer's Chili Bowl special edition midget. Brewer isn't the first driver to run a retro car, but he has nailed the look about as well as anyone, complete with an Offy-influenced custom header.



I know, I'm trying to live in a past that I wasn't even around for, but there's no denying the beauty of a mid-60's open wheel race car.





Technical Note

In a related technical note, my buddy Matt Stelzer sent me his synopsis on Sammy's tail tank.

"I think the reason they did this is so that when a driver behind Sammy is trying to pass him on the bottom or top, and can't get around, the other driver will try to move him out of his way by trying to spin Sammy out. With a flat tank, its a lot harder to get some leverage on the flat bumper compared to a regular bumper to spin someone out. Personally I love the idea, and I'm surprised it took someone this long, especially at the Chili Bowl to try it out.

I'm also assuming the fuel tank is a huge black box fuel cell, with a carbon fiber or metal box around it. I really can't tell by the picture but they might need to un-zeus the top to pour fuel into it.

In mini-sprints the track (especially in the old days) was only on the bottom. People would move or "root" people out of the way if they couldn't get around them. That's why I have a flat bumper on my old mini-sprint."

It's good to have friends who are technically knowledgeable! Nicely done Matt!