Aerodynamic blocking: Why NASCAR’s need for speed in the late ’90s triggered drivers’ biggest headache. Is more power the solution?

Denny Hamlin’s recent victory at Dover Motor Speedway is once again surrounded by controversy. A few weeks ago in Richmond, Hamlin was accused of jumping restart charges. Next up is his effective use of aero blocking to steal leads from competitor Kyle Larson. Although Larson and Kyle Busch called this aerodynamic tactic a new trend, Denny Hamlin said it has been around for ages in NASCAR.

And the 54-time Cup winner is right. Like today, veteran drivers from NASCAR’s golden era have also raised questions about it. Aero locking has evolved over the years, adapting to changes in downforce and lower power. And this last point could be the solution to the drivers’ dilemma.

Late 90s NASCAR had already dissected the problem

The basic principle of aerodynamic blocking is dirty air. This turbulent air follows a racing car and gives it less downforce and less grip. This situation makes it difficult to follow this car, especially on high-speed circuits. When a team leader says: “Take their air away”, they ask the lead car to manipulate the dirty air and prevent the trail car from approaching. This is exactly what Denis Hamlin made to annoy Kyle Larson.

Even though reduced horsepower has made aero locking more prevalent in the Next-Gen era, Larson’s “new” claims are false. In a recently released 2002 interview with several big names in NASCAR, we see the problem slowly spreading throughout motorsports. The host explained that NASCAR was aiming for faster speeds, more downforce and sleeker body styles in this “aero-thrust” adventure. However, veterans have mostly disapproved of this trend.

1989 Cup Champion Rusty Wallace the pose : “When you get behind a car, all of a sudden you go around the corner and the front starts to slide on you.” Jimmie Johnson also highlighted the difficulty of passing: “Yeah, I mean, you can be half a second faster than someone and catch them and run two or three cars in and you’re stuck.”

Then, John Andretti stressed that pit strategy was crucial to solving the problem. “Last pit stop, the most important of the day. You can spoil everyone else. But if you get that last point right, you get track position, you get in front.

Three-time winner of the Daytona 500 Dale Jarrett also highlighted the difficulty of regaining first place. “If you are caught 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th, you may have been leading the race all day. You might consider your chances pretty slim…something big has to happen for you to return to the front lines.

Now, in NASCAR’s Next Gen car, the problem has become more pronounced. Going from 1,000 hp to 670 hp, cars can’t just use mechanical means like horsepower to move forward. Instead, they rely on aerodynamics and downforce. So, consistent with popular debate, more power could be the key to helping the passage.

The 2002 interview also produced responses in favor of aerodynamic blocking, although these are no longer valid today.

Fans liked it at the time

The aerodynamic blocking can only make the leading car happy. She has something to defend against a faster car, like Denny Hamlin did against Kyle Larson. As it becomes more difficult to overtake, the battle becomes longer, as the faster car’s tactics don’t work. Then this experience turns sour for the fans. Despite their support for the fastest car, their cheers turn to ashes as aerodynamics do not allow their idol to win.

But since in 2002 higher powers were still used, faster cars could still get ahead even in a more difficult situation. As Jeff Burton said: “In a way it made the race better, it made things more complicated, it made things more painful for the competitors. But if you’re watching on TV, it doesn’t matter!

Kevin Harvick also joked about the fan experience: “If you look at it, that’s the only positive thing you can get out of aerodynamic thrust.”

But today, with less power, racing has also become boring for fans. Hopefully, NASCAR will spring into action to remedy the aerodynamic lockup situation.

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