NEWS, August 2009: Hillclimb Mini in the wind tunnel

You wouldn't think that the Alec Issigonis Mini was 50 years old in 2009 going by the strength in numbers still out there competing in a wide range of competition categories, including hillclimbing and sprinting in the UK. And while the 'special saloon' variants from the past may be consigned to the sports libre classes in this sport these days, courtesy of the modified production regulation changes of the early 1990s, the classic Mini is still a strong and popular contender in the up to 1400cc modified limited production saloon car class in hillclimbing and sprinting in the UK.

But when most folk hear the suggestion that some modern aerodynamic thinking could be applied to the Mini the response frequently includes unkind comparisons with house bricks! The implication is that the classic Mini is beyond help, aerodynamically speaking. Well, recently the world's first and foremost racing technology magazine Racecar Engineering magazine allowed me to take a hillclimb Mini into the MIRA wind tunnel for a hectic but very revealing half-day session to provide data and copy for my monthly Aerobytes column in that journal.

The car was provided by father and son team Graham and Neal Masters, who are already highly competitive in their class at Gurston Down hillclimb, where I also work as press officer, and the test was a chance to check out some aerodynamic concepts I had developed with them, with many test parts manufactured by their friends at Carbon Weezel (www.carbonweezel.co.uk). To find out what the results were look out especially for the November, December, January and February issues of Racecar Engineering, published on October 9th, November 13th and December 11th and mid-January respectively. Back issues can be purchased from the publisher if you miss one, and subscriptions can be taken out online at www.racecar-engineering.com.

2009 Champions using SM AeRodynamic Techniques and/or Wingshop wings

Congratulations are due to Dan Wasdahl from Massillon, Ohio, Fred Zust from Tempe, Arizona, and especially Clemens Burger from Noblesville, Indiana on winning their respective classes at the 37th SCCA Solo 2 Nationals in early September 2009 at the Lincoln Air Park, Lincoln, Nebraska, and even that attracted almost 1200 competitors from all over the USA. Clemens gets a special mention for also setting the overall fastest aggregate time of the competition in his B Modified LeGrand Mk 18, while Dan repeated his 2008 success in his BBR Phantom DVS-1 in the A Modified class and Fred did likewise in his Lotus Elise in the X Prepared class.

The above drivers were all using SM-Designs, DJ Racecars manufactured multi-element wing set front and rear, based on our high downforce '203' main element. The development of the wings on the BBR Phantom was featured in Racecar Engineering in August 2007 (V17N8), and was carried out by Simon McBeath using FloWizard CFD software (see right), and the support of software supplier Ansys is gratefully acknowledged.

Why not follow the winners' lead and check out our high downforce wings?

 

 

Clemens Burger on his way to the class win and fastest time overall in the 2009 SCCA Solo 2 Nationals (Photo courtesy: David Cosseboom at gotcone.com

Dan Wasdahl took the A Mod class win for the second year in succession (Photo courtesy: Rupert Berrington Action Photography)

Fred Zust won the X Prepared class in his highly developed Lotus Elise

Wing Shop wings and SM AeRodynamic Techniques selected by BBC TV's 'Top Gear' programme!

For its assault on the Britcar 24 hour at Silverstone in September 2007, the BBC's Top Gear team contacted the Wing Shop to request a rear wing package to go on the BMW 330D for the event. And the splitter and wing concept came about from associate producer Grant Wardrop's researches in Simon McBeath's book, Competition Car Aerodynamics. The wing kit was delivered and fitted in double quick time by DJ Racecars to meet the incredibly tight timescale of the car build, and the splitter was also installed by DJ. Simon McBeath attended the first test prior to the event to ensure wing tuning data was available and that the package was balanced to The Stig's liking (The Stig is the famous yet anonymous racing driver on the Top Gear Team). And DJ personnel were in attendance for the duration of the event. Team Top Gear finished third in class (out of five) and 39th overall out of the 60-odd cars that entered. The story was originally broadcast in an excellent edition of Top Gear on BBC Two in October 2007.

 

The Stig takes the BMW out for its first runs at Silverstone prior to the Britcar 24 Hours on September 8/9, 2007

The ReVerie wing design also comes in a tail gate mount option, as shown on the Exige S2 here. Various Lotus model fitments are available as well as 'universal' motorsport versions.

A dual element design is also available.