team run the smaller, narrower and more sharply shaped front end, SUNFIRE! I mean, the Grand AM is Pontiac's next step up sized car. Chevrolet runs the Cavalier, Mopar runs the Neon,
both the manufacturers smallest cars. I know... Mopar runs the Stratus as well!

I'm gonna shoot this question to NHRA the next time they are on TV and asking for e-mail and see if I get an answer.

Maybe they didn't do so well in the wind tunnel or Pontiac wants to sell more Grands Ams!!??

HInk

 

???

Most of the Prostock cars that were Firebirds are now Grand Am's. Greg Anderson, Mark Pawuk, Warren Johnson. Jim Yates all run Grand Am's. They found that the narrower body is better than the firebirds.

 

SUNFIRES Stephen NOT Firebirds... narrower yet, like Cavaliers and Neons!

HInk

 

I remember reading somewhere why they didn't go with the Sunfires. I think the wheelbase is too short that's why they decided to use Grand Ams.

I'm just saying that they all used to use Firebirds and found the body style of the Grand Am better for racing.

 

Simple answer: Marketing. They make more money selling Grand Am's than they do Sunfire's.

 

i doubt the reason is the wheelbase, since arent the cavalier and sunfire built on the same platform and have the same chassis dimensions? as mentioned, the whole reason Pontiac is in NHRA is to sell cars, and when you look at thier sales, makes a lot more sense to put their $ behind selling grand ams

 

I was sure I saw something about why they didn't use Sunfires.

Here's the story on when they went to Grand Am's

http://www.nhra.com/2002/news/May/052201.html

 

Like I said: Marketing. The article uses that term extensively. The rest of the babble is just hype. And the Ram Air facade is just more hype; the Grand Am didn't have Ram Air available when they first started using that body in Pro Stock. They're just capitalizing on its availability now Certainly nothing wrong with what they're doing IMO. But looking at the big picture it's all just marketing from what I see. I wouldn't be surprised to see WJ driving a GTO in another year or two. And they'll come up with all kinds of reasons why they're switching body styles - other than the real reason: Marketing! Just my $.05 worth (inflation)

 

Actually, I read somewhere that part of it has to do with the distance from the front tires to the front air dam on the nose of the car near the ground. The cars are built very close to the ground. Also, as their speed increases, the rear slicks grow, raising the rear of the car, causing the nose to drop. Most Pro Stockers actually trip the finish line beam with the front air damn instead of the front tires, so if a car has a longer distance from the front tires to the front air damn, it has an advantage and will et quicker. Same reason there were so many Olds Cutlass' a while back.

Any of you ever bracket raced a 3rd gen, let off just before the finish line because you're way out on the other car and ran your quickest et ever? And, broke out of course. LOL. The front air dam breaks the finish line beam when the nose drops. Can be used to your advantage if you feel you're not going to run your dial in and need that extra few hundreths. Ooops, I'm giving my secrets away.

 

...do the same. I have raced twice where I KNOW the other guys tires hit the beams before mine but my air induction (Cooling)
must have hit before his tires. WEIRD and very Difficult to predict.

HInk