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The Australian series recently underwent sweeping technical changes with the introduction of the Gen3 platform, however there was significant carryover in terms of the driveline.
That included the retention of the popular stick shift, as well as a continuation of a spool differential that means the rear wheels constantly turn at the same speed.
While the stick shift was a near universally popular decision, the spool is a different story, given it requires unique set-up and driving styles.
And that, according to both Morris and Dane, is a limiting factor for Supercars – and the spool should be ditched in favour of a limited slip differential.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Polarizer podcast, Morris argued that NASCAR taking significant inspiration from Supercars for its latest-generation car, but baulking at the spool, is the smoking gun.
“I think we can learn from what NASCAR has done, get the spool out of the driveline and put a diff in the car,” he said.
“Effectively at the moment we’ve got the Australian Droop Limiting Championship. To make speed in the car you have to limit the droop so you can pick up the inside wheel and make the cars rotate.
“Everyone is fixated about that, it creates a bit of one-line racing when you haven’t got other variables, like different track surfaces in the wet.
“We’ve got the same transmission, basically, as what NASCAR has got and they looked at what we did, and they actually thought about putting a spool in the car. Then they decided to go with a differential that would mimic the way a Detroit locker would work.
“I think that’s what we need to do. Get that into the car as quickly as we can.”
Morris argued that a diff would not only improve the racing, but make it easier for drivers not familiar with a spool to get up to speed in Supercars.
“It allows drivers to come from overseas and opens up your use of different drivers because to exploit the way you drive the car with the spool is a different driving technique,” he said.
Dane was in solid agreement with Morris, his suggestion a diff with adjustable preload that can be changed by crew from outside the car, rather than by drivers on the fly.
That would add jeopardy should drivers make a poor decision about diff settings before a session.
“I’ve been pushing for a diff for years,” he said. “And running in GTs the last six, seven years has made me even more of an advocate for having a limited slip diff in a Supercar.
“It creates the potential for more lines. The worst example I saw last year was the The Bend, which is a nice wide track but it was one-line racing.
“That came straight after we’d seen Shane [van Gisbergen] in Chicago in the [NASCAR] Cup car with the differential and what is a five-speed version of our six-speed transmission.
“You don’t have to make it wide open. You can keep it limited in terms of the ramp angle and the plates that are used.
“I would make it so you could adjust the preload so that drivers have a tool that costs nothing, but creates a variable. Drivers could then dial it into their own preference as to how stable or unstable they could take the car on the entry to a corner and create a point of difference… and the potential for people to tread on their dicks, as well as make the car better.
“Whereas if you’re not careful, you end up with the cars the same all the time and at some tracks you’ll get follow-the-leader racing.
“It should happen. Sooner rather than later.”
For more watch the full episode of Polarizer above or listen via the podcast links below.
