2001-2002 Crawford SSC2K

Images courtesy and copyright Photos @ Vector Trust, John Brooks, and Derek Meluzio
Text copyright Michael J. Fuller

Throughout the SSC2K's short career, it has evolved through no less than four separate front end designs.  Some minor, some more extensive.  At the traditional January Daytona Test Session in 2001, the Crawford showed up in its initially designed bodywork.  That consisted of a blunt nose with exposed splitter area as well as very wide open front wheel arch exits leading to side mounted cooler intakes.
By the 2001 Daytona race, the SSC2K appeared with revised front body work.  The main difference was that the newly shaped nose was lengthened and brought the body work forward closer to the splitter leading edge.  The side intakes for the radiator were now less visible in that the bodywork was brought forward in this area as well.  It was reported to be worth some 12 mph on the straights at Daytona.

In retrospect the Crawford suffered from issues similar to the original Reynard 2KQ regarding how the blunt nosed high downforce body work disrupted the airflow down the sides of the car.  Subsequently, the flawed body work was never seen again.

At the Phoenix round the car had been revised further.  The bodywork between the fenders had been lowered and the radiator intakes had been relocated from the side to between the fender and the tub in the top surface of the sidepod.  Additional modifications to the gearbox oiling reduced mechanical drag issues previously experienced.
The ultimate revision appeared in 2002 at the Daytona 24.  Major changes to the cooling and airflow management in addition to the replacement of the troubling Gemini built transmission with an X-Trac unit.  The culmination of their efforts with the SSC2K came at the '02 Grand-Am event at the Virginia International Raceway when the Crawford came home first fighting off strong opposition from, ironically,  Kevin Doran's Dallara LMP.

©Copyright 2002, Michael J. Fuller