By Chris Tropea
Apr 16, 2025
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Grassroots Motorsports,
Aerodynamics
Think you need a big budget and a lot of time to do aero testing on your car? This guy did it with a 3D printer and some home-brew engineering.
If you haven’t already stumbled on the SuperFastMatt YouTube channel, I highly recommend you go and look it up. Matt has been building and racing a land speed car along with other projects like a lifted Dodge Viper and has documented the entire process along the way.
In one of his latest videos, he took to the streets with a model of the land speed car and some electronics to analyze the aero in the real world without actually driving the full car on the flats. It’s stuff that would fit in right here on the Grassroots Motorsports forum.
4/16/25 2:53 p.m.
I have watched a number of episodes and he's very candid about his triumphs and his mistakes. His dry sense of humor and engineering prowess, ideas, and creativity are enough to keep a person watching for a while, at least. I recommend his YouTube channel if you want to be entertained with car building and fabrication.
4/16/25 4:42 p.m.
The only reasonable explanation is he got the idea from me!
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/aerodynamics-presented-nine-lives-racing/hold-my-beer-and-watch-this-or-scientific-airfoil-testing/155795/page1/
4/16/25 4:43 p.m.
Definitely agreed. I think super fast Matt is the best auto content on YouTube right now.
4/17/25 8:27 a.m.
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
Yeah, I have really been enjoying his content, lots of great information presented in an entertaining way.
4/17/25 9:05 a.m.
he built an offroad viper... 'nuff said
4/17/25 10:03 a.m.
I did watch this video when it landed and I am glad he admitted he is shooting from the hip on some things and making lots of assumptions. His process for determining aero stability (yaw moment) is basically correct. His actual method is lacking in some pretty basic aero fundamentals, but what he did will keep the car from being completely unstable when he gets it out for runs.
I made the same sorts of mistakes/assumptions when I built my first wind tunnel (40 years ago). I am a little spoiled with the equipment and test facilities I get to use now.
Robbie, your wing testing was more realistic due to scale and the final application of the wing assembly.
4/17/25 11:11 a.m.
I really think his platform is too small and too low causing lots of turbulent air for his testing. A better rig would be to mount it on a pole high up from the car so it can see clean air. A rolling road would make it more accurate as well. Could even power it from the airflow.
He should also have telltales all over his model and the plywood base to give him an idea of what's happening.
And a better location for this test would be an empty county road. I could see a cop pulling him over for driving with this in traffic. Plus the insurance claim if something came loose.
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