Bed Cover Truck Classes

[Dodge Brother]

Just throwing this out there to see what the consensus is, The pickup classes allow a tonneau cover over the bed but there is a comment in the rules that it must be below the height of the bed rails, and must not provide an aero advantage. My thought is to louver up my sheet metal bed cover to allow heat to escape (bed mounted turbo/down pipe) but would the louvers even though below the bed rail height be considered to add an aero advantage similar to vortex generators by breaking up the air passing over the bed cover?

Cheers Trevor

[MRK]

If you're running in the MP or MMP, you run under Gas Coupe rules. Air vents are not allowed.
Check definition 4.C.

[Dodge Brother]

Thanks for the reply. I guess that's why it pays to read the rule book and read it again, and probably read it one more time.
I hadn't been looking at the louvers as an depressurization device, louvers on a typical hood definitely, but if removing tailights qualifies as a depressurization device/air vent it's hard to argue that the louvers in this case wouldn't be.
Interesting, one could run with a partial bed cover to allow heat to escape but not a full cover with holes or louvers?

[MRK]

Yes, reading the rule book helps. It is a great tool of reference!
Since bed covers are not clearly defined, have you thought about a full length cover that is not full width? Maybe leave a 2 or 3 inch gap running the full length. There might an aero advantage to the half cover you mention as I've seen them run on a few trucks. Maybe consider building a multiple panel version and experiment.
That's why it's called the Great White Dyno man! You gotta get all Smokey Yunick with this shit!

[Tman]

On the 416 truck we started with a full 3 piece cover. We actually GAINED MPH when we removed the front third