Technical Torque tubes in racing (US and Euro) why?

Why did they stick with torque tubes in racing (up to modern sprint cars) long after open drive came out?
I'm told it's just a safety thing, but that seems too simple.
Thanks!

 

I'm wondering if it might have something to do with traction. Every old torque tube Chevrolet I ever owned behaved like a limited slip differential when I spun the tires.

 

Lighter, simpler suspension etc. The clue is in the name. Final drive torque is not reacted through the suspension arms and frame.

Torque tubes are still used to this day in various forms or anothet in high performance road cars.

 

I never liked the idea of an open spinning shaft between my legs. However, there was a time when the hot thing was getting rid of the torque tube and using an axle from an Indy car as the drive shaft. The first time a u-joint failed they gave up on that idea.

 

I’ve seen 50s euro racers using aluminum TTs and modern sprinters doing the same but is that really lighter than open drive?
Obviously, 1 u joint is more efficient than 2…. So I could see that as a possible reason…
With a lot of these setups, they have a slip joint at the front like GM and sprints…. Does that defeat some of the torque transfer benefit?

 

I believe it is because of the rear suspension set up.

Modern Midget, Sprints, Sliver Crown and until five or ten years ago North East Dirt Modifeds all ran torsion bars, they run/ran two outer adjustable bars and a torque tube.

Now the North East Mod have gone coil overs, 4 Link, left side panard bar and open drive shaft.

 

Torque tubes work well on Sprint Cars, and chassis set ups have developed
around this combination. The parts evolved from OEM applications, probably Ford.

To use an open drive on a sprint car, would require adding drive shaft loops, and a torque arm.
Weight is a huge issue in these cars. Open drives have been tried, a few people got broken ankles as a result.
Currently prohibited under the sprint car rules.
Open drives work well, on DIRT Modifieds, but they weight at least twice as much.

 

A Torque Arm, like on DIRT Modifieds, would create the same reaction.
But would weigh more.

 

"Ohio" George Montgomery used a torque tube to win a lot of A/GS nationals titles against some of the biggest names in the sport. He seemed to get off the line better than others. I personally think that it acted like a traction bar.

 

I was away racing in Oregon when Dave Bradway Jr lost his life in a torque arm equipped sprinter during Dirt Cup @ Skagit. I believe not long after, torque arms were outlawed.

Grant