Brake Cooling Ducts

In high performance cars, small brake cooling ducts are built into the body work near the front and/or rear wheels. On the air dam, the duct is a small opening. Behind the opening, a small tube runs to the backing plate. This allows cool air to be directed onto the brakes, increasing braking potential and reducing brake fade. Brakes tend to "fade" (lose their effectiveness) if they get hot. Lots of cars have very small sheet metal projections on the backing plate that serve as an air scoop for the front disc brakes.