Is there an advantage to dumping the wastegate to the atmosphere instead of the down pipe? if so why?

 

No advantage to doing it....You'll end up in jail first time around the block due to sound levels.

Tom

 

if you search around the vast reaches of the internet you will find places "claiming" that plumbing it back to exhaust will lose you some HP on high hp applications. i had this same question and just googled it. no idea if this is a myth or not. also venting to atmosphere is loud as hell like mr. tom stated.