Cold air intake?

I've mulled over the idea of fabbing an air intake that I'd run through the factory battery location and draw air from the front bumper area. I've seen some guys run the intakes with dryer-like hose. Has anyone had personal experience with the performance benefits to such a thing? When it's hot and I'm going from the return road back to the staging lanes in the late rounds I think this would help keep the car consistent compared to drawing hot under hood air. I like my cowl hood, but honestly I doubt it does much for air intake. From a few guys I've talked to it really leans the car out at the top end if your forcing the air in more at higher speeds. How could you tune for this to keep the from being too rich at the slow end of the track?