OK, So you big race guys know what the terms mean that racers spew from the mouth..We hear it all day long..I actually talk the jargon all day long too.. But the average person can learn the meaning of what we say..Read and memorize the racers dictionary below for your intellectual pleasure..To start it all off I will use a well known racer's phrase..... "Boggidy, Boggidy, Boggidy". which means the green flagged is waving, put your right foot to the floor....
AERODYNAMICS - The study of airflow and the forces of resistance and pressure that result from the air movement over, under and around a moving car.
APRON - The flat portion of a race track that separates the track from the infield.
BANKING - Measured from the apron to the height of a track's slope at its outside edge usually on the corners.
BASAL SKULL FRACTURE- The breaking of the neck at the base of the skull where the head rests upon the neck above the shoulders.
BINDERS - Brakes.
BITE - Adhesion of a tire to the track surface. To stick to the track
BLOWN - Motor has exploded. Does not run...Dead
CASTER and CAMBER - Terms related to front-end wheel alignment. Castor and camber are the forward to rear and side to side alignment of the tires, which determine how much tire is planted onto the track. This is a major factor in handling.
CATCH CAN - The small pitcher-like "can" a pitman holds behind the car when the fuel man is refueling the car. The purpose is to catch fuel that over flows from the fuel cell. A safety factor.
COMPOUND - The composition of rubber in the tires. Different tracks require different tire compounds.
CREW CHIEF - Team leader. Chief mechanic and is the boss of the crew. Usually oversees car's setup and teams operation.
"DIRTYING" - referring to the air around the car or the car itself. To "dirty" the air is to mess up the aerodynamics to create a slower speed. Extra spoilers above the windshield, higher angles on rear spoilers all help to "dirty" the air so the car wont cut through the air as well as a clean line.
DOWN FORCE - Is the exerted force of air pushing down on
a race car causing better grip to the tires. Adds weight to given points
on the car.
DRAFTING - Practice of two, or more, cars, while racing, to run nose to tail, almost touching. The lead car displaces air in front of it, creates a vacuum between its rear end and the following car's nose. The second car is actually pulled by the first.
DRIVER - The driver is the guy behind the wheel during the race.
EQUALIZE - Cars in super speedway races are required to run tires with both inner tubes and inner liners, which are actually small tires inside the standard tires. When the inner liner loses air pressure and that pressure becomes the same as that within the outer tire, the tire is said to have equalized and a vibration is created.
"FACTORY" - A term designating the "Big Three" auto manufacturers, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. The "factory days" refer to periods in the 1950s and '60s when the manufacturers were starting in the involvement in auto racing instead of drag racing.
FIRESUIT - The suit in which a driver wears made of composite fire retardant material.
FLAG MAN - The person who waves the main flags above the start/finish line.
GARAGE - Area of race track where cars are housed during an event; work area for car preparation while at a speedway.
FUEL CELL - Race car gas tank. Consists of a metal "box" that contains a flexible tear-resistant bladder and foam baffling. From aerospace technology, it's designed to eliminate or minimize fuel spillage and the possibility of fire in a crash.
GLOVES - Racers wear fire-retardant gloves that also help them grip the wheel, preventing steering slips and protecting them from fire in an accident.
GROOVE - The best route around a speedway; the most efficient or quickest way around the speedway for a particular driver. The "high groove" takes a car closer to the outside wall for most of a lap.
HANS or HUTCHINS device- A piece of equipment that straps over the drivers shoulder and securely attaches the helmet to anchors to reduce the risk of basal skull fractures in direct hits on the wall. This devise has proven itself in saving many lives in Nascar, formula one, and cart.
HEAD SOCK - Like a ski mask but of composition material that is fire proof, fits snugly around a drivers face, head and neck to meet up with the underwear of his suit.
HEAD STRAP - A short strap attached to the rollcage behind the driver usually to the Left side, to keep the drivers neck from fatigue and the head from uncontrollable movements when involved in a crash.
HELMET - The hard poly composition head gear worn to protect the driver from severe impacts.
HOOKED UP - When is a car is properly set up and handles at 100%.
LOOSE - A handling condition describing the tendency of a car's rear wheels to break away from the pavement, causing it's rear end to want to "come around" and cause the car to spin out. Also called "oversteer".
MAGNA FLUX - Short for "magnetic particle inspection". A procedure for checking all steel parts -including suspension pieces, connecting rods, cylinder heads, etc. - for cracks and other defects utilizing a solution of metal particles and fluorescent dye and a black light. Surface cracks will appear as red lines.
PACE CAR - The vehicle that leads the field of cars at the beginning of the race slowly around the track for a couple of laps, and during cautions, leads the field until the flag man signals the race is about to begin again.
PITS - An inside area of a race track, parallel to the track, where a car stops for servicing.
PIT CREW - The crew immediately associated with the car at the track. This may not be the same crew that works on the car in the shop at home.
PUSHING - Handling aspect of a car when its front end wants to "push" or "plow" toward the outside wall in a corner. Also called "understeer".
ROOKIE - A first year driver who is full time competition. Rookies may not have started more than 5 races the previous season or will not be considered Rookie for the season.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - The top ranking rookie among the new drivers.
ROUND(S) - The term used for the turns of the screws that adjust the weight of the car and affect the handling.
SCUFF - A tire that has been used at least once and is saved for future racing.
SHORT TRACK - A speedway under a mile in distance.
"SOFT" WALLS TECHNOLOGY- A technology of material designed to absorb the impact of a car that crashes into the wall. So far no material has proven satisfactory for NASCAR racing.
SPOILER - A metal or lexan strip that helps control airflow, downforce and drag. The front spoiler or "air dam" is underneath the car's front end near the axle; the rear spoiler is attached to the trunk lid.
SPONSOR - An individual or business establishment that financially supports a race driver, team, race or series of races in return for advertising and marketing benefits.
STAGGER - The difference in size between the tires on the left and right sides of a car. Because of a tire's makeup, slight variations in circumference result per different sizes or styles. Stagger is the variance between right-side and left-side tires. Stagger assists in steering in some divisions of racing. The higher circumference is on the outside to help "turn" the car to the left naturally.
"STICKER" - A new tire mounted on a new rim. The tire has not been scuffed, warmed or treated. It would be the same as when you get your new tires from a tire store.
SUPERSPEEDWAY - A speedway one mile or more in distance. Road courses are included. NOTE: Racers refer to three types of oval tracks. Short tracks are under a mile, "intermediate" tracks are at least a mile but under two miles and "superspeedways" are two miles and longer.
TEAR AWAY- A piece of plastic that "tears away" from the windshield or off a drivers face shield of his helmet, in order to "clean" the glass for his viewing the track and race conditions.
TIGHT- Handling condition where a car has developed a "push" and feels like it doesn't want to turn. This is also known as understeer.
WEIGHT SHIFTING - Weight shifting affects the handling of the car. A car works like an X and an H using the ends of the letters as the tires, the weight can transfer to the explained axis. Turning the jacking bolts in one direction or another (putting on or taking off a "round" as its called) determines where the weight of the car will shift or move. The combination of shocks, suspension and alignment all determine the handling of the car. Each wheel is affected by the weight shifting when adjusting the rounds... more weight on the right rear takes weight off the left front and causes a better bite on the rear end. As the car goes around the track, the weight shifts in the H fashion due to direction and speed. You turn the jacking bolt clockwise and screw it down to add weight. Counter clockwise to take weight off the tire. You can not shift your weight from the left side to the right side by turning your jacking bolts, the only way to move weight to the right is to physically move something past the centerline of the car to the right side.
I hope this helped you out. If anyone can think of something I left out please email me I will be glad to add it.
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