Glossary
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Apex
The point in a turn where the car is turning most sharply. The apex is usally the slowest part of the turn; the car slows down into the apex and then accelerates out of it.
Apron
The paved portion of the track between the race surface and the infield.
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Banking
The measurement of incline in a track's turns and straightaways. Banking is generally described in degrees, measured from the inside of the track to the outside.
Bite
The tendency for a tire to adhere to the track surface. “Round of Bite” denotes the adjustment of a car’s jacking screws located at each wheel.
Bodywork
The visible, painted surfaces that cover the car.
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CART
Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) is the sanctioning body of the FedEx Championship Series.
Chasis
The steel frame of the car.
Chute
A course straightaway on an oval or road course track.
Crew Chief
Leader of the race team who is responsible for deciding which changes to make to the race car throughout race weekend and what race strategies to use on race day.
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DNF
Acronym for “did not finish.”
DNQ
Acronym for “did not qualify.”
Drafting
The vacuum left in the trail of any fast-moving car which can often “pull” following cars forward. Drafting enables a trailing driver to increase speed and save fuel.
Dyno
An abbreviation of “dynamometer,” the device used to measure horsepower and to test an engine’s overall performance.
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Equalize
On super speedways and other selected race tracks, cars are required to use tires with inner tubes and inner liners. A tire “equalizes” when the inner liner loses pressure and equals that of the outer course.
“Esses”
A sequence of sharp right-and left-hand turns on a road course.
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Fabricator
The team member assigned to construct body parts including door panels and dashboards. Also called “body fabricator.”
Flat-Out
Driving a race car as fast as possible under particular circumstances.
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Going Behind The Wall
A car is too damaged to be fixed on pit row, so it must go into the garage to be fixed.
The Groove
The fastest portion of the racing surface. A “high groove” is closer to the track’s outside wall; a “low groove“ is closer to the track’s apron.
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Handling
The performance of a car while racing. The response characteristics of a race car or “how it handles.”
Happy Hour
In NASCAR, the final hour of practice before an event, held the day before the race.
Horsepower
A unit to measure the strength of any machine. One horsepower equals 33,000 foot-pounds per minute or the force needed to lift 33,000 pounds at one foot per minute.
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Loose
A car is termed “loose” when a driver goes through a turn and the rear of his car starts to fishtail. The rear tires aren’t sticking well to the track providing enough traction.
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NASCAR
National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body of the Winston Cup Series of Stock Car Racing.
Nomex®
The fireproof material that is used in the suits worn by drivers, team members and officials.
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Pit Stop
A point during the race when a car leaves the track, enters the pit lane and comes to a stop at the team’s designated location for refueling and/or making adjustments to the car.
Pole Position
A car’s starting position, located on the inside of the front row, which is earned by having the fastest qualifying time. After qualifying, race cars are lined up from the pole in order of qualifying times. The cars that qualify with faster lap times earn better starting positions for each race.
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Rounds of Wedge
In NASCAR, putting rounds of wedge into the car means adjusting the handling by changing the pressure of the rear springs.
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Scuff
A tire used at least once and reserved for further use. One or two laps is enough to “scuff’ a tire.
Splash-and-Go
A very short pit stop in which a small amount of fuel is added to the car. Often near the end of a race, when a team calculates that they will be just short of having enough fuel to finish the race.
Slick
A track condition in which a car’s tires have difficulty adhering to or getting a good “bite” on the race surface.
Slingshot
When a car following the leader maneuvers quickly to the left of the leader and suddenly breaks the vacuum. A “slingshot” gives a car an added burst of speed that allows it to overtake the leader.
Spotter
A team member located somewhere on the race track on a high, elevated vantage point and who, by radio, can communicate with the driver and crew chief regarding the conditions and situations on the race track. The spotter can also assist the driver when he is driving in a tight situation.
Super Speedway
An oval track that is two and a half or more miles long.
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Tight
When the front tires don’t turn well through the turn because the front tires are losing traction before the rear tires are. When a car is tight, it also means it’s “pushing.”
Tri-oval
Any race track with a fifth turn or “hump” in addition to the typical four corners. A tri-oval differs from a triangle-shaped track which has three distinct corners.
Turbulence
Pockets of swirling air left behind a fast-moving vehicle. Turbulence caused by a leading car can create difficult handling conditions for cars following.
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Photo: Getty Images/Allsport
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