AERO
The car's ability to cut through the air, reducing drag.
APRON
The very bottom of an oval track.
BALANCE
The car's ability to glide without vibration.
BITE
The car's ability to stick or adhere to the track.
BLACK FLAG
Consultation Flag - an instruction to the driver to report to pit road for a consultation
with NASCAR officials.
CAMBER
The angle at which a tire makes contact with the track surface.
Positive Camber = the angle a tire is tilted away from vehicle's centerline.
Negative Camber = the tire is tilted toward the centerline.
CAUTION FLAG
Yellow Flag - an instruction to the entire field alerting drivers of danger on the track and that
they are required to slow down.
DOWNFORCE
Air traveling over the surface of the race vehicle creating pressure, or a "down-ward" weight, on a particular area of the car. Downforce can sometimes increase tire grip which allows for increased corner speeds.
DRAFTING
Two or more cars capitalizing on the vacuum created between the rear of the lead car and the nose of the second allowing the second car to actually be pulled along with it.
DRAG
The slowing effect a car's surface experiences when cutting through the air at high speeds.
GROOVE
The best route around the racetrack at that time.
High Groove - closer to the outside wall for most of the lap.
Low Groove - close to the apron.
HAPPY HOUR
The last official practice session before starting the race.
HANDLING
Generic term for the race car's performance while racing.
KITTY LITTER
Found mostly on road courses, these are the small pebble pits surrounding the track.
LOOSE
This term describes the action of the back of the race car wanting to overtake the front end when entering or exiting a turn. In qualifying the teams will make the car as loose as possible without risking the driver's ability to control the car.
MARBLES
Marble sized bits of rubber that accumulate on the outside of the track that can cause the drivers to loose control.
NASCAR®
National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing
NBS®
NASCAR Busch Series
PIT ROAD
The area reserved for the crews to service the cars. Pit road is usually located at the front straightaway.
PIT STALL
Also known as pit box, it is located along pit road. Each team has its own designated box.
PIT STOP
Pit stops are used to quickly refuel, change tires or make other adjustments.
POLE POSITION
Starting position for the race determined by the driver's speed during qualifying.
PUSH
Push occurs when the front tires of the race car will not turn sharply in the corner. The driver must get out of the throttle until the front tires re-grip the racetrack.
QUALIFYING
Time Trials used to determine the running order for the race.
QUALIFYING TRIM
Qualifying trim is the over all setup for a car for the qualifying lap, (qualifying engine, lighter weight oil and taped front end). The purpose is to make the car go as fast as possible for this one lap.
RACE TRIM
Different from Qualifying Trim the Race Trim setup is a particular set of shocks, springs, swaybars and engine designed for the race itself.
RESTRICTOR PLATE
An aluminum plate that is positioned between the carburetor and intake manifold. Holes are drilled in the restrictor plate to help reduce the flow of air and fuel into the engine's combustion chamber, therefore reducing the horsepower and speed.
ROAD COURSE
A course with turns to the left and right as opposed to an oval track or straightaway.
SCUFFS
Worn tires that are sometimes used during qualifying.
SHORT TRACK
Tracks that are less than one mile in length.
SPOTTER
This is the person responsible for communicating with the driver to warn of any cautions on the track, advise of performance related issues & racing strategies, recommend pitstops, etc.
STICKERS
New tires.
SUPERSPEEDWAY
Racetracks and road curses of more than one mile.
TEMPLATE
Measurement criteria used to check body shape and size to ensure that drivers are complying with the rules.
TIGHT
A tight race car is difficult to steer through turns because the front tires lost traction before the rear tires.
VICTORY LANE
Winner's Circle
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