Lesson 2: NASCAR Glossary
A glossary of the terms used in conjunction with NASCAR racing. A lot of these terms are only used in racing lingo, although some of the terms describe parts that are in the cars that we drive. The exception being that the parts we use are not designed specifically for racing purposes, so they are not as expensive or of as high a quality. Gaining an understanding of these terms will enable a race fan to get the most out of the sport of stock car racing.
NASCAR Glossary -- A thru N
AERO PUSH --- When following another vehicle really close, the airflow off of the lead vehicle does not travel across the following vehicle normally. The air goes over the top and downward force on the front is lessened resulting in the failure to turn corners normally. The front of the car tends to head or "push" up the banking toward the outside wall resulting in an "aero push." This condition is more apparent on the exit of the turns. The only way to compensate for this is to slow the car down.
A – FRAME --- An “A” shaped part holding the main front end suspension parts which is connected to the wheel assembly.
AERO LOOSE --- This condition affects the racecar when it is in the cornering process. When a racecar makes a close inside pass on another car while maneuvering through a corner, the air gets taken off of its spoiler when the spoiler comes up beside the outside car’s greenhouse, or roof area. This causes the rear of the car to lose grip on the track. This condition also occurs on straight stretches when a car gets close on the rear bumper of the car in front of him. The rear car pushes air under the lead car, causing the air above the lead car's rear spoiler to rise, taking away the downforce holding the rear tires to the track.
AERODYNAMICS --- The science of dealing with the forces acting on bodies in motion in gases (as in air).
APRON --- The paved portion at the bottom or inside of a racetrack that separates the racing surface from the infield areas.
AXLE --- The steel shaft connecting the wheel to the rear end gear assembly. A car has two, one for each rear wheel. They have gear teeth on each end for connecting with the rear end running gear to the rear wheels. The rear end gears are connected to the engine by a drive shaft. The axle is used to transfer the engine’s power to the rear wheels.
BALANCE --- Balance concerns the transferring of weight within the racecar, usually from end to end. The racecar has to be balanced in order for it to adhere to the track properly, especially while cornering (see WEIGHT).
BANKING --- The sloping of a racetrack which is usually higher near the outside walls than it is toward the infield area, especially in the corners. The degree of banking refers to the track’s height by the outside wall as opposed to its height near the apron. The purpose of banking is to allow cars to travel through the corner at higher rates of speed.
BUMP DRAFT --- When a car drafts behind another (see “draft”) really close and actually pushes the front car. This makes make both, or several, cars faster, and is mostly done in restrictor plate racing.
CAMBER --- Camber is the term used for the sideways angle at which a tire makes contact with the track surface. "Positive camber" indicates the top of the tire is tilted away from the car's centerline while "negative camber" indicates the tire is tilted the opposite way. The usual oval track setup has positive camber in the left front and negative camber in the right front, aiding the car in make left-hand turns.
CATCH CAN --- A small can with a spout that is used to collect the over-spill or run-off from the fuel overflow port when a racecar is fueled up during its pit stop. Its use is designed to keep the highly flammable 110 octane gasoline from spilling on the back of the car and ground, which would create a fire hazard. The catch can also allows the air in the tank to escape or vent faster than normal, this is critical for a fast pit stop.
CHASSIS --- The bottom of the racecar under the body that includes the springs, shocks, brakes, axels, wheels, etc.
CREW CHIEF --- The race team leader at the racing venue. When the race team arrives at the track for an event, the crew chief is in charge of the car and mechanical crew. During the race the crew chief is in charge and makes the decisions regarding pit stops, tire changes, and chassis adjustments.
CRUSH PANELS --- Metal panels that are inserted around the bottom of the driver’s compartment and wheel wells to keep fumes and intense heat away from the driver.
DECK LID --- The term that is used for the trunk lid of a race car.
DIRTY AIR --- The term used to describe wild air current turbulence that can cause a race car to lose control. This term is especially used in restrictor plate racing.
DNF --- An abbreviation meaning “Did Not Finish.” This relates to a driver or entry that failed to finish any given event.
DNQ --- An abbreviation meaning “Did Not Qualify.” This relates to a driver or entry that failed to qualify for any given event.
DOWNFORCE --- The pressure caused by air traveling over the surfaces of a race car creates "downforce" or weight on the area. To increase cornering speed teams strive to create downforce that increases tire grip. The tradeoff for increased corner speeds derived from greater downforce is increased drag that slows straightaway speeds.
DRAFT --- This term refers to a gap in air currents left by a vehicle traveling at high speeds. When another car gets closer to the car in front, it faces much less wind resistance while in the “draft” of the car ahead of it. Riding in the draft, or “drafting” behind another car, creates more speed per horsepower, and also relieves fuel usage.
DRAG --- Also known as “aerodynamic drag.” This constitutes how efficiently a cars body travels through the air and has a lot to do with a cars horsepower efficiency. A box shaped sedan has much more drag than a sleekly shaped sports car.
DRIVE SHAFT --- A perfectly balanced steel shaft used to transfer the engine’s power to the rear end assembly, and on to the rear wheels.
DRIVE TRAIN --- A connection or “train” of parts used to transfer the engine’s power to the rear wheels. The engine, transmission, drive shaft, rear end assembly, and axle’s are all part of the drive train.
D-SHAPED OVAL --- An oval racetrack with a shape resembling a D with the curved part of the D running in front of the grandstand/finish line area.
DYNO --- A term used to in reference to a “dynamometer,” which is a computerized machine used to measure an engines horsepower.
EQUALIZED --- On race tracks over 1 mile in length, racecars use tires with inner liners which hold more air pressure than the regular tire pressure in the tire (outer liner). When the pressure is lost in the inner liner and the pressure becomes the same in both liners, the tire becomes “equalized,” usually causing a bad vibration.
FIREWALL --- A steel plate that separates the engine compartment from the driver’s compartment.
FLAG STAND --- This is where the lead race official or flagman runs the race from with the use of different colored racing flags. The flag stand is located in front of the grandstand right above the start/finish line, across the racetrack from the pit area.
FRONT CLIP --- The front section of the racecar beginning from the windshield and firewall consisting of the engine compartment and front suspension parts.
FUEL CELL --- The racecar’s gas tank, which is mounted under the deck lid, consisting of a metal box containing a foam baffled tear resistant rubber bladder that holds 22.5 gallons of 110 octane racing fuel. The usually unbreakable fuel cell was developed to help prevent fires in racecar crashes.
GREENHOUSE --- The section of the racecar under the roof extending from the windshield to the back window, which includes the driver and roll cage area.
GROOVE --- The term used for the route that a particular driver takes to circumvent a race track the fastest. The driver’s groove can change depending on tires, racecar set-up, and weather conditions. The use different grooves will also depend a lot on a particular driver’s driving style.
HANS DEVICE --- A head and neck safety collar like device that prevents whiplash from causing deadly skull fractures at the base of the driver’s skull. The use of a head and neck safety device became mandatory in NASCAR after the completed investigation into the death of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.
HAPPY HOUR --- The term used to signify the last practice session that is held before any given event. Happy Hour practice sessions are usually held the day before an event, and are usually an hour in length. In order to make it fair for all competitors, teams can only take their cars onto the track during NASCAR sanctioned practice sessions.
HORSEPOWER --- A term used in reference to the measurement of mechanical or engine power that it takes to move 33,000 pounds one foot in a minutes time.
HUTCHENS DEVICE --- An alternative to the HANS (Head and Neck Safety) device used for driver’s head and neck safety. A lot of larger NASCAR driver’s prefer the use of the Hutchens device over the Hans device because it is smaller and less confining. The use of a head and neck safety device in the racecar is mandated by NASCAR.
LAP --- A lap in one turn around the racetrack. A 500 mile race at a one mile racetrack would consist of 500 laps. A 500 lap race at a three quarter mile racetrack would consist of 375 laps.
LAPPED TRAFFIC --- Or “lapped car” means that the race leader has traveled around the track once ahead of this car and passed him. A car that is three laps down has been passed by the race leader three times. The lapped car could also have been making a pit stop at the time the race leader passed under the flag stand registering another lap. This would put the car in the pits one lap down. If a car is in the pits for three of the leader’s passes across the finish line under the flag stand, then they would be three laps down.
LEAD LAP --- This is the lap that the race leader is on.
LOOSE --- When the back end of the car loses traction and slides around to the right toward the outside wall. This usually happens entering or exiting a corner
LUG NUTS --- Nuts used on the wheel’s lug bolts to fasten the tires to the wheel hub assembly. Tires are changed in a matter of seconds during a race pit stop. The lug nuts are glued to the wheels in the pits before each race to insure speedy tire changes. A NASCAR official is stationed in each team’s pit box to watch and insure that all lug nuts are tightly in place. If a racecar leaves the pit area without a lug nut, or with what the official determines is a loose lug nut, the car must come back to the pit box and remedy the problem, losing valuable track position.
MARBLES --- These are pieces of tire rubber along with dirt and gravel that has been swept out toward the outside wall by the wind created by the speed of the racecars. When cars drive too close to the walls in corners and get into the “marbles,” they lose traction, and then lose control.
NASCAR --- An abbreviation for the “National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.”
