Glossary: A-F

• Glossary: A-F | G-Q | R-Z

200-MPH Tape: The ultra-sticky tape applied to a car after a crash to either help hold parts in place or to cover up gaps in the bodywork that create aerodynamic drag. It's sometimes used to cover part of the radiator opening to smooth airflow, reduce drag and increase front downforce.

A

A-Pillar: The two furthest forward pillars (one on each side of the car) that extends from the roof of a car to base of the windshield.

Aero Push: A condition that occurs when a car gets too close to the car in front of it in a turn. The car in front prevents air from hitting the front valance of the trailing car, reducing it's front downforce. The reduction in front downforce creates push, or understeer, in the trailing car and makes it feel like the car wants to push up the track toward the outside wall.

Aero Wars: In late 1969, after Ford domination with its Torino Talladegas, Chrysler responded late in the season with the Dodge Daytona and, in 1970, with the Plymouth SuperBird. Marked by their controversial elongated noses and tall wings in the rear, these cars pushed the aerodynamic envelope to the maximum in a quest for all-out supremacy. After the 1970 season, engine size restrictions imposed on the winged wonders ended their brief but massively successful campaign.

Aerodynamics: It is the scientific discipline that concerns itself with the principles of airflow over and around solid objects. Aerodynamics helps engineers determine the shape the car so that it creates maximum downforce while minimizing aerodynamic drag.

Alabama Gang: The nickname for Red Farmer, brothers Bobby and Donny Allison, Bobby's late son Davey, and the late Neil Bonnett.

Anti-Roll Bar: (Also known as a Sway Bar) An metal bar approximately 1-inch diameter that connects the outer ends of the suspension with the frame of the car. It's purpose is to reduce the amount of side-to-side body roll during cornering.

Apron: The flat part of the racetrack below the banking. The apron is not part of the racetrack and using it during a race usually has one of two consequences. It either brings a penalty from NASCAR race control or it'll likely cause a driver to spin if he or she is at speed.

Asphalt: One of two different paving surfaces that NASCAR's top series race on (the other being concrete). Basic asphalt is comprised of tar, asphalt, rock and sand.

B

B-Pillar: The middle pillar that connects the roof to the body of the car. They are located on both sides of the car, just behind the head of the driver.

Backstretch: The straightaway opposite of the start/finish line. On an oval, it usually connects Turn Two with Turn Three.

Banking: Measured in degrees, it is the maximum angle of the track, from horizontal, in a turn or on the straightaways.

Bias-Ply Tires: Before radial tires were sanctioned by NASCAR, bias-ply tires ruled the day. Bias-ply tires are constructed with overlapping cords (or inner layers). Today, radial tires are used by NASCAR teams because of their reduced rolling resistance and stronger construction.

Black Flag: The last thing a driver wants to see, the black flag means that, for whatever reason, race officials say you must pull into the pits immediately for a consultation. A driver can get the black flag for many reasons, none of them good.

Black Flag w/White X: This flag means that a driver is no longer being scored by race officials and must come into the pits immediately. It's usually displayed because a driver has not acknowledged the solid black flag displayed earlier.

Bump Draft: A controversial technique often employed by drivers at restrictor-plate races that has one car bumping (ramming, really) the car immediately ahead. The goal of bump drafting is to speed up the car ahead of you so you do not lose ground.

Bump and Run: A controversial passing technique most often used at short-tracks. The idea is that the driver behind purposely brakes late going into a turn and allows his car to "gently" bump the car in front just as they enter the turn. This tap causes the car in front to slide up the track, clearing the way for the car behind to pass below.

Buschwhacker: A Nextel Cup Series driver who races in a Busch Series race.

C

C-Pillar: The rear-most pillars on both sides of the car that extend from the roofline to the base of the rear windshield.

Caliper: The part of a disk brake system that wraps around the disk and holds the hydraulic mechanisms and brake pads in place.

Camber: The angle between the vertical axis of the wheel and the vertical axis of the vehicle when looking at a tire from the front or rear. Negative camber is when the top of the tire is closer to the centerline of the car. Positive camber is when the top of the wheel points away from the centerline of the car.

Car Chief: The title of the person on a race team who is responsible for a car's preparation. The Car Chief is the keeper of the checklist and is the man in charge when the car is in the garage. When the car rolls out of the garage, he hands the reins over to the Crew Chief.

Caster: The steering axis around which each front wheel rotates. This caster angle can be perfectly vertical but is usually tilted rearward at the top for improved handling.

Catch Can: The small, usually square can stuck into the back of the car used to catch any excess gasoline added during a pit stop.

Catchfence: The fence that lines the outside edge of a racetrack above the wall. It is designed to prevent crashing cars and their parts from going into the stands.

Caution Flag: The yellow flag waved by the flagman which tells the drivers they must slow down immediately and that safe racing conditions no longer exist on the track.

The Chase for the Nextel Cup: The last 10 races of the Nextel Cup season. Think of it as a playoff system by which the top 10 drivers -- or all of those within 400 points of the leader -- in standings after the first 26 races are figuratively separated from the other racers and compete for the Nextel Cup championship.

Chassis: The frame of a car, excluding drivetrain and suspension.

Checkered Flag: The black and white flag that is waved to signal the end of a race.

Clutch: A component that allows for the engagement or disengagement of engine's power through the gearbox to facilitate gear shifts without damage.

Concrete: One of two different paving surfaces that NASCAR's top series race on (the other being asphalt). Basic concrete is comprised of cement, sand and gravel. Rain usually washes away any rubber that accumulates during a race weekend, making the surface slippery until more rubber can be rubbed in by cars circulating the track.

Contact Patch: The part of a tire that is actually in contact with the ground at any given moment.

Contingency Awards: See those small stickers on the front fenders of the race cars? Those companies whose stickers appear on a car will award the teams a little extra cash, beyond the official race purse, if that team performs well on a race weekend. A contingency award sponsor might pay for winning the pole position. Another might pay for making "the move of the race" as determined by journalists.

Cookie-Cutter Tracks: The nickname for a common layout of modern racetracks. Typically, they're tri- or quad-ovals, 1.5 miles in length. Lowe's Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway are all examples of cookie cutter tracks.

Cooldown Lap: The lap cars take immediately after a qualifying run or the conclusion of a race.

Crew Chief: The person responsible for overall crew and race preparations. The crew chief tells the car chief how he wants the car prepared. The crew chief is responsible for strategies, decisions, pit stops and car adjustments made during the race.

D

Daytona Beach Road Course: Before Daytona International Speedway, races in Daytona were held on a course made up of the hard-packed sands of Daytona Beach for the front straight, and Highway A1A for the back straight. Connecting the straightaways were two tight, quickly rutted hairpin turns made in the sand.

Debris Flag: A yellow flag with red vertical stripes is displayed on road courses only when debris or minor amounts of fluids are present on the racing line in that particular part of the course.

Deck Lid: The trunk lid of a race car.

Dialed In: A term used to describe a car that has the perfect setup for the track under current conditions.

Dirty Air: A term that describes the turbulent air currents that exist in the aerodynamic wake of a fast moving race car.

Disc Brakes: A braking system for all NASCAR series racers that features a rotating disc attached to each wheel and a caliper that contains hydraulically actuated pads that squeeze the disc to slow and stop its rotation.

Donuts: 1. The circular marks on the side of one car made by the tire of another car. They're commonly found during and after short track races. 2. The circular marks left on the racetrack by a driver doing a celebratory burn out after winning a race.

Downforce: The aerodynamic forces that push a car down onto a racetrack, providing additional grip.

Drafting: The act of driving in the slipstream of one or more cars ahead, resulting in less wind resistance for the entire pack of cars. Once "in the draft," the car behind will often be able to pull right up to the rear bumper of the car(s) ahead.

Drag: The aerodynamic forces acting on a car that slow the car down.

Driveshaft: The rotating aluminum tube that transfers the motor's power, via the transmission, to the rear axle of the car.

Drive-through Penalty The punishment for a minor rule infraction (e.g., speeding on pit road) that has a driver, under green flag conditions, pull off the track and drive nonstop the entire length of the pit road at the assigned pit road speed limit before rejoining the race.

E

Equalized: The term used to describe when the air pressure within the inner liner drops to become equal with the air pressure within the rest of the tire. Equalization usually results in a severe vibration in that tire.

F

Fender: The part of the bodywork of a car that extends from forward-most corner of the car back to where the front edge of the door would be.

Firewall: The solid sheet of metal that separates the engine compartment from the drivers compartment.

Flagman: The person who stands above the start / finish line responsible for displaying the various flags that help control the race.

Flat Spot: The damage to a tire when it skids along the pavement. A flat spotted tire will vibrate violently and also result in an ill-handling car.

Frontstretch: The part of the racetrack that connects the exit of Turn 4 to the entry of Turn 1. Typically, it's where the start/finish line is located.

Fuel: Gasoline. Usually high-octane and refined exclusively for racing.

Fuel Cell: The gas tank, only engineered for maximum safety in the event of a crash.