Intro  |

Fan Statisitics  |

Points Explained |

Flags Explained |

Provisionals Explained |

Money Distribution |

NASCAR Slang |

NASCAR Glossary |

This page is designed for those not too familiar with the sport of NASCAR, but wish to learn a bit about it.

Getting Into The Sport Of NASCAR

By Louis Demian
Written in 2003, Revised in early 2004

This article is for those that don’t understand the sport of NASCAR or how a fan loves the sport. A NASCAR fan will often hear it from those that can’t understand how watching cars drive around in a circle is exciting. If you want to take it from that perspective, how can watching a bunch of guys trying to get a ball down a field to the other side be exciting? How can watching someone hit a ball between two lines and trying to run around three bases be exciting? How can watching a bunch of guys trying to hit a little puck into a big net be exciting? The answer to all the above is strategy and opposition. Just like football, baseball and hockey have their plays and rules which make the sports fun to watch, NASCAR does too.

There is a lot of planning and strategy involved with each NASCAR team that lasts through the entire week in order to run well on the weekend. For each track on the schedule, the team must set their car up differently. After each race, the team goes back to their home shop (Most of them are located in North Carolina). If they had a bad run they have to figure out what went wrong and try to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Later in the week the race team packs up and heads to the next track. A lot of drivers bring their families with them, but a lot of the crew members don’t and are separated from their families good portions of the year. Either way, it’s hard to travel from week to week. The teams do it for the love of the sport and the rewards from a good run. Usually on Fridays the teams get to practice and then qualify on the track. They have to make sure the car is set up just right so they can make a good qualifying run. That way they can start up front for the race. Starting near the front has a good advantage because you don’t have to worry about trying to charge through the field.

Now if you don’t have a good driver, no car in the world, no matter how perfect it is, will win the race. If you think it’s easy to just drive in a circle, You try driving at 190 mph at 120+ degrees on a track next to a big concrete wall. Maybe it wouldn’t be quite as bad on a straightaway, but getting into those turns isn’t a lot of fun. Now try doing it with 42 other cars around you. Drivers have to be skilled to be able to compete in those types of conditions. One wrong move can create a multi-car accident, although that sometimes does happen. Alliances between drivers comes in handy during races because cars can draft together to move through the pack. However, in the final laps of the race all bets are off and it’s usually every man for themselves. The leader will usually have to block cars that are trying to pass him. It’s quite difficult to constantly have to look ahead of you but in your mirror at the same time. Since drivers can’t see everywhere, each one will have a spotter who sits high above the track and will radio to the driver what’s around them.

During the race the entire crew must develop a strategy along the way to try and win. A race is usually won in the pits. If a good pit stop gets you out sooner then everyone else, obviously that’s a great advantage. Sometimes teams will gamble and change two tires while other teams change four. Conserving fuel or waiting until a yellow comes out to pit are other ways. So like other sports, there are lots of things going on throughout the race that can change the outcome.

People who think that NASCAR drivers aren’t athletes don’t know what they are talking about. A driver must be in top shape to endure a four hour race or longer. From the sweltering heat inside the cockpit, to the stress they put on their muscles trying to control the car, it’s not that easy. Pit crew members who go over the wall to service a car have to constantly work out. It takes a lot of effort to carry those heavy tires and jacks. They have to coordinate themselves just perfectly to be able to change four tires, fill the fuel tank, take the tear-off from the windshield, tighten or loosen the wedge if necessary, and try to keep it all under 16 seconds.

So if you think it sounds interesting to watch, you may ask “ok, where do I start?” For starters, you must begin watching races obviously. Get yourself familiar with the drivers, the teams, the rules and the race lingo. After you start to get familiar with everything, start on picking your favorite driver. Now picking one may take awhile or you may like someone right away. How do you pick someone? Keep watching until someone catches your eye. Maybe you like his driving style. He might be the aggressive type who takes chances and is always up on the wheel. Or you might like someone who races more conservatively with a certain smoothness. Maybe you like a driver’s attitude after seeing them giving interviews. Perhaps you like a certain sponsor or the way a car looks. Or maybe you just like the way a certain driver looks (better for the ladies). Start by watching them and reading up on them. Learn their history, where they come from, how they started in the sport. Before you know it you’ll be thinking of them on a more personal level. It’s fun tracking their stats from race to race hoping they can win the championship. You don’t have to just pick one driver, you can have several. You can also just pick one favorite and some secondary drivers. Before you know it, you’ll have your favorites picked and then your rivals, the drivers you dislike.

Trust me, you get much more into the sport once you have a favorite driver. You’ll be on the edge of your seat every race rooting for him, trying to get to the front and trying to avoid disaster at the same time. On the other side, it’s fun to have rivals too. It’s even more fun when you have some people that you know who like your rivals, so you have someone to compete against on race day.

Once you start getting into NASCAR, try to get yourself to a live race. Watching on TV is one thing, but to really see what NASCAR is all about, get out among the fans at the track. The sights, smells, and atmosphere of a track during race day is something you’ll never forget. Just like football, baseball and hockey can’t be truly appreciated until you’ve seen it live, so is NASCAR. So far I’ve been to three races and I can’t wait until I can get to my next one. I never thought I could be a NASCAR fan but I’m happy I am. NASCAR fans are the tightest group of fans of any sport. You’ll find this out by getting out there and meeting all the friendly people. Millions of people are NASCAR fans, but there’s always room for one more.

NASCAR Fan Statistics

The typical NASCAR fan stereotype is one of days passed. It was once thought of that NASCAR fans are white blue collared hicks from the south, but that is far from the case. The sport has changed so much and expanded. There are millions of fans, 75 million to be exact. Fans are spread out across the United States from Boston to Los Angeles. NASCAR is the number 2 sport in terms of TV ratings, only behind the NFL. Here are some facts about NASCAR fans:

NASCAR is about families. Teams, drivers, and fans alike bring the entire family out to the track on race day. Fans are a part of the sport, not just spectators.

NASCAR's 40 million hard-core fans spend nearly 9 hours a week following NASCAR through all types of media outlets.

37% of the US adult populations, 75 million in total, are NASCAR fans

32% of NASCAR fans are 18-34 years old.

An additional 26% of NASCAR fans are between 35-44 years old, a 124 index vs. the US population.

40% of NASCAR fans are women, making NASCAR one of the most appealing sports for sponsors targeting women and families.

42% of NASCAR fans earn more than $50,000 a year, an index of 108 vs. the US population.

NASCAR Points System Explained

Courtesy of NASCAR.com

The winner of each NASCAR race receives 180 points. The runner-up in each event scores 170. From there, the point total declines in five-point increments for places two through six, points awarded drop four points per driver for positions seven through 11 and three-point increments separate drivers' points for finishers in 12th place or lower.

The 43rd, or last-place driver, gets 34 points.

There are also bonus points up for grabs at each event. Drivers receive five points for leading a lap and an additional five points for leading the most laps.

In a new move started in the the 2004 season, following the 26th race of the season, all drivers in the NASCAR Top 10 and any others within 400 points of the leader will earn a berth in the "Chase for the Championship."

All drivers in the "chase" will have their point totals adjusted. The first-place driver in the standings will begin the chase with 5,050 points; the second-place driver will start with 5,045, etc. Incremental five-point drops will continue through the list of title contenders.

Here is a model from NASCAR.com to show exactly how the Chase for the Championship will begin in 2004


Owners are rewarded in the points race in much the same fashion but, unlike drivers, they earn points for merely attempting to make a race. If an owner shows up with a pair of drivers, and one fails to qualify, the owner still receives points for the non-qualifying effort.

The fastest non-qualifier on race day earns 31 points for his owner, three down from the 43rd-place points. The scale continues downward from there for all non-qualifiers, with the lowest possible point(s) awarded being one.

Manufacturers have a points race of their own. The car maker who has a driver take first place in a race earns nine points for that race. Second-best performance by a manufacturer gets six points, third place earns four points and fourth place, three points.

NASCAR Flags Explained

Courtesy of NASCAR.com

Long before two-way radios were installed in cars to allow drivers and crews to talk with each other, the only way for racing officials to communicate with drivers during noisy racing action was with the use of colored signal flags.

Nearly every racing series in the United States uses the same combination of flag colors, usually waved by a flagman on a platform at the start-finish line, so drivers know immediately what's happening during the race.

Just like the green, yellow and red signal lights at a traffic intersection, some of the flags communicate racing conditions.

GREEN: The track is clear and cars may proceed at speed. This flag is used to signal the beginning of the race and any restarts.

YELLOW (CAUTION): The track is not clear, slow down and hold your position behind the pace car. This flag is used to signal an accident, debris caused by contact or mechanical failure, or weather-related issues. NASCAR rules allow cars to bunch up behind the leader. In most cases, lead-lap cars restart in the outside lane, while any lapped cars restart to the inside. In addition, a yellow flag during a practice session means cars should go to pits immediately.

RED: The track is unsafe and there is a situation that requires immediate attention. Cars must go to a designated location and stop. This flag is usually waved in cases of heavy precipitation, an accident which requires immediate medical assistance or if the track is blocked. In addition, NASCAR reserves the right to throw a red flag in the closing laps of a race to make sure the event ends under green conditions.

WHITE: There is one lap remaining in the scheduled distance.

CHECKERED: The event has reached its scheduled distance and is complete.

In addition, there are flags that communicate information.

BLACK: Come into the pits immediately for consultation. Normally, this flag is waved at an individual car, either because it has a mechanical problem or has broken a rule. Waved in combination with a red flag signals the end of a practice session.

BLACK WITH WHITE CROSS: Cars that refuse to acknowledge the black flag are shown this flag, which means NASCAR will no longer score them until they come into the pits for consultation.

BLUE WITH YELLOW STRIPE: Pay attention to your mirrors, because a faster car is approaching from behind. Contrary to popular opinion, this flag does not make it mandatory that slower cars must move over for the leader of the race. This flag gets a workout at tracks like Bristol and Martinsville, where traffic becomes a major factor.

YELLOW WITH RED VERTICAL STRIPES: Used only on road courses by corner workers, held or waved to signify debris or slippery conditions ahead.

Provisionals Explained

Courtesy of NASCAR.com

Of course, turning a quick lap in qualifying is important in NASCAR. However, if a driver struggles during his qualifying effort, all is not necessarily lost.

Of the 43 spots available for any NASCAR Nextel or Busch Series race, 38 are decided by lap time. The following four positions are known as "provisionals."

Drivers earn provisionals in several different ways. Car owners in the top 45 positions of the previous season's owner championship standings will receive four provisionals at the outset of the season and will receive an additional one after attempting to qualify for six events, for a season maximum of 10.

Those owners outside the top 45 in the previous season's owner points are ineligible for provisionals until after their entry makes an attempt to qualify at four events. After attempting to qualify for four events, the car owner will receive two provisionals and additional ones can be earned by attempting to qualify for six events, with a season maximum of eight.

Each provisional used by a car owner during the season –- regardless of standing -– counts against the owner's season allotment earned.

Provisional starting positions are assigned beginning with the highest ranking car owner who did not qualify on time. They are handed out in descending order until all provisional spots are filled.

Champion's provisional
If after 42 positions are assigned there is a car owner whose driver is a past series champion who participated in the previous season, that past champion will take the 43rd starting position.

If there is no such owner in the field, the 43rd starting spot will be given to the next available car owner in the provisional procedure described above.

Short fields
Also, in the event the number of entrants is equal to or less than the number of starting positions available for an event, provisionals assigned to fill starting positions 39 through 43 will not count toward the maximum season allotment.

Craftsman Truck Series provisionals
Of the 36 spots available in Craftsman Truck Series events, 32 are determined on speed with spots 33-35 determined by a similar provisional system. Through the completion of four events, the previous season's owner points are used to determine how provisionals spots are assigned. Starting with the fifth race, the current season's owner points are used.

A past champion's provisional, identical to the Cup and Busch Series champion's provisional, is available to fill the 36th spot. As with Busch and Cup, if such a situation does not exist, the 36th spot will be filled with the next entitled driver under the provisional rules.

How Money is Distributed in NASCAR

Courtesty of NASCAR.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Who wins what amount of money from competing in a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race can seem like a complicated process -- with the most compelling question being how a driver that finishes far back can win more money than a driver that finishes in the top 10?

An example would be the 2002 Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville Speedway, where Jimmie Johnson won $49,550 for his sixth place finish, while Jeff Gordon won $90,753 -- the fifth highest payout in the race -- for his 36th place result.

The biggest reason for the money disparity is in the bonus programs that Gordon, as the defending champion and driving for one of the leading winners in the series, Hendrick Motorsports, is eligible for more special award plans than a newer team, such as Johnson's first-year operation, is.

As convoluted as it seems, the process is actually fairly simple and is regulated by the entry blanks that the NASCAR Competition Department issues in advance of each event.

Each race carries a purse figure, or its "posted awards."

The purse is comprised of a number of segments, including the racing purse; television awards; NASCAR Winston Cup car owner special award plans, including the Winner's Circle Program; and a list of qualifying and special awards that may or may not be paid depending on the eligibility of the driver finishing in the appropriate position.

The racing purse breakdown designates a set amount for positions 1-43 that decreases on a sliding scale. "Television Awards" are also posted for each position, using the same sliding scale from first to 43rd.

NASCAR Winston Cup team owners may participate in special award plans, such as "Plan 1," which allows for a set figure for each owner. Car owners participating in Plan 1c win money for their finishing position in relation to the other owners in the plan, again on a decreasing scale.

Those owners participating in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Car/Champion Owner Program are also entitled to additional awards, per the regulations of the program.

Among the largest special awards at each race are the NASCAR Winston Leader Bonus, Time Trial Awards and the Gatorade Front Runner Award.

The Winston Leader Bonus is a modern day version of "Studebaker money." The money is available to the race winner IF he is also leading the Winston Cup standings after the event. If the winner is not the point leader, the money -- which accrues at the rate of $10,000 per event -- is not paid.

The Gatorade Front Runner Award, $10,000, goes to the driver that leads the most laps in the race, regardless of finishing position.

Most of the other manufacturers' and special award prizes are contingent on using the products and displaying uniform patches or decals.

At certain events special prizes are awarded to the leader of each lap in the race.

These days, about 75 percent of the posted awards are paid after each event, per the official NASCAR race report. The balance of the posted awards is the "Manufacturer's Point Fund Awards," a prorated share of nearly $15 million in manufacturer and sponsor funds that are distributed at the end of the season.

While a certain portion of each purse is guaranteed to be paid after the event, some of the cash is what formerly was referred to as Studebaker money, placed in the purse simply for appearance sake.

The term refers to money offered on a purse, say "$10,000 to the winner if he is driving a Studebaker." The $10,000 would be reflected in the total posted awards, making them more impressive, but the chance of a Studebaker winning would be miniscule.

NASCAR Slang

Courtesy of Turn Left Racing.com

When you're watching the race you're more than likely going to hear someone say something totally incomprehensible to anyone but the most ardent Nascar fan. Here's a short list of some of the slang terms you might hear a Nascar fan say.

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity: You will only see and hear this when FOX is broadcasting races because it is something Darrell Waltrip made up. It is said when the green flag is waving and it means "Go like h***."

Lucky Dog: An unfortunate result of not racing back to the caution flag. Before 2003, cars would continue to race back to starting line when a caution came out. Now the field is frozen during a caution, which means everyone slows down and the safety crews can get out much faster. The Lucky Dog is the first car one lap down. Now, that car is allowed to restart in front of the race leader as the last car on the lead lap, making him one lucky dog. The only person who likes this new rule is the lucky dog himself and only when he is the lucky dog.

The Big One: The name for the giant wreck at Daytona and Talladega where restrictor plates are used. The wreck usually takes out a third to a quarter of the field. Very bad for the drivers since they spin and tumble for quite a ways while they are going 200 mph.

Marbles: Well, you could say this as in "Jimmy Spencer has lost his" but it really refers to the small pieces of rubber that come off the tires and accumulate near the outer wall. If a driver gets out of the groove and up there, he could lose traction and wreck. Then his team will say, "What was he doing up there? Has he completely lost his marbles?"

Rookies: These are the guys who are running a full season of Cup racing for the first time. They all have a yellow stripe on their rear bumper so other drivers know to stay away from them. These guys all run for Rookie Of The Year and try to stay out of everyone's way.

The Big Red Trailer: It will probably be yellow or something now that Nextel is the sponsor. But this is where naughty drivers get sent after a race. Kind of like going to the principal's office. This is where NASCAR officials tell the driver and/or team members what they did wrong and why they shouldn't do it again. Or else. Owners, drivers and team members can be fined, suspended, or lose points. Kevin Harvick has his very own seat in the Big Red Truck.

Darlington Stripe: The black mark on your car you get when racing at Darlington. You have to race so close to the wall to get around that track that if you are running right, you get the stripe. It lets you know that you are right on the edge. If you miss the stripe, you get the wrecker cause you hit the wall a bit too hard.

NASCAR Glossary

Courtesy of NASCAR.com

Nextel Cup racing, as does any other professional sport, has a language all its own. The meaning and usage of the terms specific to the sport pop up through any explanation of its racing action. The following is a short list of basic terms you might hear around a Nextel Cup garage in 2004:

AERO PUSH
When following another vehicle closely, the airflow off the lead vehicle does not travel across the following one(s) in a normal manner. Therefore, downforce on the front of the trailing vehicle(s) is decreased and it does not turn in the corners as well, resulting in an "aero push." This condition is more apparent on the exit of the turns.

AERODYNAMIC DRAG
A number that is a coefficient of several factors that indicates how well a race vehicle will travel through the air and how much resistance it offers. Crewmen work to get the best "drag horsepower" rating they can, determining how much horsepower it will take to move a vehicle through the air at a certain mile-per-hour rate. At faster speedways teams strive to get the lowest drag number possible for higher straightaway speeds.

AIR DAM
A strip that hangs under the front grill, very close to the ground. It helps provide downforce at the front of the car.

AIR PRESSURE
With the advent of radial tires with stiffer sidewalls, changing air pressure in the tires is used as another setup tool that is akin to adjusting spring rates in the vehicle's suspension. An increase in air pressure raises the "spring rate" in the tire itself and changes the vehicle's handling characteristics. If his race vehicle was "tight" coming off a corner, a driver might request a slight air pressure increase in the right rear tire to "loosen it up."

BACK MARKER
A car running off the pace near the rear of the field.

BALANCE
When a car doesn't tend to oversteer or understeer, but goes around the racetrack as if its on rails, it's said to be in balance.

BANKING
The sloping of a racetrack, particularly at a curve or a corner, from the apron to the outside wall. Degree of banking refers to the height of a racetrack's slope at the outside edge.

CAMBER
Camber addresses the angle at which a tire makes contact with the track surface. "Positive camber" indicates the angle of the tire is tilted away from the vehicle's centerline while "negative camber" indicates the tire is tilted toward the centerline. A typical oval track setup would have positive camber in the left front and negative camber in the right front to help the vehicle make left-hand turns.

CAMSHAFT
A rotating shaft within the engine that opens and closes the intake and exhaust valves in the engine.

CHASSIS
The combination of a car's floorboard, interior and roll cage.

CHASSIS ROLL
The up-and-down movement caused when a car travels around corners at high speeds. The side of the car facing the turn becomes lighter while the extra weight goes toward the outside of the turn.

CONTACT PATCH
The part of the tire that's actually touching the road.

DIRTY AIR
The air used and discarded by the lead car.

DOWNFORCE
The air pressure traveling over the surfaces of a race vehicle creates "downforce" or weight on that area. In order to increase corner speeds 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
The aerodynamic effect that allows two or more cars traveling nose-to-tail to run faster than a single car. When one car follows closely, the one in front cuts through the air, providing less resistance for the car in back.

DRAFTING
The practice of two or more cars, while racing, to run nose-to-tail, almost touching. The lead car, by displacing the air in front of it, creates a vacuum between its rear end and the nose of the following car, actually pulling the second car along with it.

DRAG
The resistance a car experiences when passing through air at high speeds. A resisting force exerted on a car parallel to its air stream and opposite in direction to its motion.

ENGINE BLOCK
An iron casting from the manufacturer that envelopes the crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons.

FABRICATOR
A person who specializes in creating the sheet metal body of a stock car. Most teams employ two or more.

FIREWALL
A solid metal plate that separates the engine compartment from the driver's compartment of a race car.

FRONT CLIP
The front-most part of the race car, starting with the firewall.

FUEL CELL
A holding tank for a race car's supply of gasoline. Consists of a metal box that contains a flexible, tear-resistant bladder and foam baffling. A product of aerospace technology, it's designed to eliminate or minimize fuel spillage.

GROOVE
Slang term for the best route around a racetrack; the most efficient or quickest way around the track for a particular driver. The "high groove" takes a car closer to the outside wall for most of a lap, while the "Low groove" takes a car closer to the apron than the outside wall. Road racers use the term "line." Drivers search for a fast groove, and that has been known to change depending on track and weather conditions.

HAPPY HOUR
Slang term for the last official practice session held before an event. Usually takes place the day before the race and after all qualifying and support races have been staged.

HANDLING
Generally, a race car's performance while racing, qualifying or practicing. How a car "Handles" is determined by its tires, suspension geometry, aerodynamics and other factors.

INTERVAL
The time-distance between two cars. Referred to roughly in car lengths, or precisely in seconds.

LAPPED TRAFFIC
Cars that have completed at least one full lap less than the race leader.

LOOSE
(Also referred to as "free" or "oversteer.") A condition created when the back end of the vehicle wants to overtake the front end when it is either entering or exiting a turn. In qualifying mode teams walk a fine line creating a setup that "frees the vehicle up" as much as possible without causing the driver to lose control.

MARBLES
(Also referred to as "loose stuff.") Bits of rubber that have been shaved off tires and dirt and gravel blown to the outside of a corner by the wind created by passing vehicles comprise the "marbles" that are often blamed by drivers for causing them to lose control.

NEUTRAL
A term drivers use when referring to how their car is handling. When a car is neither loose nor pushing (tight).

OVERSTEER
See Loose

PIT ROAD
The area where pit crews service the cars. Generally located along the front straightaway, but because of space limitations, some racetracks sport pit roads on the front and back straightaways.

PIT STALL
The area along pit road that is designated for a particular team's use during pit stops. Each car stops in the team's stall before being serviced.

POLE POSITION
Slang term for the foremost position on the starting grid, awarded to the fastest qualifier.

PUSH
(Also referred to as "tight" or "understeer.") "Push" is a condition that occurs when the front tires of a vehicle will not turn crisply in a corner. When this condition occurs, the driver must get out of the throttle until the front tires grip the race track again.

QUARTER PANEL
The sheet metal on both sides of the car from the C-post to the rear bumper below the deck lid and above the wheel well.

REAR CLIP
The section of a race car that begins at the base of the rear windshield and extends to the rear bumper. Contains the car's fuel cell and rear suspension components.

RESTRICTOR PLATE
An aluminum plate that is placed between the base of the carburetor and the engine's intake manifold with four holes drilled in it. The plate is designed to reduce the flow of air and fuel into the engine's combustion chamber, thereby decreasing horsepower and speed.

ROOF FLAPS
These flaps are sections at the rear of a race vehicle's roof that are designed to activate, or flip up, if the air pressure flowing across them decreases. In the case of a vehicle turning backwards, the tendency for an uninterrupted flow of air is to create lift. The roof flaps are designed to disrupt that airflow in attempt to keep the vehicle on the ground.

ROUND
Slang term for a way of making chassis adjustments utilizing the race car's springs. A wrench is inserted in a jack bolt attached to the springs, and is used to tighten or loosen the amount of play in the spring. This in turn can loosen or tighten the handling of a race car.

SETUP
Slang term for the tuning and adjustments made to a race car's suspension before and during a race.

SHORT TRACK
Racetracks that are less than one mile in length.

SILLY SEASON
Slang for the period that begins during the latter part of the current season, wherein some teams announce driver, crew and/or sponsor changes.

SPOILER
(Also referred to as a "blade.") The spoiler is a strip of aluminum that stretches across the width of a race vehicle's rear decklid. It is designed to create downforce on the rear of the vehicle, thereby increasing traction. However, the tradeoff, again, is that more downforce equals more aerodynamic drag, so teams attempt, particularly on qualifying runs, to lay the spoiler at as low an angle as possible to "free up" their vehicles for more straightaway speed.

STAGGER
Stagger is a concept that has largely been eliminated with the use of radial tires. It refers to the difference in tire circumference between the left- and right-side tires on the vehicle. Typically, the left-side tires would be a smaller circumference than the right-side tires to "help" the vehicle make left-hand turns.

STICK
Slang term used for tire traction.

STICKERS
Slang term for new tires. The name is derived from the manufacturer's stickers that are affixed to each new tire's contact surface.

STOP 'N' GO (BLACK FLAGGED)
A penalty, usually assessed for speeding on pit road at the appropriate speed and stopped for one full second in the team's pit stall before returning to the track.

SUPERSPEEDWAY
A racetrack of one mile or more in distance. Road courses are included. Racers refer to three types of oval tracks. Short tracks are under one mile, intermediate tracks are at least a mile but under two miles and superspeedways are two miles and longer.

SWAY BAR
Sometimes called an "antiroll bar." Bar used to resist or counteract the rolling force of the car body through the turns.

TEMPLATE
A device used to check the body shape and size to ensure compliance with the rules. The template closely resembles the shape of the factory version of the car.

TIGHT
Also known as "understeer." A car is said to be tight if the front wheels lose traction before the rear wheels do. A tight race car doesn't seem able to steer sharply enough through the turns. Instead, the front end continues through the wall.

TOE
Looking at the car from the front, the amount the tires are turned in or out. If you imagine your feet to be the two front tires of a race car, standing with your toes together would represent toe-in. Standing with your heels together would represent toe-out.

TRACK BAR
(Also referred to as a "Panhard bar.") This bar locates the vehicle's rear end housing from left-to-right under it. In calibrating the vehicle's "suspension geometry," raising or lowering the track bar changes the rear roll center and determines how well it will travel through the corners. During races, this adjustment is done through the rear window using an extended ratchet. Typically, lowering the track bar will "tighten" the vehicle and raising the track bar will "loosen" it.

TRAILING ARM
A rear suspension piece holding the rear axle firmly fore and aft yet allowing it to travel up and down.

TRI-OVAL
A racetrack that has a "hump" or "fifth turn" in addition to the standard four corners. Not to be confused with a triangle-shaped speedway, which only has three distinct corners.

TURBULANCE
Air that trails behind a race car and disrupts the flow of air to the cars behind it.

UNDERSTEER
See Tight

VALANCE
(Also referred to as "front air dam.") This is the panel that extends below the vehicle's front bumper. The relation of the bottom of the valance, or its ground clearance, affects the amount of front downforce the vehicle creates. Lowering the valance creates more front downforce.

VICTORY LANE
Sometimes called the "winner's circle." The spot on each racetrack's infield where the race winner parks for the celebration.

WEDGE
Refers to the relationship from corner-to-corner of the weight of the race vehicle. Increasing the weight on any corner of the vehicle affects the weight of the other three corners in direct proportion. Weight adjustments are made by turning "weight jacking screws" mounted on each corner with a ratchet. A typical adjustment for a "loose" car would be to increase the weight of the left rear corner of the vehicle, which decreases the weight of the left front and right rear corners and increases the weight of the right front. A typical adjustment for a "tight" vehicle would be to increase the weight of the right rear corner, which decreases the weight of the right front and left rear and increases the weight of the left front.

WEIGHT JACKING
The practice of shifting a car's weight to favor certain wheels.

WIND TUNNEL
A structure used by race teams to determine the aerodynamic efficiency of their vehicles, consisting of a platform on which the vehicle is fixed and a giant fan to create wind currents. Telemetry devices determine the airflow over the vehicle and its coefficient of drag and downforce.