Glossary of motorsport terms
The following is a glossary of terminology used in motorsport, along with explanations of their meanings.
0–9
;1–2 finish: When two vehicles from the same team finish first and second in a race. Can be extended to 1–2–3 or 1–2–3–4, etc. depending on a combination of racing series and team size.;107% rule: Often used in Formula One or other racing series, it is a rule where the driver must qualify the car within 107% of the polesitter's time to be allowed to compete. Variations of this may be used to monitor drivers and warn them to reach the required pace or be parked. Similarly, the IndyCar Series uses a 105% rule, and NASCAR has a 115% rule, mainly for performance on track, though IndyCar and NASCAR often adjust the threshold for tracks with very abrasive surfaces where lap times can be considerably faster with less worn tires.
;200 MPH Club: A lifetime "membership" awarded by the SCTA or another sanctioning body or circuit to any driver who drives over a specified distance at a minimum speed of, while also breaking a record. Membership can stretch over from the more exclusive 300 to the elite 400. Also known as the 2 Club or Dirty Two Club for records taking place at El Mirage Lake.
;60-foot time: In drag racing, the time taken for a vehicle to travel the first of the drag strip.
;n-stop strategy: A pit stop strategy where a driver makes n stops throughout a race.
A
;aero cover: See wheel shroud.;air jacks: Pneumatic cylinders strategically mounted to the frame near the wheels of a racing car, which project downwards to lift the car off the ground during a pit stop to allow for quick tire changes or provide mechanics access to the underside of the car for repairs.
;alphabet soup: In midget car and sprint car racing, and on many short tracks, alphabet soup denotes the various preliminary races drivers will race through to advance to the feature event. Such is named for the heat race format, from the O main at the Chili Bowl Nationals to the N, M, L, K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B, and finally A main. A driver who runs through the alphabet soup is a driver who has advanced from the lowest feature of the day and advanced to the A main.
;apex:The part of a corner where the racing line is nearest the inside of the bend.
;apron: An area of asphalt or concrete that separates the racing surface from the infield.
;arrive-and-drive: A form of racing where the driver does not own or manage the vehicle, which is provided to the competitor upon entry. Particularly prevalent in kart racing.
;auto racing: Alternative term for motorsport, largely American, although referring specifically to circuit and oval racing for cars, and excluding sports such as motorcycle racing, rallying and drifting.
;autotesting: See ''gymkhana.''
B
;B main: See semi-feature.;B-specification: A version of a car that has been changed to the point it is substantially different to its original specification, without warranting its own distinct name.
;B-team: See satellite team.
;back half: In drag racing, referring to distance from the 1/8-mile mark to the 1/4-mile mark of the track.
;backmarker: A slower car, usually in the process of being lapped by the leaders. It is also used to describe teams that consistently perform poorly.
;backup car: See spare car.
;bag of donuts: In drag racing, a perfect reaction time of.000 seconds.
;beam: In drag racing, the electric eye controlling the pre-stage and stage lights at the starting line.
;banking: The angle at which a track inclines towards the outside of a corner. Also referred to as camber, more commonly when modest or negative.
;The Big One: A large pileup during a stock car race involving up to 30 cars. The term is largely reserved for restrictor plate racing at Daytona and Talladega.
;binning it: Crashing out of a session.
;black-flagged: To be ordered to the pits or penalty box, due to a violation of the rules or an unsafe car. A black flag is shown to the car that has to stop. Also known as being "posted".
;blend line: A painted line defining the area where the pit lane rejoins the race track, and prevents cars exiting the pit from driving into race traffic travelling past the pits, or vice versa. Competitors are penalised for crossing the blend line, ensuring that exiting cars have reached sufficient speed before rejoining the race.
;bleach box: In drag racing, an area where bleach is deposited for cars to perform burnouts at the start of most drag races. Gasoline, water, and TrackBite are also used; most organisations only permit water.
;blow: See blown.
;blower: A supercharger; in the 1990s, these were generally labelled as "power adders" alongside turbochargers and nitrous.
;blown: An engine that is supercharged. Alternatively, an engine that has suffered catastrophic failure, is no longer running, or has sustained irreparable damage.
;blowover: Flipping of a car or boat, due to excessive air under the chassis or hull, respectively.
;bottle: In drag racing, the gas cylinder containing nitrous. Also called a jug.
;bottoming / bottoming out: When the bottom of the chassis touches the track.
;box: A mostly European term used by people at the pit wall to tell a driver to perform a pit stop. In NASCAR, it is rarely mentioned outside of earning a penalty for conducting work on the car while not within the bounds of the team's pit stall.
;breakout: In bracket racing, a run quicker than the projected "dial-in" time. Grounds for disqualification if opponent does not commit a foul start or cross boundary lines. Also known as a bustout.
;bump and run: A move with origins in stock car racing, where a trailing car intentionally bumps the car in front in an attempt to pass.
;burnout: The act of spinning the driven wheels in place to heat the tires up for better traction. It is also used in stock car racing, typically to celebrate a race win.
;Buschwhacker / claim jumper / signal pirate / Cup leech: In NASCAR, a driver who regularly races in the first-tier NASCAR Cup Series, but makes guest or semi-regular appearances racing in the second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series. The term was named originally for the then-sponsor of the second-tier series, the Anheuser-Busch brewery. Claim jumper was a reference to second-tier sponsor Nationwide Insurance, and signal pirate references current second-tier sponsor Comcast Xfinity, with Cup leech used as a sponsor-neutral term.
C
;camber: A.) The angle at which wheels are set up to tilt in or out, measured in degrees in or out from 90 degrees. Positive camber means the top of the tyre is angled outwards from the car; negative camber means that the top tilts inwards. Negative camber assists cornering performance, as the outside tires lean into the corner Banking, the angle at which a corner inclines towards the outside. Sometimes specified as positive camber and negative camber, the latter indicating a decline from the inside of a corner.;: A fence made of chain-link fencing, welded grid fencing, and/or cables used to slow or stop out-of-control cars and prevent debris from hitting the crowd. They are common on short tracks, street circuits, and permanent circuits.
; / catch can: A receptacle placed in a go-kart to capture liquids, like water and oil, that would otherwise drop onto the track. Also known as a recovery tank.
;caution / caution period: See [|full-course yellow].
;chase vehicle: In off-road racing, a non-competitive vehicle that follows a competing vehicle to assist with repairs.
;chicane: An artificial corner or set of corners added to the natural course of a track to slow cars or create a passing zone.
;: The cone at which drivers have to pick if they want to take inside or outside in oval racing during a restart.
;Christmas tree: The series of lights in drag racing that signal the approach and start of a race, in addition to showing starting violations.
;course record: Fastest recorded lap at a circuit.
;clean air: Air that has not been affected by turbulence from other cars. The opposite of dirty air.
;clerk of the course: The official responsible for all on-track activities, including demonstrations and parades. They oversee track conditions, supervise marshals and emergency services, control the deployment of the safety car, and decide upon suspending a session. If a race director is appointed, the clerk is junior and the race director has ultimate authority; if not, they are often the most senior official at a racing event.
;closing/shutting the door: An early defensive racing line taken into a corner to block the car behind from overtaking along the preferred line.
;co-driver: In rallying, a co-driver directs the driver through the course by reading navigational instructions from the road book, and pacenotes on special stages which describe the turns and obstacles ahead. Also historically called a navigator, the co-driver is also permitted to drive the car. The term is also used in long-distance sports car and touring car racing, where multiple drivers share the same vehicle.
;: A preplanned full-course yellow, mandated by the sanctioning body, where drivers bring their vehicles into the pits. Frequently done to change tires because of excessive tire wear, or to prevent teams from having to hire specialised pit crews. In some cases, the safety car only is applied after a set number of consecutive green-flag laps or time has been run without a safety car. A cash or points bonus may be paid to the team leading at the time of the period.
;control: Where series organisers specify that all competitors in the race must use an identical part; as in control tire or control engine.
;: During a safety car period, teams can change tires and refuel within a limited time window to make adjustments. Depending on the series, teams will either not lose any track position or will not lose their position relative to the cars that pitted during the caution.
;count-back: A tiebreaking system where drivers on level points are classified based on their highest placements across the season. First, they are ordered by number of wins, then by number of second-places, and etcetera. If this does not break the tie, then an additional tiebreaker may be used: Formula One uses qualifying positions, the IndyCar Series declares a draw.
;crate motor: An engine that is ready-built and sealed by an independent company. Crate motors are sometimes mandated and sometimes optional. They are commonly used in regional touring series down to local tracks, and in divisions from late models on down. Crate motors are implemented to limit costs and ensure that the entire field has the same equipment. The ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series have an optional crate small-block engine option.
;crossed sticks: Two curled up flags held out in the form of a cross that signal the halfway mark in many American racing series.
;curb: A dirt oval cushion that has formed into a harder dirt ledge with a similar shape to a sidewalk curb. Often, curbs are harder and more treacherous to run across than the softer cushions, and can easily flip improperly approaching cars over.
;cushion: In dirt racing, when dirt is kicked up and lands near the edges of the track after cars drift through the corners. The dirt builds up after time and can slow a driver down if they slide too deep into it while drifting through the turn. In dirt oval racing, when dirt is kicked towards the wall, it builds into a short mound that cars will lean on in order to gain speed and momentum.
;customer car: A car externally sourced by a racing team, either from another team or from a specialist racing chassis manufacturer. Primarily a Formula One term, where the majority of teams built their own cars; customer cars have since been banned from F1. In some short track late model and modified series, customer cars are standard, while the opposite is the house car, which is the works cars built by a chassis builder.