SBR's know your racing terms, part 2
Know Your Racing Terms - Part 2 With a bit of a break before the opening races of the 2005 V8 Supercar season, back-to-back series champions Stone Brothers Racing have decided to keep the fans' minds ticking over. SBR has compiled a series of ...
Know Your Racing Terms - Part 2
With a bit of a break before the opening races of the 2005 V8 Supercar season, back-to-back series champions Stone Brothers Racing have decided to keep the fans' minds ticking over.
SBR has compiled a series of racing terms designed to educate fans and keep them interested during the "off" season.
The terms will be released once a week over the next month, according to team co-owner, Ross Stone.
"I don't think you can ever know enough," said Ross Stone.
"We have put these terms together so fans can become more educated on our sport and so they have somthing to keep their interest before we head to the AGP for support races in March.
"We hope all V8 Supercar fans had a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year and that the terms come in handy as they prepare for what is sure to be a great 2005 season."
Pirtek Falcon driver Marcos Ambrose and Caltex Racing's Russell Ingall are enjoying a month-long break before getting back into the swing of things for 2005.
RACING TERMS
HAIRPIN
A sharp, 180-degree turn.
HANDLING
The performance of a car while racing. The response
characteristics of a race car or "how it handles" are
determined by its tyres, chassis, suspension geometry,
aerodynamics and other factors.
HANS Device
Acronym for Head and Neck Support. A yoke-collar safety
device designed to reduce extreme head motions and neck loads
during high-speed impacts. Many drivers in V8 Supercars are
using these and they have become compulsory in some
categories around the world.
HAT DANCE
The ritual of photos taken after a race, with the top three
drivers changing sponsors hats for each photo.
HORSEPOWER
A measure of an engine's maximum output in terms of torque
over a period of time. V8 Supercar engines produce around
620hp.
IN THE FENCE
When a driver hits the wall and crashes.
INFIELD
By its nature, a race track is an enclosed loop of pavement,
beginning and ending in the same spot. Anything inside this
loop is considered the infield, and it usually must be
accessed by tunnels or bridges so vehicle and foot traffic do
not interfere with the racing surface.
KART
Many drivers in the V8 Supercar field began their racing
careers in karts, and use them to keep their reflexes sharp
and their bodies toned between races and in the off-season.
The phrase "go-karts" is usually reserved for basic karts
with very low-powered motors that are rented to the general
public. Racing karts, however, are extremely quick and
physical to drive, serving as a low-cost way to go racing
with a high-level experience. It's also a great place for
families, with special classes and karts just for kids.
KITTY LITTER
The gravel runoff areas on the outside of many road course
turns that help slow cars that go off the track.
LIFT
To partially or completely release the throttle pedal,
reducing engine RPM and speed. May also be referred to as
"breathing" the throttle.
LINE
This is the quickest way around a race circuit, taking
advantage of braking, cornering and acceleration. For
example, the line for a typical right-handed corner would
begin by lining up on the left side of the approaching
straight, braking hard, turning in all the way across the
track to the inside curb, and then unwinding the steering
wheel on the exit to release the friction of the turn, which
takes the car back across the track to the outside again. The
idea is to use the maximum amount of arc possible to maintain
the greatest speed through the corner. The line is often
visible due to the rubber laid down by cars, and
interestingly is not the shortest way around the track, just
the fastest.
LIVERY
A term describing the graphic design on a race car, including
colour schemes and sponsor branding.
LOCKING THE BRAKES
Engaging the brakes so hard that one or more wheels stops
turning completely. This can cause a loss of steering if the
front brakes are locked, or a spin if the rear brakes are
locked. Locking the brakes can be a minor incident with no
bad effects, or cause a driver to lose control, or flat spot
one or more tyres, creating a bad vibration in the car. A
driver can adjust how his brakes perform by using the brake
bias adjustment in the cockpit.
LOOSE OR OVERSTEER
Same as Oversteer. Typically describes a cornering condition
where the rear tyres lose adhesion before the front tyres,
resulting in a car that feels like it wants to spin easily.
If the front end hits the wall, it was understeer. If the
rear end hits the wall, it was oversteer.
-sbr-
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