apex
The exact center of the turn.

apron
The paved section around the bottom of the race track.  This section is usually flat compared to the racing surface.

back marker
A driver who constantly runs at the back of the pack.

balaclava
A fireproof mask covering all but the driver's eyes.

blue oval
A Ford, derived from it's trade symbol.

bow tie
A Chevrolet, derived from it's trade symbol.

brain bucket
Helmet.

brain fade
A bad error by a driver.

bubble
A driver who is sitting on the "bubble" is the slowest of the top eight (at Colorado National Speedway) in qualifying.  This driver can be "knocked off the bubble" by another driver who turns a faster time.

checked out
This is what happens when the leader drives off from the rest of the pack.

collected
If a car is involved in an on track incident or accident it would be said that the car was "collected".

dirty air
The turbulent air directly behind or beside a race car, which often causes loss of downforce.

high & dry
What a race car becomes when it gets too high and loses one or more positions.

inside line
The shortest line around the track.  On an oval track it's the part of the racing surface closest to the infield.

jack
What the jackman uses to lift the side of the car for tire changing.

lid
The roof of the race car.  This is something that the driver doesn't want to be sliding down the track on.

loose
Drivers say the car is "loose" if on the turns, the rear ends heads toward the wall.  But, a loose car tends to be faster than a "tight" car.

marbles
Loose debris on the edge of the track which causes loss of traction, and usually, a trip into the wall.

nosing over
When a race car's performance "flattens out" or doesn't pull down the straights any more, which could be because of poor tuning or exceeding the engine's power range.

pinched
When a race car on the outside squeezes the inside car going down into the turn, causing the inside car to fall behind.

puked
The engine "puked" or blew up.

punt
To bump someone from behind, usually causing a spin.

pushing
A stock car that is "pushing" will have a tendency to head toward the wall on a turn.  Also refered to as "tight".

roof flaps
Plates on the roof of a NASCAR race car that deploy when the car is spinning and going backwards and helps the car from flipping.

rub
To make slight contact with another car.  Also called "trading paint".

scrubbing
Breaking in new tires by running them for a couple of laps to heat them and harden them for the race.  Also called "scuffing".

slideways
Going around a corner with all wheels in a slide without wrecking.

splash-and-go
A pit stop for fuel only.

spotter
An extra pair of eyes for the driver.  The spotter warns the driver of impending wrecks or track conditions ahead of the driver.  At Colorado National Speedway, the spotters usually stand on the top row of the pit side grandstands and communicate to the driver via two-way radio.  Only the Late Model,  Pro Trucks, and Modified divisions have radios at Colorado National Speedway.

stagger
To place different sized tires on the race car to lean the car to one side.  Used on oval tracks to help improve cornering.  Small changes in stagger are made by adjusting the air pressure in the tires.  NOTE - most teams use nitrogen instead of compressed air due to the fact that compressed air contains moisture and tends to expand when heated thus changing the calculated stagger.

sticker tires
Brand new tires on the race car.  For a few laps you can usually see the stickers rotate as the car goes by.

threshold braking
Braking hard, but below the point where the tires lock up and begin to skid.

walkin' the dog
Describes a driver who was lucky enough to hit the proper setup and is running away from the field.

wedge
Also called "a round of bite".  To make a race car a little higher on the right side and improve handling and grip.

wire-to-wire
A driver who wins the race from the pole position.

Revised: June 11, 2007