The BMW Club of Canada - Club BMW du Canada - and the member clubs

Track Terms and Phrases

Here is a glossary of driving enthusiast's terms. Standing track-side during a race or attending a advanced driving school you might hear some of these words and phrases. If you don't see a term here, or one is incorrect, send us a note . A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U W Y latest additions: alligator teeth, breathe, gymkana, modulate, point by, reel in, track-out area

A

ABS The Anti-lock Brake System is a computer controlled system that prevents each of a car's wheels from locking up during extremely hard braking. Heat dissipated between a locked wheel and the road surface is less efficient than in the brake parts. Some systems will lock and unlock a wheel from 12 to 15 times per second. A hindrance on sheer ice and gravel, ABS will stop a car in the shortest distance possible. More importantly, ABS permits steering during hard braking. (image from Fields BMW home page ) accident Overused term to describe a crash. agricultural Car has left the track and traverses the grasses or field surrounding it. Used in the expression "going agricultural." Also referred to as cutting the grass, bushwhacking, cutting weeds, going farming, going inland, ploughing the fields. alligator teeth See also "turtles" or "rumble strip." This suggests curbing with sharper points... anchors Brakes. "He really had to jump on the anchors into that corner." Popular parlance in the Australian Super Touring Car Championship. apex The area closest to the inside of a corner, the mid-point of the corner. Some call it a point but that's only applicable in theoretical discussions. Drivers attempt to "hit" or touch it so maintain maximum speed through a corner. Armco Guard rail surrounding track usually in corners, entomology unknown. Common term in U.S. and U.K. racing. Perhaps the manufacturer's name. ASC+T Automatic Stability Control + Traction system. Standard feature on newer 5 and 7 Series BMWs. Prevents wheel-spin in low traction situations. Don't know what the acronym actually stands for though... New '98 system is called DSC. autocross An autocross is a short twisty, technical circuit marked with pylons usually set up in an empty parking lot or skid pad. A driver must navigate their car in as short a time as possible. If a cone is knocked over, the driver receives a short time penalty. Requires tremendous car control. Most chapters of BMWCC conduct autocrosses. A common short form is "auto-x." Competitive regional autocrossing is called "solo" racing (because you're competing against yourself or the clock), type II (two), or "solo II." AWD All wheel drive. See "FWD" and "RWD." return to top of list

B

balance zone Also referred to as "transition zone," this is the area between the turn-in and apex of a corner. The brakes are smoothly released at the beginning of this zone and the throttle is gently applied or squeezed near the apex. Steering input gradually increases from minor at turn-in to maximum at apex. baldinni Bald tires. Meant to sound like an exotic Italian maker. Blake Nancarrow excels at using them with his rental cars... beached When a car gets stuck or trapped in a gravel run-off area. Between gravel collecting under the car, the car bouncing around, and race cars often having very little ground clearance, the car cannot free itself. The wheels just spin, just like Michael Schumaucher in the final race of the '97 Grand Prix. Sometimes referred to as being "on the beach." beamer A BMW motorcycle. See "bimmer." bimmer A BMW car. See "beamer." binders Brakes. blind spot Areas at side and rear of a car where it is difficult to see a following car. Precise side mirror adjustment can minimize or eliminate this blind areas. blister When the rubber of a tire overheats unevenly they may develop a blister. If this breaks or deteriorates further a tire may blow apart or disintegrate. bleeding, brake To ensure proper hydraulic pressure during the high heat of performance or racing conditions the brake lines need to be flushed or bled, then fresh brake fluid can be filled in, all the while ensuring there are no air bubbles. bleed line White line painted on track from exit of pit area. A car entering track must stay behind this line until up to speed so to not interfere with lapping cars. A driver with 2 or more wheels over may be issued a black flag and sent home. black flag Solid black flag shown to driver to inform him that something is wrong with the car or the driver. Driver must return to pits. blip A quick press on the accelerator pedal to rev an engine. Required in heel-and-toe downshifting. Should increase rpms by about 1000. blue flag Solid blue flag shown to a driver so to inform him that a faster car is following closely and wants to pass. In the next passing zone the lead driver then may signal the following driver so to permit the pass. bonnet The front hood of the car, usually covering the engine compartment. A favourite term of the Brits and Aussies. bootlid The back hood of the car, usually covering the luggage trunk. A favourite term of the Brits and Aussies. boots Tires. both feet in In a spin, a driver must step on the brakes and the clutch. This is to stop the car as quickly as possible (by locking up) and keep the motor running. brake bias Race cars have brake systems where the amount of braking force can be adjusted between the front and rear brakes. Some cars permit the driver to change this from the cockpit. Formula 1 typically uses 58% front. brain bucket Helmet. brain fade A lapse in concentration, perhaps due to being tired. May occur late in day or at end of driving weekend. brake fade Reduction of braking power as rotors and pads heat up with hard braking. This heat transfers into the brake lines and fluid causing the fluid to produce bubbles or even boil. The brake pedal has a spongy feel perhaps requiring longer or deeper effort. brake fluid A hygroscopic liquid (absorbs water) with a high boiling point. Must be kept in a tightly sealed container or the boiling point will be reduced. brake in a straight line Beginner drivers are encouraged to complete braking before turning into a corner so to minimize the chances of spinning. Does not take advantage of slip angles. Safer than "trail braking" in low grip track conditions. braking zone Area before "turn-in" point of corner where maximum braking is completed. A down-shift (or two) may also be required here. Usually a straight line. breathe Often used in reference to throttle application. The driver stops pressing the throttle any further or lifts their foot off the throttle. bushwhacking See "agricultural." button, the In-car button that increases or decreases fuel mixture. CART drivers will use this to speed up car; unfortunately, it burns more fuel. See "turn the wick up." return to top of list

C

cadence braking This slow rhythmic braking is the best form of braking on an uneven surface or centre-bare. The wheels are locked up once every second then released. Gives time to correct steering should car rotate. camel snot A slippery polymer not unlike the consistency of dish soap. Applied on a skid pad to dramatically reduce friction and induce slides and skids. Used liberally at the Oakville Skid Control School. camber The roll, angle, or canter of the road surface left and right from the direction of travel. Often corners are angled or banked in favour of the driver; when angle is unfavourable the road is described as off-camber. CART Championship Auto Racing Teams Inc. cat Catalytic convertor. CBC Cornering braking control. A system that can apply different pressures to each brake during cornering. May also delay or speed braking effort to different wheels. See also DSC. checkered flag Black and white checkered flag shown to driver to inform him that the run session has ended. In racing, the end of the race. At a driving school, the driver is expected to perform one more lap at a reduced pace to cool brakes and the engine, then finally return to pits. chicane A sequence of slight, short curves which are challenging to negotiate at speed thus forcing race drivers to slow down. Viewed from above, an "S" shaped sequence. Race drivers don't like them; spectators love them. When a larger sequence, it is often called "esses." E.g. #4 and #5 at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant . clip Clip or touch the apex. close the door A leading car prevents a following car from passing in a corner, usually by taking an inside line. cold lane Lane in pit where cars wait to enter track. See "hot lane." cold tires, cold driver When starting a run it is important to remember that everything is cold. Cold tires have poor grip. A cold driver has mental cob webs. You might hear a driver chant this to themselves. concours A competition in which cars are judged on cleanliness, condition, and authenticity. The BMWCCA plans these events regularly. coneitis Poor visioning technique wherein drive stares at a cone on skid pad or at side of track rather than looking and planning ahead. confidence lift See "lift." contact patch The remarkably small patch of tire that is in contact with the road surface. All a car's grip is made through four contact points. The contact patch is about the size of a hand--fingers closed. If a driver forces a car beyond the limits of adhesion, the car will lose it's grip. Braking causes a car to pitch forward increasing the size of the front contact patches. Acceleration makes the front patches reduce in size, decreasing grip. corner worker See "marshal." crab See "drift." curb rash Scratches on a wheel rim resulting from hitting a curb or severe turtles. cutting weeds See "agricultural." CVT Continuous Variable Transmission. An automatic transmission that doesn't use gears; rather it uses belts and clutches to offer infinity range of low through high "gear" ratios. Smoother and quieter than traditional systems. Until recently, not practical nor powerful. Nissan may be the first to mass-market. return to top of list

D

DECH Derek Hanson's add-on performance packages for Ford Mustangs, Mazda RX-7s, etc. decreasing radius A corner that tightens. It requires increased steering input after the apex. Very challenging. Opposite from an increasing radius. deep into a corner Braking later into a corner, usually to overtake a car. Often needed when taking an inside line. Also referred to as "going deeper." dialed-in When a driver is warmed up and "in the groove," concentrating perfectly, performing very well, he will usually turn in some hot laps. Dialing in refers to settling down, improving one's concentration. May also refer to car setup where pit crew has adjusted car perfectly for weather and track conditions. dice in a box Passengers without seat belts. A Young Drivers teaching term. dirty air Following a car at low speed can unsettle the trailing car in a couple of ways. The air at the back of the lead car is churned up or disturbed, if nothing else is blocked, so decreases the trailing car's down-force. At low speed, there is no advantage to drafting. Also, the trailing car is in line with the lead car's exhaust. donut When a driver causes a stopped car to spin in a tight circle. Usually leaves a patch of rubber, donut-shaped on the pavement. Just watch Alex Zanardi... down-force Vertical downward force created by air pressure passing over the adjustable front and rear wings, spoilers, and body work. Higher down-force improves turning response. Long fast circuits require less down-force whereas tight road circuits with hard corners need more. CART and F1 cars use wings; NASCAR uses spoilers. double clutching Older manual transmissions, without or with poor synchromeshing, required the driver to release clutch in neutral before downshifting, in some cases (as in the Jaguar E-type), when upshifting. draft A car closely trailing a lead car at high speed will meet with less air resistance and less drag. There is a low pressure area or air pocket behind the car. This enables the trailing car to travel slightly faster even if equal in power. Often used just before a corner to overtake the leader by drafting, speeding up, then dodging to the side. This slingshots the trailing car ahead. drift When both ends of a car are slipping (or crabbing) a small amount in a corner without scrubbing off speed. dry line See "the line." DSC Dynamic Stability Control. The modern (1998) equivalent of ASC+T for BMWs. Prevents wheelspin. During cornering, this can brake individual wheels to counteract understeer or oversteer. dynamic weight transfer The shifting of weight or dynamic mass in a car from one end to another through braking or acceleration. Of course, the weight does not truly shift (one hopes). During hard braking, the nose of the car dives (pitch); during cornering, weight transfers laterally (roll). return to top of list

E

edge, the The edge of adhesion, often used when a driver is pushing the car to the limits of adhesion, cornering hard without spinning, braking hard without locking up nor activating the ABS. The sound of the tires smoothly protesting is a testament to the driver's effectiveness, all out squealing is not. See "the limit," "contact patch," "threshold braking." elk test An emergency lane-change obstacle often created at autocrosses by the Rolf "elk dodger extraordinare" Lange. engine braking The effect of a car slowing down when the driver lifts his foot off the accelerator. The magnitude of this effect is generally greater in a car with a manual transmission than one with an automatic. "Heal-and-toe" downshifting is used in racing conditions to minimize the forward weight transfer. exit The area on the road where a driver completes unwinding the steering wheel thus completing the turn. Car should be at maximum acceleration at this area. See "track-out area." excursion See "agriculture." return to top of list

F

F1 Formula 1. fade, brain See "brain fade." fade, fading, brake See "brake fade." false grid Grid of race cars positioned in pits or paddock rather than on track. farming See "agricultural." FIA Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. filled mirrors When a trailing driver is right behind a leader, the rear-view mirrors are filled with the images of the trailing driver. Often an indication of the lead driver on the defense. fin Wing or spoiler on car to produce down-force. See "wing." fish tail See "loose." flame-thrower Car with fuel mixture turned up so high that when driver lifts the engine literally backfires with flames out the exhaust. flat-spot Hard braking (without ABS correction) will cause a wheel to stop turning. If left too long at speed, the rubber at the contact patch will be scrubbed off to the point where it produces a flat spot on the tire. This unsettles the car and produces a bump effect in that wheel. Occurs above 45 km/h or 30mph. See "lock up." four wheels off If a driver lets four wheels off the track it is clear the driver is unable to control their car. The car must be inspect immediately for damage, in particular fluid leaks. At BMW and Saab advanced driving schools, they will receive a black flag and are expected to proceed to the pits. The driver (and instructor) will discuss the situation with the event organizers, and receive a severe warning. If a second four wheels off occurs, the driver is sent home. See "two wheels off." friction circle A 1960's concept that graphically shows a tire's friction limit under acceleration, braking, and lateral conditions or cornering. It illustrates how dovetailing actions can maximize a tire's effectiveness. FWD Front wheel drive. See "AWD" and "RWD." return to top of list

G

get in... A demonstrative ("Get in, shut up, and hang on.") issued to a passenger. Often heard from Craig Tilford. Get on it! Popular phrase of Craig Tilford's meaning you're driving too slow. Glatt Fuel that Blake Nancarrow requires. go backwards I forgot what this means...! I think the reference is when a quick driver passes another car making the passed car look like it's going backwards... going away Fading or degradation of part or system, e.g. "my brakes are going away." got a tow Closely draft a lead vehicle. green flag Track ahead is clear for driving at speed. grid Race cars in a rectangular formation on the track, usually two cards per row. In a standing-start there is a grid pattern painted unto the track. grip See "contact patch." grooved tires New partly treaded tires used on Formula 1 cars. They are ordered over slicks by the FIA in an effort to slow down the cars in the 1998 season. gummies R-compound tires. gymkana A fun event, not unlike an autocross, wherein a driver must, in their car of course, navigate a course, usually very tight one, to achieve a particular result. Often, the driver carries a passenger or navigator. The passenger might have to pick up something, say a tennis ball on the top of a cone, without leaving the car. return to top of list

H

hairpin A very tight corner, slow, usually 180°. heel-and-toe Complex pedal work to improve car balance during manual downshifting. Driver brakes with right foot, clutches with left foot, as per usual, but blips the throttle with the right foot while still braking when coming off the clutch. This brings engine revs up to match speed in lower gear, avoids a massive pitch forward at speed when the engine would brake the car. Avoids unsettling or spinning car. high pedal The brake pedal is high and gives a positive feel indicating no brake fading nor excessive brake pad wear. Hit it! An order to a driver to use hard acceleration now. holy cow handle The handle above the side window inside the cabin that occupants can hold onto as a car undergoes dynamic weight transfer or high speeds as directed by a driver. Surprised or nervous passengers may use other expletives instead of "cow." horsepower One measurement of engine power output. The power required to lift 33,000 pounds at one foot per minute is approximately equal to the strength of one horse. Also see "torque." hot lane Lane in pit used by cars exiting or re-entering track. See "cold lane." hot lap or laps A fast lap or sequence of laps. Usually occurs when the driver is dialed in. return to top of list

I

if it looks like a race car... At the BMW and Saab advanced driving schools, race cars are not permitted (without special arrangements). A rule-of-thumb is used to determine if it is a race car: "If it looks like a race car and it sounds like a race car it is a race car." increasing radius A corner that opens up. It requires unwinding steering before the apex. Makes for an easy corner. Opposite from a decreasing radius. inside line If attempting to pass in a corner, race drivers will often attempt an inside line or "groove." They move to the inside surface of the track before a corner, then they attempt to outbrake their opponent by braking later but harder. If done successfully they will shoot by the car driven the racing line and be ahead at the apex. This often causes the aggressive driver to early apex giving the defending driver a better line at the exit. See "outbrake," "the line." in slow, out fast A reminder that your overall or exit speed in a corner will be faster if you're slower at the entrance. A driver that exploits this is described as being "quick in the corners." intermediates A race tire with a slight trend pattern, half or less the normal cut. Used in light rain or damp track conditions. Slower than "slicks" but quicker than "wets." in the office In the car, driving, just a bit busy. I.e. this is where these guys "go to work." Aussie. in the points CART and F1 races award points to the top 6 finishing drivers. If a driver is in the first 6 positions during a race, he is described as being "in the points." He will accumulate 1 or more points to his season holdings if he finishes. ITS Inflatable Tubular Structure. The side head-level airbag used in the new '99 BMW 3 Series. Stays inflated longer than other bags. return to top of list

K

kitty litter Gravel surrounding track particularly in corners. It quickly slows a car down in the event of a spin or an off. See "run off." knife butterfly Throttle value. return to top of list

L

lag See "turbo lag." left-foot braking A braking technique commonly used by advanced drivers in automatic transmission cars to speed the transitions between acceleration and braking. let go Used to describe a car part blowing up or giving out. E.g. "his engine let go." lift To raise or lift one's foot off the accelerator. An instructor may ask their driver to "lift a little," or "do a little lift here." Often used to create slight oversteer during understeer. In intimating corners, a driver may perform a "confidence lift," to ensure the front tires bite. This is strongly encouraged by the car being passed to speed the pass maneuver, for safety reasons. lift-throttle-oversteer At speed while cornering an understeering car can be turned or steered by briefly lifting off the accelerate pedal. This causes the nose of the car to pitch forward, compressing the tires as the weight of the vehicle transfers from back to front. When more weight is on the tires and as they compress, they can better grip yielding a more positive turning action. If too severe, the car may oversteer, possibly spin. Often used to correct a turn if the driver misses the apex. More simply referred to as "throttle steer." light up Often used in "he lit up his tires," nothing catches fire. A driver may "burn out" or "peel out" from a stop. Also used when a driver locks up the brakes. limit, the See "the edge." line, the An imaginary line around a track that permits the highest speed. Through corners this is the greater arc from the outside edge from the end of a straightaway (turn-in point) through the inside edge of a corner (apex) to the outer edge at the end of the corner (exit point). This is often visible on a race track as a darker region from tire residue. This is not necessarily the shortest distance around a track. Sometimes referred to as the race line or dry line. See "wet line," "off-line," "inside line." lock up Caused by very hard brake pedal pressure in a car without ABS. The wheels stop turning. At low speed (less than 45 km/h or 30mph) in dry, flat conditions, this is the most effective way to stop a car. However, lock up at high speed, in dry conditions, reduces a tire's effectiveness by 20%. Also, at high speed, a driver runs the risk of flat-spotting the tire or tires. See "slide." lollipop The sign held in front of a race car while in the pits. It often reads "On Brakes" on one side; "1st Gear" on the other. When removed the driver knows he can depart from his pit. long pedal The response of the brake pedal during brake fading. Remedied while driving by allowing the brakes to cool down. Best repaired off-track by bleeding the brakes and freshening the fluid. May also refer to the brake pads simply wearing thin. loose When a car lack grip, a driver will describe the car as loose. This applies when the tires are cold or when a car tends to oversteer and the back end breaks free easily. Other terms: back end loose, fish tail. low pedal See "long pedal." return to top of list

M

marbles During a race, small chunks to tiny pieces of rubber break away from car tires. These and other rocks and pebbles are pushed off-line by cars running the circuit. This debris accumulates at the sides to the track. If a car at speed gets over onto these stones or small balls of rubber, it can lose grip. marshal A person working at a station along the track, usually a corner. They monitor and report the condition of cars and the behaviour of drivers. They will display flags to provide information or warn a driver. They maintain contact with the chief marshal or "track steward." modulate Often a driver is asked to modulate the brake or modulate the throttle. Generally the instructor wants the driver to make minor, small, gradual changes in the application of the brake or throttle pedal, rather than completely removing one's foot or changing it dramatically. moving chicane A slow moving vehicle on the track that quicker drivers must circumnavigate, e.g. Damon Hill during the last lap of the '97 Spa Grand Prix. Also refers to the dolt that sits in the left lane doing 100 km. return to top of list

N

NASCAR National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Turn left, go fast. negative camber Wheels angled such that the top of the wheel is closer together than the bottom. This ensures that when the body of the car rolls during extreme cornering forces, the tire surface of the outer wheel will lie flat on the road, providing maximum grip. next victim As a fast driver is back in the field and passing cars, he takes sights on his "next victim." Aussie. 9-and-3 Recommended steering wheel hand positions, according to the clock face. Some drivers prefer 10-and-2. nut that holds the wheel A statement referring to the driver. See "spacer." return to top of list

O

OBC BMW owners may talk about their OBC or on-board computer , which calculates fuel usage, distance one can travel on remaining fuel, date, time, etc. off-camber See "camber." off-line Going off or outside the ideal race line is necessary when attempting to pass a slow moving vehicle. This may be risky if there is debris or marbles off-line. Slow moving drivers will go off-line to let faster cars pass. See "line," "inside line," "wet line." offset (wheel) Measurement of distance of inside of wheel mounting plane from centre plane where wheel mounts to hub. Positive offset means wheel (and tire) are closer to inside of car; negative offset, the wheel is further from the car. off piste A skiing term actually, when you go off the trail. on rails A car--and driver--that can get smoothly through a corner at seemingly impossible speeds is said to be "on rails." opposite lock An extreme steering input correction on the part of a driver to compensate for massive and sudden oversteer. Opposite means the driver is turning the opposite direction of the corner; the lock means they are turning the steering wheel as far as possible in the opposite direction. E.g. driver negotiates a right-hand turn at high speed, car suddenly oversteers, driver turns steering wheel left suddenly. out-brake A driver gains time and loses less momentum by applying the brakes later and deeper into a corner. Usually done to pass in the apex of a corner. out-braked himself When a driver uses too much braking into a corner. oversteer Effect of a cornering car tending to turn in too much. The front tires have more grip than the rear. Occurs when too much braking is applied into a corner (causing the rear of the car to become light) or when too much throttle is applied in the middle of a corner (causing to rear wheels to spin and break free). Opposite from understeer. Each car is biased slightly to under- or oversteer, e.g. more positive rear wheel camber will will increase oversteer. A driver might employ opposite lock or extra throttle to correct oversteer. See "loose." return to top of list

P

paddock Area behind pit where car parts and supplies kept here. Crew or spectators stand here. parade lap When the cars in a race travel around the track before the start of a race. Done to warm up the cars, particularly the tires. pit Area beside track where car exits track to exit run or race, pick up tires or fuel, have damage repaired. One-way. Two lanes used, one for cars exiting track (hot lane); the other for cars waiting to start track run (cold lane). pit boy What they called Blake before he bought his own car. pit lizard A racing groupie. See "pit wench." pit wench A racing groupie of the female persuasion. See "pit lizard." pit window * plus one Rim size is up 1 inch from stock. Of course, you'll have to decrease tire profile. Plus two is up 2 inches in rim size. point by Passing at driving schools is performed by a particular protocol. The faster car, on catching the lead car, follows at a safe distance. On entering a designated passing zone, the lead car driver then gives a "point by" or "pass" signal to the following driver. The lead driver signals which side of the car they want the pass to occur on. This signifies to the following driver, if there is sufficient time and distance to complete the pass safely, that they may not proceed to pass the lead car. The BMWCC Trillium chapter performs the pass signal using the car's turn signals; other clubs, most BMWCCA chapters, have the lead driver literally point with their hand. Club racing uses a similar protocol as a courtesy. power drift * power plant Engine. power slide Not recommended for novices. profile Height of tire, measured in centimetres. The sidewall. See "plus one." push Another term for "understeer." A driver may describe a car that understeers as "pushing." pushing and shoving See "trading paint." Put it to the floor. Push the pedal all the way to the floorboard. Older term: "Put the pedal to the metal." Also referred to as "Mat it." return to top of list

R

race line See "line, the." rain tires Soft compound treaded tires that provide better grip on a wet track. They create too much friction and "chunk" or break apart easily in the dry. Also referred to as simply "wets." ran out of talent A humble statement by a driver after a crash: "I was right in the middle of the turn and I ran out of talent." R-compound R-compound or racing compound tires have a stickier, softer composition of rubber that works better at higher temperatures, i.e. provides better grip. They may have little or no tread pattern. This composition is best suited to dry conditions. The biggest disadvantage to this compound is that it wears rapidly. Popular with enthusiastic driving school participants. See also "stickers," "stickies," or "gummies." red flag This means there is a major and serious hazard ahead. The driver must come to a complete stop immediately. It is recommended the driver navigate the car quickly, smoothly, and safely to the side of the track surface. Await further instructions from an instructor or marshal. red-line The maximum RPM that an engine should be run at. If run at this level or beyond for a prolonged period will often cause an engine to blow apart. red mist When a driver sees red. Usually the influence of too much testosterone, usually after being passed. Causes driver to start making very basic errors. reel in Reference to fishing... A faster car is catching a lead car, usually slowly. revs See "RPM." rev limiter A device that limits the maximum rpm output by an engine. Used in races, a driver entering or exiting the pits will press a button to activate the limiter to ensure they run at or below the pit speed limit. ripple strip See "rumble strip" or "turtles." Aussie. road course A track that simulates street driving with left and right turns. Usually permanent but may also refer to a temporary street course. rolling office A driver's "place of work." See also "in the office." rolling start When race cars start a race while driving (CART); as opposed to from a stopped position (F1). rooster tail Spray of water the flies up behind a car during a race in wet conditions. RPM Engine revolutions per minute. The number of times the main engine crank turns. Street cars usually idle at 800 to 1,000 and run up to 4 to 8,000 rpm at red-line; whereas CART and Formula 1 race cars may exceed 15,000. rubber side down A good tiding given to a driver. See "shiny side up." rumble strip Curbs in the corner of a track. These curbs are usually bumpy or undulating so to "tell" the driver they are at the edge of the track. Often painted red and white. Nicknamed "turtles" or "alligator teeth." run * run group The group of drivers you are assigned to. The BMW and Saab schools divide drivers into three groups based on driving ability and the car; BMWCCA into 4. A driver will experience graduation through the levels as they learn and improve. group level BMWCC car sticker BMWCCA Saab Canada level introductory yellow or green group 4 - red (no schools) run group 1 group 3 - yellow (<3 schools) intermediate blue group 2 - blue run group 2 advanced red group 1 - green run group 3 These colours should not to be confused with those used for wrist bands worn by participants, organizers, helpers, and visitors. run-off Area adjacent to a race track, usually at corners, where a car can avoid colliding with objects if the driver loses control of the car. Often filled with gravel which helps decelerate a car quickly. See "kitty litter." RWD Rear wheel drive. See "AWD" and "FWD." return to top of list

S

saloon Old western bar. European reference to a sedan car. sawing Some drivers "saw" the steering wheel, meaning they turn the wheel rapidly left and right, in certain situations when cornering. While not recommended for novices, advanced drivers will use it to measure grip or prepare for oversteer opposite lock correction. sequential shifter or gearbox A gear shift mechanism that does not use a offset pattern. The driver pushes or pulls a lever or paddle to upshift or downshift. Motorcycles for many years have used sequential foot shifters, 1st, neutral, 2nd, 3rd, etc. Sophisticated sequential transmissions do not require the driver to declutch and re-engage the motor; it is done automatically. These shifters have been in service in CART and F1 race cars (and go-karts) for several years and are now appearing in consumer automobiles, such as the VW Passat. Some Porsches and the Audi TT use the "tiptronic" transmission. shaved tires A racing tire that has been "scrubbed" with a few laps or has been actually shaved a few millimetres of rubber. Provides better grip than brand new tires. shiny side up A good tiding given to a driver. See "rubber side down." short-shift Upshifting sooner, before reaching red-line. Used to save fuel or avoid red lining an engine. silly season The time of year during car race season that rumours abound, mitigation escalates, and ultimately race drivers are signed with new constructor teams. skid A car skids when a rolling tire loses traction. This is often the result of too much steering. Remarkably, the solution is to steer--no power, certainly no brakes. Look where you want to go! The driver has to speed up the front end of the car fast. Be ready for "the snap." skid pad A large expanse of pavement, often round or donut-shaped, often wetted down, where car dynamics such as under- and oversteer may be experienced. May host advanced driving school exercises such as accident avoidance or threshold braking or an autocross. slalom A set of left and right turns that are tightly linked. Often set up as an exercise with cones on a skid pad to help a driver feel dynamic weight transfer front and back, a car's body roll, understeer, feel the delay in turn-in, and apply throttle steering techniques. Often used in autocrosses. A narrow (straight) slalom with cones evenly spaced in a line requires throttle modulation--this simulates a driver avoiding some debris on the road. A wide slalom, perhaps simulating obstacle avoidance or emergency lane changing, requires lifting off the throttle, brake tapping, and perhaps jabbing the throttle to produce oversteer. It is important to keep the transitions as smooth and the car as settled as possible. slicks Tires without tread. They provide greater grip (in dry conditions). Not street legal. See "wet tires." slide When a car's tires are not rolling but the car is still going in a straight line, it is sliding. Caused by too much braking, locking up the wheels (assumption, no ABS). Solution is to get off the brakes, get the wheels rolling again. Until then the car is unsteerable. slider BMW's term for the rear wing on the back of the '98 M3. slip angle The difference in degrees between where a tire is pointed and where the tire is going. This occurs when a tire is not fully sliding. Front wheel slip angle can be adjusted almost immediately by changing steering input. Rear tire slip angle is adjusted via throttle (in a rear wheel drive car). It may also refer to the entire car's direction verses it's path. slip stream A pocket of low pressure behind a car that a trailing driver may try to slip into to "draft" the leading car. soft focus Vision technique that avoids focussing on any object in one's field, using more of the peripheral. spacer Also referred to as the "spacer problem." Similarly, you may hear, "There's a problem with the nut that holds the wheel." spin Where a car spins around its centre, back chasing front. Referred to as yaw in aircraft. Caused by too much power, i.e. wheelspin, or hard braking say down a hill. May be remedied by backing off power. May be avoidable with traction control. Avoidable going downhill with light braking, even power. splash and go A quick stop in the pits to get a little bit of fuel only, no tire change. Racers do this when their mileage calculations show that they might not make it to the finish. Driving school participants do this at the nearest gas station to the track during a driving school day! standing start When race cars start a race from a stopped position (F1) as opposed to a "rolling start." step steering A steering input technique described by Derek Hanson. A driver approaches a corner, dials in a bit, then a bit more, more still, until he feels it is too much input. Then he dials a bit out, more if necessary. He visually shows this as a rather staccato, jumpy. Derek often mentions this style when asked how one knows how much to dial in. Some may call this "sawing." stickers or stickies See racing-compound or R-compound tires. Also referred to as "gummies." stutter braking If a road surface is unpredictable in its grip, use a fast rhythm pattern when braking, locking the wheels 3 to 4 times a second. In lieu of ABS. sweeper A long sweeping corner. E.g #8 at Mosport . return to top of list

T

tail happy An oversteering car, often a rear- or mid-engine, e.g. Steve Newton in his Porsche C4. talking with their hands Drivers will exchange war stories after a run using a lot of big hand jesters. tap-n-go A quick, light dab on the brakes going into a corner used to transfer some weight into the fronts to improve turn-in or bite. But the corner is such that it can be taken a speed, perhaps full power. Slightly more dynamic weight transfer than a "confidence" lift; less than hard braking. T-car Test car. The backup race car used when the primary car is damaged. tear-away strips Thin, clear layers of plastic on a open-wheel car driver's helmet. When the layer becomes covered in debris, oil, etc. the driver can quickly tear off the top dirty layer, revealing a clean one below. tech Technical inspection. This is required car preparation before attending an advanced driving school. The BMWCC requires a certified mechanic complete a Tech Inspection Form . technical Used to describe a track that is complex, where the driver is constantly turning left and right, constantly working, e.g. Shannonville, Ontario. May also be used to describe a sequence of corners at speed. tenths Drivers when cold or nervous will drive at 5/10 of their ability then build up to 10/10. thin brakes Worn-down brake rotors. three-dimensional A track that has significant elevation changes. E.g. Mosport and Le Circuit . threshold braking Most efficient form of braking in all conditions and all road surfaces (above 45 km/h or 30mph). Brake pedal is pressed as hard as possible without locking up wheels or activating ABS. If lock up occurs, the driver must ease off and wait for wheels to spin up to speed. throttle steering See "lift-throttle-oversteer." tip toe Employing delicacy or extreme smoothness while navigating a car through an unknown situation or a part of the track with low traction. toe-in When wheel is not parallel to the on the opposite side of the car. Toe-in is when the wheels are closer together at the front of the wheel; toe-out is the opposite. Can cause unbalanced heating in and unusual wear on the tires. Adjusted on the front wheels by changing the tie-rod. toe-out See "toe-in." to go fast, you gotta stop A reminder that the brake systems in a car are more powerful than the motor. torque "Torque provides acceleration" (from the Volvo 99 Car Guide). Measurement of rotating or twisting power. Imperial values are in inch-pounds or foot-pounds, metric measurements are Newton-metres. touring a "touring car" is a up-scale way of describing a station wagon a "car touring" often describes a damaged or fuel-less car travelling slowly about a track TPS Throttle position sensor. track steward Chief track marshal. Often works the flagstand at start/finish. They will receive car and driver reports from track marshals. They will decide when drivers should be black flagged or when a full track yellow should be issued. track-out area See "exit." trading paint When race cars tap one another, jostling for position. Just watch a few NASCAR or BTCC races. trail braking The act of applying braking late through a corner, perhaps up to the apex. May be very unsafe in certain situations, such as downhill corner (e.g. 4 at Mosport). transition zone See "balance zone." trany Transmission. turbo lag The lag in time between a turbocharger increasing the engine's power output from when the driver hits the accelerator. turn-in The area where one begins turning a car to negotiate a corner. Turning in early can cause one to run out of road to complete the corner. A late turn-in can improve visibility through a corner but is generally slower. turtles See "rumble strip" or "alligator teeth." turn the wick up Turn the engine fuel mixture (incorrectly called the boost) up to increase horsepower. Uses more fuel. 24 hours... Air pilots have a rule-of-thumb when consuming alcohol: "24 hours from bottle to throttle." This means they will not fly a plane until 24 hours after drinking to ensure they are not impaired by any lingering effects. two wheels off If a driver is unable to control their car they may find that they drop two wheels off the pavement. At BMW and Saab advanced driving schools, the driver will receive a black flag and are expected to proceed to the pits. The driver and instructor will discuss the situation with the event organizers, inspect the car for damage, and receive their first warning. A driver is permitted 2 cases of two wheels off during a school. If they let two wheels off a third time, the participant is sent home without refund. See "four wheels off." return to top of list

U

understeer Effect of a cornering car tending to travel in a straight line. The front tires have less grip than the rear. Occurs when too much speed is carried into a corner or when great acceleration is applied in the middle of a corner. Opposite from oversteer. Front-wheel drive cars will plow as they understeer. Each car is biased slightly to under- or oversteer, e.g. a thicker or stiffer front anti-sway bar will increase understeer. unwind When a driver begins turning the steering wheel the opposite direction of the corner to straighten the car after the apex. A reduction of steering input. A car tends to do this without driver effort. Often referred to as "let the wheel unwind." return to top of list

W

wet line In wet conditions, the dry or race line becomes slick with oil, coolant, and tire rubber--driving on it can be treacherous. The classic wet line starts with an inside line into a corner, slowing down near the apex, driving straight across the dry line, making a harder turn than normal, straightening, then powering straight out of the corner. wets Wet or rain tires. wheel spin When the drive wheels break traction. Typically of high powered rear wheel drive cars. e.g. Mustang. Wheel spin half-way through a corner can induce oversteer or worse, a (whole car) spin. white flag Meaning varies. In racing, indicates last lap. At the BMWCC driving schools, it indicates there is a slow-moving car on track touring to the pits. wide car Mysterious attribute of a slow-moving or lead car. It seems to get wider when someone is trying to pass it. "That's the widest ( insert least favourite car model here ) I've ever seen!" wing Fin or spoiler on car to produce down-force. Formula and Indy cars have adjustable front and rear wings to localize down-force. See "fin," "down-force."   return to top of list

Y

yellow flag Standing or held steady, it indicates there is a minor hazard on track ahead or perhaps a car off-track. Use caution. When the flag is waved, it means there is a major hazard ahead; so use extreme caution. yokos Yokohama tires. return to top of list

Finally, I didn't know where to put this one... Guess who says it? "Balance, balance, okay, squeeze, squeeze, more, more, give me more, okay, FLAT!"

(* Undefined term. I'm working on it...)

Sources

Some people that helped me a great deal: Philip Abrami, Michael Coates, Ron Checca, Scott Hall, Blake Nancarrow, Chris Skene, and Craig Tilford. Thanks to Anne Varey for reminding me about "brain bucket." Other sources: BTCC video tapes (thanks Rob Foreman), BMW and Saab advanced driving school documentation, BMWCC student handbook, BMWCCA welcome brochure, the Genesee Valley Chapter instructor documentation. Good description of torque from Volvo Canada documentation. Tip-of-the-beenie to Ford at www.ford.com/motorsport/glossary.html . A few newer terms are from down under, the Australian STCC.

Last updated on 07 March 2002.