Racing Slang Needed
 

I need you's guys help - I'm doing a piece for our local PCA chapter newsletter on the slang terms used in AX, Track and even rallies.

Can you please share some of the words, phrases and even gestures that are used in the various events. These can be by the instructors, officials and most of all the drivers. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Thanks!

Oooooooohh SH!!!!!!!TTTTTT!!!!!!!

;)

NAWWWWSSS

What does that thingy thats connected to the other thingy do?


And most of all


"DONT PUSH THE RED BUTTON!!!!!"

When does the V-tec kick in, yo?

Seriously, the modern vernacular of curse words should fit your application nicely...

Don't forget everyone's favorite gesture......The Highway Salute!

Brain Fade- usually occurs in corners or when attempting to out brake someone in a higher class

+1

A gloating, $hit eating grin when you win your class is also a non verbal statement you will need to master if you are good enough.

"He was just sandbaggin until the last lap, then he stood on the laud pedal and passed them like they wuz all backin up"!!

Red Mist - Anger that makes you do stupid things
Diceing - Duking it out with another competitor
Unplanned Agricultural Excursion - Off course
Check Up - To back out when somethign happens (not sure it's slang)
Tank slapper - (only slang for cars) waggling the tail back and forth uncontrollably.

Just a few off the top of my head. Try the racing board for many more!

I was told that "tank slapper" actually comes from motorcycles. If you pull the front wheel off the ground, then set it back down slightly off-center, the various forces cause a rapidly cycling side-to-side motion in the handlebars. After only a few seconds, the amplitude of the cycle will reach the point where the bars are beating into the gas tank, or "tank slapping." It should only take another second or so beyond a true tank-slapper before the biker dies in a fiery explosion.

But I've been wrong before.

Dan

You don't even need to lift the front wheel off the ground to have a tank slapper occur on a motorcycle. Its a harmonics problem with the front wheel and suspension.

I only needed to have one incident when I was doing almost 140 MPH to teach me the importance of having a steering dampner.

It is from bikes, but still used in cars to describe an uncontrollable tail wagging event.

Re: Racing Slang Needed
 

Who knows what this means, but my instructors always tell me to just keep pointing out my window. :)

Seriously, I hear "stay out of the marbles" and "stay out!"
(meaning don't apex yet) a lot.

These might help:

http://www.americanlemans.com/fanfrenzy/forthefansGlossary2.aspx

Hat Dance: The ritual of photos taken after a race, with the top three finishers changing sponsor hats for each photo. In ALMS racing, the victory podium can be crowded with the top three teams from each of four classes and two or three drivers per race car depending the length of the endurance race. The ALMS recognizes each class individually with the overall winner/class coming last.

Hustling the Car: A driver's ability to push the race car to the limit, even if it is not handling well. A critical factor on the road racing circuits on which the American Le Mans Series runs.

Line: At any ALMS race track, simply, the quickest way around a race circuit. To run the fastest racing line, a driver must take advantage of all of his abilities as well as that of the race car -- taking advantage of a racer's braking, cornering and acceleration techniques.

GROOVE: The clean line that provides the fastest way around the circuit. the groove can change during the course of a race depending on track conditions, e.g., heat, cold, moisture, etc., as well as oil, water and rubber from the race cars.

MARBLES: Small bits of rubber that have broken off tires during a race. 'Marbles' are usually found in the corners of American Le Mans Series road racing circuits, often gathering on the outside of the racing line. If a race car happens to get off line and runs over 'marbles,' it can lose control or spin or crash.

Some more:

Red mist: As stated above - anger towards another driver that makes you drive beyond your ability.

Shunt: smacking a wall with your car.

Push / Plow / The car's tight: Understeer

Loose / fishtail : Oversteer

Too hot: too fast

Bench racing: discussing what an awesome driver you are AFTER the race / event is over.

Bus stop: A Chicane built into the track in order to slow down the pace at that section of the track. (aka "The Inner Loop" at Watkins Glen)

Keep the shiny side up: be safe, don't flip your car

Keep it between the grass: stay on the asphalt, don't fly off the track

Collect: hit another car. For example: the guy spun out and stopped in the middle of the track just waiting for someone to collect him.

PEBSAS issue: A bad driver. (Problem Exsists Between Seat and Steering wheel)

Momentum car: a low hp car.

Invisible flag: aka the blue (you are about to be passed) flag

Meatball flag: (Black flag with Red dot in the middle): Mechanical problem with your car.

White Knuckle grip: (aka Death Grip): holding on to the steering wheel with 142lbs of force per finger.

Late Apex: when the car is nearest the inside of a turn later on in the turn.

Early apex: when the car is nearest the inside of a turn earlier on in the turn.

As you know, a blue flag means someone's about to pass you. A white flag means there's a slow moving vehicle on the track. Therefore, a combined BLUE and WHITE flag means a 914 is about to pass you! :D

I know some of these aren't slang, but you may be able to work them in!
-Z-man.

Dialed in or sorted refers to optimum chasis or engine setup. Hooked up means having good traction. And from the 60's around SoCal drag strips, having superleggera parts was to have the lastest speed goodies. Just thought I'd throw that in.