Post by Crossbones Dennis on Nov 4, 2009 19:54:03 GMT -6
Air box- Used primarily on Pro Stock Motorcycles, it settles "negative air" around carburetors the way a hood scoop does on a car.
Back half- refering to distance from the 1/8th mile mark to the 1/4 mark of the track.
Beam—starting line electric eye controlling prestaged and staged lights.
Bottle—refers to the nitrous system.
Blower—supercharger generally grouped as "power adder" with turbocharger and nitrous
Blown—supercharged; wrecked. Said of an engine.
Breakout—running quicker than dial-in; also "breaking out." Grounds for disqualification if opponent does not red light or cross boundary lines.
Burnout- performed to heat the tires up for better traction
Christmas tree (or tree) — The series of lights that signal the approach and start of a race in addition to showing starting violations
DA- Density Altitude; which referes often to the quality of air.
Deep stage- To roll a few inches farther into the beams after staging. This causes the pre-stage lights to go out. In that position, a driver is closer to the finish line but dangerously close to a foul start or red light.
Dial-in—when bracket racing, drivers must estimate or "dial in" the time in which they expect to run. Therefore two unmatched cars in weight and power can compete, by a handicap system. If one runs a faster time than dialed in, it is a breakout.
Diaper- An absorbent blanket made from ballistic material, often Kevlar, that surrounds the oil pan to contain oil and parts in case of an engine explosion; required for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol Dragster, and Top Alcohol Funny Car.
Digger—dragster (as distinct from a bodied car or flopper)
E.t. (Elapsed Time)- The time it takes a vehicle to make one pass at the dragstrip. It's almost always measured in seconds.
First or Worse-if both drivers commit a foul, the driver who commits the foul first loses, unless it is two separate fouls, where the loser is the driver who committed the worse foul (lane violation is worse than foul start, and failure to participate in a post-run inspection is worst).
Flopper—Funny Car, short for "fender flopper." Coined by dragster crews in the late 1960s to separate Funny Cars, which had fiberglass bodies with fenders, from dragsters.
Fueler—any car running nitro or in Fuel class (most often, TFD or TF/FC)
Grenade—wreck an engine (the engine "grenaded") due to internal failure.
Heads-up Racing—where both drivers leave at the same time and is used in all professional ("pro") classes.
Holeshot—getting a significant advantage off the starting line. The other driver gets "holeshotted" or "left at the tree." A "holeshot win" is any win in a heads-up class where a slower car beats a faster car because of better reaction time.
Hook up—Good traction between tires.
Lit the tires— loss of traction
Nitro, Nitromethane- Produced specifically as a fuel for drag racing, it is the result of a chemical reaction between nitric acid and propane.
(sometimes incorrectly used to refer to nitrous oxide)
Nitrous- refers to Nitrous Oxide systems manufactured by a wide range of companies
Oildown — When a car's engine or lubrication breaks during a run, leaving a streak of oil and other fluids on the track. This is punishable by fines, point penalties, and/or suspension.
Pedalling—working the throttle to avoid lighting the tires, or as a way to sandbag; "pedalled" it, had to "pedal" it
Pre-stage- To position the front wheels about seven inches behind the starting line so the small yellow lights atop that driver's side of the Christmas Tree are glowing. The next step is to stage and be ready to race.
Pro tree—timing lights which flash all three yellow lights simultaneously, and after four tenths of a second, turn green.
Put on the trailer—lost (got "put on the trailer") or won (put the other driver on the trailer). From the obvious, losing drivers trailer their cars home.
Quick 8 (Q8)- Quickest eight cars in a defined race. Rules appear to can differ per location/race. Search for "Quick 8 rules" for more.
Rail—dragster (as distinct from bodied car or flopper). From the exposed frame rails of early cars.
Reaction time- The time it takes a driver to react to the green starting light on the Christmas Tree, measured in thousandths of a second. The reaction-time counter begins when the last amber light flashes on the Tree and stops when the vehicle clears the stage beam.
Redlight(ed) —jump(ed) the start, left before tree turned green. This is a loss unless a more serious (opponent crossing the center boundary line) foul occurs.
Sandbagging — Releasing the throttle or using the brakes at the end of the track during a bracket race after dialing a purposely slow time.
Scattershield — metal sheet protecting driver in case of transmission failure
Sixty-foot time- The time it takes a vehicle to cover the first 60 feet of the racetrack. It is the most accurate measure of the launch from the starting line and in most cases determines how quick the rest of the run will be.
Slapper bar — traction bar
Slicks—rear tires with no tread pattern and softer rubber compound, for increased traction
Slingshot—early front-engined dragster, named for the driving position behind the rear wheels (erroneously attributed to launch speed)
Stage- To position the front wheels right on the starting line so the small yellow lights below the pre-stage lights are glowing. Once both drivers are staged, the calibrated countdown (see Christmas Tree) may begin.
Standard tree—timing lights which flash in sequence five tenths of a second between each yellow light before turning green. Traditional form, before introduction of pro tree.
Struck the tires- loss of traction, causing them to smoke
Top end—finish line of strip; high part of engine's rev band.
Traction bars—rear struts fixed to rear axle to keep rear axle from twisting, causing wheel hop and loss of traction; also called slapper bars.
Trap(s)—the 20 meter (66 ft) timing lights at top end of race track to measure speed & E.T.
Trap Speed-Speed as measured by the speed trap near the finish line, indicative of the maximum speed reached in a run
Weight transfer- Critical to traction. Vehicles are set up to provide a desired weight transfer to the rear wheels. Upon acceleration, the front wheels lift and the weight shifts to the rear wheels, which makes them less likely to spin.
Wheel Hop—violent shaking of the car as the tires lose and regain traction in quick succession.
Wheelie bars—rear struts fixed to rear axle, which protrude out to rear of car to help prevent car's front from raising too high or flipping over on launch.
Back half- refering to distance from the 1/8th mile mark to the 1/4 mark of the track.
Beam—starting line electric eye controlling prestaged and staged lights.
Bottle—refers to the nitrous system.
Blower—supercharger generally grouped as "power adder" with turbocharger and nitrous
Blown—supercharged; wrecked. Said of an engine.
Breakout—running quicker than dial-in; also "breaking out." Grounds for disqualification if opponent does not red light or cross boundary lines.
Burnout- performed to heat the tires up for better traction
Christmas tree (or tree) — The series of lights that signal the approach and start of a race in addition to showing starting violations
DA- Density Altitude; which referes often to the quality of air.
Deep stage- To roll a few inches farther into the beams after staging. This causes the pre-stage lights to go out. In that position, a driver is closer to the finish line but dangerously close to a foul start or red light.
Dial-in—when bracket racing, drivers must estimate or "dial in" the time in which they expect to run. Therefore two unmatched cars in weight and power can compete, by a handicap system. If one runs a faster time than dialed in, it is a breakout.
Diaper- An absorbent blanket made from ballistic material, often Kevlar, that surrounds the oil pan to contain oil and parts in case of an engine explosion; required for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol Dragster, and Top Alcohol Funny Car.
Digger—dragster (as distinct from a bodied car or flopper)
E.t. (Elapsed Time)- The time it takes a vehicle to make one pass at the dragstrip. It's almost always measured in seconds.
First or Worse-if both drivers commit a foul, the driver who commits the foul first loses, unless it is two separate fouls, where the loser is the driver who committed the worse foul (lane violation is worse than foul start, and failure to participate in a post-run inspection is worst).
Flopper—Funny Car, short for "fender flopper." Coined by dragster crews in the late 1960s to separate Funny Cars, which had fiberglass bodies with fenders, from dragsters.
Fueler—any car running nitro or in Fuel class (most often, TFD or TF/FC)
Grenade—wreck an engine (the engine "grenaded") due to internal failure.
Heads-up Racing—where both drivers leave at the same time and is used in all professional ("pro") classes.
Holeshot—getting a significant advantage off the starting line. The other driver gets "holeshotted" or "left at the tree." A "holeshot win" is any win in a heads-up class where a slower car beats a faster car because of better reaction time.
Hook up—Good traction between tires.
Lit the tires— loss of traction
Nitro, Nitromethane- Produced specifically as a fuel for drag racing, it is the result of a chemical reaction between nitric acid and propane.
(sometimes incorrectly used to refer to nitrous oxide)
Nitrous- refers to Nitrous Oxide systems manufactured by a wide range of companies
Oildown — When a car's engine or lubrication breaks during a run, leaving a streak of oil and other fluids on the track. This is punishable by fines, point penalties, and/or suspension.
Pedalling—working the throttle to avoid lighting the tires, or as a way to sandbag; "pedalled" it, had to "pedal" it
Pre-stage- To position the front wheels about seven inches behind the starting line so the small yellow lights atop that driver's side of the Christmas Tree are glowing. The next step is to stage and be ready to race.
Pro tree—timing lights which flash all three yellow lights simultaneously, and after four tenths of a second, turn green.
Put on the trailer—lost (got "put on the trailer") or won (put the other driver on the trailer). From the obvious, losing drivers trailer their cars home.
Quick 8 (Q8)- Quickest eight cars in a defined race. Rules appear to can differ per location/race. Search for "Quick 8 rules" for more.
Rail—dragster (as distinct from bodied car or flopper). From the exposed frame rails of early cars.
Reaction time- The time it takes a driver to react to the green starting light on the Christmas Tree, measured in thousandths of a second. The reaction-time counter begins when the last amber light flashes on the Tree and stops when the vehicle clears the stage beam.
Redlight(ed) —jump(ed) the start, left before tree turned green. This is a loss unless a more serious (opponent crossing the center boundary line) foul occurs.
Sandbagging — Releasing the throttle or using the brakes at the end of the track during a bracket race after dialing a purposely slow time.
Scattershield — metal sheet protecting driver in case of transmission failure
Sixty-foot time- The time it takes a vehicle to cover the first 60 feet of the racetrack. It is the most accurate measure of the launch from the starting line and in most cases determines how quick the rest of the run will be.
Slapper bar — traction bar
Slicks—rear tires with no tread pattern and softer rubber compound, for increased traction
Slingshot—early front-engined dragster, named for the driving position behind the rear wheels (erroneously attributed to launch speed)
Stage- To position the front wheels right on the starting line so the small yellow lights below the pre-stage lights are glowing. Once both drivers are staged, the calibrated countdown (see Christmas Tree) may begin.
Standard tree—timing lights which flash in sequence five tenths of a second between each yellow light before turning green. Traditional form, before introduction of pro tree.
Struck the tires- loss of traction, causing them to smoke
Top end—finish line of strip; high part of engine's rev band.
Traction bars—rear struts fixed to rear axle to keep rear axle from twisting, causing wheel hop and loss of traction; also called slapper bars.
Trap(s)—the 20 meter (66 ft) timing lights at top end of race track to measure speed & E.T.
Trap Speed-Speed as measured by the speed trap near the finish line, indicative of the maximum speed reached in a run
Weight transfer- Critical to traction. Vehicles are set up to provide a desired weight transfer to the rear wheels. Upon acceleration, the front wheels lift and the weight shifts to the rear wheels, which makes them less likely to spin.
Wheel Hop—violent shaking of the car as the tires lose and regain traction in quick succession.
Wheelie bars—rear struts fixed to rear axle, which protrude out to rear of car to help prevent car's front from raising too high or flipping over on launch.