How to Use Car Racing Terminology

Car racers act as if they speak a language all their own. If you've ever been to a race with a long-time fan or watched a broadcast on television, chances are you've head some unfamiliar terminology. The good thing is that these mystery words are actually terms for words you probably know.

Instructions

1. Know the word "draft." Drafting is probably the most widely used term in car racing that newcomers don't understand. Simply put, drafting is following. But this is following from a scientific angle. By following cars as closely as possible the trailing car can reduce wind resistance in order to conserve fuel or build up speed.

2. See who wins a "pole position." This is only done by one car per race. Before every race, each car is given one lap to qualify for the race. The starting order is determined by the speed of that one lap. The fastest car starts first, which is called the pole position.

3. Understand that "marbles" have nothing to do with little the glass balls that children use to play. This racing terminology refers to tiny chunks of debris on the track which make it slippery and dangerous. Most often, the type of marble people talk about refers to small chunks of rubber from the tires.

4. Look at the angle of the track when someone refers to the "bank." The bank of a racetrack refers to the angle. All tracks are designed to slant inward in order to aid the racers. Some tracks bank a lot and some bank hardly at all.

5. Expect to hear about "silly season" when the racing is nearly over for the year. This is the period before the end of the season where teams make drastic, uncharacteristic changes such as firing and hiring drivers and taking on new sponsors.