Nascar what does off mean

Camber: The amount a tire is tilted in or out from vertical. Described in degrees, either positive or negative. Dirty air: Aerodynamic term for the turbulent air currents caused by fast-moving cars that can cause a particular car to lose control or find difficulty in passing.

The more downforce, the more grip a car has. But more downforce also means more drag, which can rob a race car of speed. Drafting: The practice of two or more cars, while racing, to run nose-to-tail, almost touching. The lead car, by displacing the air in front of it, creates a vacuum between its rear end and the nose of the following car, actually pulling the second car along with it. Drag: The resistance a car experiences when passing through air at high speeds. A resisting force exerted on a car parallel to its air stream and opposite in direction to its motion.

Groove: Slang term for the best route around the race track; the most efficient or quickest way around the track for a particular driver. A minor amount of this effect can be desirable on certain tracks. Marbles: Debris blown to the upper corners of a track that consists of smatterings of rubber peeled from tires, dirt and gravel.

Some drivers blame marbles for a loss of control, though centrifugal forces might have a little something to do with it. Graphic artists went to great lengths to replicate marbles for an air of authenticity in the animated flick "Cars.

Pit road: The area where pit crews service the cars. Generally located along the front straightaway, but because of space limitations, some racetracks sport pit roads on the front and back straightaways.

Pit crew: Team members that work in the pits and on the cars during the races themselves. A total of seven team members go "over the wall" during pit stops, including: gas man he pours the fuel into the car , catch can man catches the empty can from the gas man , jack man jacks the car up for tire changes , front tire changer changes the tires , front tire carrier passes along tire to changer , rear tire changer changes rear tires and rear tire carrier passes along tire to changer.

The pit crew is managed by the team's crew chief. Pit stall: The area along pit road that is designated for a particular team's use during pit stops. Each car stops in the team's stall before being serviced.

Pit stand: Also sometimes referred to as the "war wagon. It is outfitted with satellite television screens, timing and scoring information, radio controls and other communications relevant to race operations. Pole position: Also referred to as "the pole. Push: Also called "tight" or "understeer," push is when the rear of the car has more grip than the front, which can cause the front end to slide or "push" toward the wall in the corners.

While it is true that the driver must get out of the throttle until the car catches so he can turn it to avoid hitting the wall, he also must get out of the throttle in a loose car to avoid the same fate. Qualifying: Competition between teams for starting position within the race.

Lap times determine where in the field each car will start. The first or fastest qualifier is said to have won pole position. Quarter panel: The sheet metal on both sides of the car from the C-post to the rear bumper below the deck lid and above the wheel well.

Restrictor plate: A restrictor-plate is a thin metal plate with four holes that restrict airflow from the carburetor into the engine. Placed between the base of the carburetor and the engine's intake manifold, it is used to reduce horsepower and keep speeds down. Currently, Talladega and Daytona are the only tracks that mandate the device. Without them, speeds could reach more that mph and create a dangerous situation.

Setup: Slang term for the tuning and adjustments made to a race car's suspension before and during a race. Splash 'n' go: A quick pit stop that involves refueling the car with the amount of fuel necessary to finish the race and getting out of the pits as quickly as possible.

Speedweeks: The three-week period of time between late January and mid-February, beginning with the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona Grand-Am race, and culminating with the Daytona , featuring a wide array of racing and motorsports activities at the Daytona International Speedway.

Spoiler: Also referred to as a "blade. It is designed to create downforce on the rear of the vehicle, thereby increasing traction. However, the tradeoff, again, is that more downforce equals more aerodynamic drag, so teams attempt, particularly on qualifying runs, to lay the spoiler at as low an angle as possible to "free up" their vehicles for more straightaway speed.

Stagger: The difference in tire circumference from one side to the other. Placing larger circumference tires on the right side of a race car, for instance, helps it turn better through the corner on an oval track.

Roll a Styrofoam coffee cup on a table and you will see stagger as the bigger top end travels farther than the smaller bottom.

Stickers: Slang for new tires. The name comes from the manufacturer's "stickers" that are pasted on the tire's surface. Stop and go: A black flag penalty imposed in which the driver must stop in the team's pit stall and can go only when the official says so. It usually is assessed for speeding on pit road or for unsafe driving. Superspeedway: A racetrack of one mile or more in distance.

Road courses are included. Racers refer to three types of oval tracks. Short tracks are under one mile, intermediate tracks are at least a mile but under two miles and superspeedways are two miles and longer. Trading paint: A term used to describe aggressive driving involving cars bumping and rubbing. Telemetry: Data detailing key functions of a race car such as RPM. Commonly used for onscreen broadcast features.

Tight: Also known as "understeer. A tight race car doesn't seem able to steer sharply enough through the turns. When the flag waves, the pace car enters the track and controls the field behind it.

Means the race must immediately come to a halt. Cars must either stop where they are at on the track, or are brought to pit road due either to extensive on-track debris that must be cleaned up following a crash, or when weather forces racing to stop. Teams are prohibited from working on cars in the pits and garages under red-flag conditions.

If and when a race resumes, conditions typically go from red flag to yellow flag caution and then back to green go! Typically is directed toward a particular driver who NASCAR officials or scorers have determined has committed an on-track offense — or cannot maintain a consistent and competitive speed to continue racing — and must leave the racing surface and return to the pit area immediately. Driver is also typically disqualified at this point. Indicates there is just one lap remaining in the race.