A-Frame: The upper or lower connecting suspension piece (in the shape of an A) locking the frame to the spindle.
Ball Joint: A ball inside a socket that can turn and pivot in any direction. Used to allow suspension to travel while the driver steers the car.
Banking: The sloping of a racetrack, particularly at a curve or corner, from the apron to the outside wall. Degree of banking refers to the height of a track's slope at its outside edge.
Camber: The amount a tire is tilted in or out from vertical.
Carburetor: A device connected directly to the gas pedal and mounted on top of the intake manifold that controls the air/fuel mixture going to the engine.
Chassis: The steel structure or frame of the car.
Crankshaft: The rotating shaft within the engine that delivers the power from the pistons to the flywheel, and from there to the transmission.
Deck Lid: The trunk lid of a stock car.
Driveshaft: A steel tube that connects the transmission of a race car to the rear end housing.
Engine Block: An iron casting from the manufacturer that envelopes the crankshaft, connecting rods, and pistons.
Firewall: A solid metal plate that separates the engine compartment from the driver's compartment of the race car.
Frame: The metal "skeleton" or structure of a race car, on which the sheet metal of the car's body is formed. Also referred to as a "chassis".
Fuel Cell: A holding tank for a race car's supply of gasoline. Consists of a metal box that contains a flexible, tear-resistant bladder and foam baffling. A product of aerospace technology, it's designed to eliminate or minimize fuel spillage. A fuel cell holds up to approximately 22 gallons.
Groove: The best route around the racetrack or the most efficient or quickest way around the track for a particular driver. The "high groove" takes a car closure to the outside wall for most of a lap, while the "low groove
Handling: A race car's performance while racing, qualifying or practicing. How a car "handles" is determined by its tires, suspension geometry, aerodynamics, and other factors.
Hauler: The truck and trailer that teams use to transport race cars, engines, tools, and support equipment to the racetracks.
Hot Pit: The designated area where cars are required to go to have the crew work on the car during a race. Cars that do not use the Hot Pit will not be able to return to the race.
Horsepower: A measurement of mechanical or engine power. Measured in the amount of power it takes to move 33,000 pounds one foot in a minute.
Loose: Also known as "oversteer". When the rear tires of the car have trouble sticking in the corners. This causes the car to "fishtail" as the rear end swings outward during turns. A minor amount of this effect can be desirable on certain tracks.
Lug nuts: Large nuts applied with a high-pressure air wrench to the wheel during a pit stop to secure the tires in place.
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.
Restart: The waving of the green flag following a caution period.
RPM: Short for Revolutions Per Minute, a measurement of the speed of the engine's crankshaft.
Slick: A track condition where it's hard for a caar's tires to adhere to the surface or get a good "bite". A slick race track is not necessarily wet or slippery because of oil, water, etc. Also referred to as Dry-slick.
Spoiler: A metal blade attached to the rear deck lid of the car. It helps restrict airflow over the rear of the car, providing downforce and traction.
Stagger: The difference in size between the tires on the left and right sides of a car. Because of a tire's makeup, slight variations in circumferences result. Stagger between right-side and left-side tires may range from less than a half inch to more than an inch.
Tight: Also known as "understeer." A car is said to be tight if the front wheels loose traction before the rear wheels do. A tight race car doesn't seem able to steer sharply enough through the turns. Instead, the front end continues toward the wall.
Toe: Looking at the car from the front, the amount the tires are turned in or out. If you imagine your feet to be the two front tires of a race car, standing with your toes together would represent toe-in. Standing with your heels together would represent toe-out.
Trading paint: Aggressive driving involving a lot of bumping and rubbing.
Transponder: The electronic devices which are mounted on every car that scores the car each time it crosses the start finish line.
Victory Lane: Someitmes called the "winners circle." The spot directly in front of the grandstands where the race winner parks for the celebration/trophy.
Window Net: A woven mesh that hangs across the driver's side window, to prevent the driver's head and limbs from being exposed during an accident.