Wed, 18 Jun 2008, 09:14 AM Glossary, er,..Grossary |
By Norm Froscher |
Yeah, the NHRA POWERade media guide, and those from other sports, always contain a glossary of terms used in that particular venue.
You already know those drag racing ones by heart, because they include such as burnout, downforce and even scales. The latter of which you'd dang sure better stop at. Right, Tony Schumacher?
But knowing many of those so well, we decided to play a little game and subsitute what could be a second meaning to the terms. We'll even let you pick out a couple from a multiple list.
So without further adoo, here goes:
Burn down
That's what you hear in the nitro pits as a vehicle is warmed
up. When it's shut off, you get the burn down? Yeah, right.
Christmas tree
Everybody knows this one, but did you ever think it could be the
finish lights, in just one hue? So welcome to the winner that took that
name?
Clutch can
Other than the Bell shaped housing covering the clutch and flywheel,
you might say it's a can that contains an important liquid to be
administered when a car is being run up. Yeah, even fuel, because that's
certainly something you need in a clutch.
Competition area
Not just staging and track, but the whole blooming pits. Everybody
in those spots is competing.
Diaper
You pick this one
A. Part of a nitro driver's uniform, so named because of its shape ( )
B. A cloth item used under the carburetor of Pro Stock cars ( )
C. Catch can used under fueling for a nitro car ( )
D. None of the above for this oil pan covering ( )
Deep staged
Competition where competitors have a deeper staging area, right?
A competition unto itself.
Downforce
The slang term for anyone having to face one of the Force family in
competition, like "I hope to down (John or Ashley) Force."
Dropped cylinder
Careless move on part of a mechanic, who drops any circular object
while working on a car in the pits.
E.T.
You can have a ball with this one
A. Extraterrestrial ( )
B. Extreme turnover, reving up at top revolutions ( )
C. Engine turnover, meaning it's due to be retired ( )
D. Elapsed time for a lunch break ( )
Full Throttle
You'll defintely know this one before the start of next year
Foul start
Going to the staging lanes before beiing called.
Gilmer belt
Safety belt originally used in football on the sidelines by Harry
Gilmer.
Hans Device
Another safet innovation, This one is a special glove to protect the
hands, thus the shortened description, Hans. Some use it as head and
neck padding also. Yeah, right.
Lexan
Trade name for a product used in the inside of haulers to prop up
computers,
O.H.C.
Short, for "Oh, heck, Compton." The plea of any team found to be
outside the legal specks,
Pedaling
A. Refers to drivers who make their rounds of the pits on a bicycle ( )
B. Any two-wheel item ( )
C. Also used to denote and driver getting off and on the gas. Had to let you have at least one
with a somewhat sensible answer ( )
D. None of the above ( )
Shift light
Changing sunlight on tracks that run east and west
Speed trap
An area where law enforcement is in hiding to catch any unaware
speeders, such as Waldo, Fl, which even Triple A has pin-pointed.
Teardown
Physical inspection on a random basis, usually after a run. See
there's another that makes sense.
Throttle stop
A. Verbal signal during a warm-up to cut off the engine ( )
B. A crew member with a sign with those words in case the driver didn't hear ( )
C. Automatic cut of rpms when the chute is released ( )
D. None of the above ( )
Shut down area.
That's the area we just reached. Hope you enjoyed this grossary. If
not, or if you have any others, contact me at Normfro@aol.com
Editor's Note: Definitions in the Grossary are Norm Froscher's and not necessarily those of Summit Drag Race Central. com, its sponsors and staff, energy drink providers or the city of Waldo. Semper Fi
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