Do you understand the jargon?

Have you ever watched the V8 Supercar Championship and not had a clue what the commentators or drivers are talking about?

Well V8 Supercar outfit Orrcon Racing have decided to translate the jargon into everyday English so that anyone watching this weekends race at Queensland will be able to understand what is going on.

So if you want to know your B-Pillar from your CTP then read on.....

Air Pressure
The amount of air in the tyres. Changing air pressure in the tyres is used as set-up tool. Higher air pressure will create temperature in the tyres faster than a lower tyre pressure.

B-Pillar
The section between the front and rear door. In a passing manoeuvre if a car is deemed to have been past this point entering a corner and there is contact generally the car in front of the b-pillar is in the right of way.

Balanced
When a car doesn't tend to oversteer or understeer, but goes around the racetrack as if its on rails, it's said to be in well balanced.

Camber
Camber addresses the angle at which a front tyre makes contact with the track surface. "Positive camber" indicates the angle of the tyre is tilted away from the vehicle's centreline while "negative camber" indicates the tyre is tilted toward the centreline.

Chassis Roll
The up-and-down movement caused when a car travels around corners at high speeds. The side of the car on the inside of the turn becomes lighter while the extra weight goes toward the outside of the turn.

CTP
Abbreviation for Compulsory Pit Stop. The majority of races in the Championship include at least one compulsory stop for a new set of tyres with many also including a compulsory pit stop for fuel in the pit area.

Downforce
The air pressure travelling over the surfaces of a race vehicle creates "downforce" or weight on that area. In order to increase corner speeds teams strive to create downforce that increases tire grip. The trade-off for increased corner speeds derived from greater downforce is increased drag that slows straight-line speeds.

Handling
Generally, a race car's performance while racing, qualifying or practicing. How a car "Handles" is determined by its tyres, suspension geometry, aerodynamics and other factors.

Marbles
(Also referred to as "loose stuff.") Bits of rubber that have been shaved off tyres and dirt and gravel blown to the outside of a corner by passing vehicles. This loose rubber, dirt and gravel cause a severe loss of traction and sometimes force the driver to lose control.

Oversteer
(Also referred to as "loose".) A condition created when the back end of the vehicle wants to overtake the front end when it is either entering or exiting a turn.

Pit LaneThe area where pit crews service the cars. Located along the front straight of a track.

Pit Bay
The area along pit road that is designated for a particular team's use during pit stops. Each car stops in the team's bay before being serviced during a pit stop.

Pit Boom
The pole that comes out from the pit area to ensure that the hoses for the air pressured wheel changing guns out of the way.

Pole Position
(Also referred to as "P1") Abbreviation for the foremost position on the starting grid, awarded to the fastest qualifier.

Rear 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.

Rear Spoiler
Sometimes called "the rear wing" The spoiler is the piece of material that stretches across the rear of the car above the boot. It is designed to create down force on the rear of the vehicle, thereby increasing traction. However, the trade-off is that more down force equals more aerodynamic drag and less speed on the straight.

Set-up
Slang term for the tuning and adjustments made to a car's suspension before a race.

Split Time
Every track is separated into generally three sections for timing purposes with a magnetic strip in the circuit to record the amount of time it takes for a car to pass each section. This highlights what part of the circuit that one car may be faster than the other.

Stop 'n' Go (Black Flagged)
A penalty usually assessed for exceeding the pit lane speed limit or being the cause of an accident. Once having the black flag waived at him the driver must undertake a penalty by driving through pit lane without exceeding 40 kph

Sway Bar
Sometimes called an "antiroll bar." Bar used to resist or counteract the rolling force of the car body through the turns.

Toe
Looking at the car from the front, the amount the tyres are turned in or out. If you imagine your feet to be the two front tyres of a race car, standing with your toes together would represent toe-in. Standing with your heels together would represent toe-out.

Understeer
(Also referred to as "push.") Understeer is a condition that occurs when the front tyres of a vehicle will not turn crisply in a corner. When this condition occurs, the driver must get out of the throttle until the front tyres grip the racetrack again.