Glossary of Motorsport Terms - S

S

Safety car
A safety car or pace car limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of an accident or caution periods caused by obstruction/s on the track.
Sandbag
To gain a competitive advantage by deliberately underperforming at an event.
Sandtrap
An area at the very end of a dragstrip to keep vehicles from going off the track, it is filled with, as the name implies, sand. The design of the sandtrap is intentional, and used as a safety device.
Satellite team
A second racing team operated by a primary team but maintaining a separate identity.
Scattershield
(drag racing) metal sheet protecting driver in case of transmission failure.
Scratch race
A type of race which competitors start on an equal term.
Scrutineer
A qualified official who examines racing vehicles pre-race for compliance with the rules of competition, usually in a scrutineering bay adjacent to the pit lane.
Scuffs
Tires which have been used limitedly, but are not worn out. Scuffs may be put on a car during a pit stop to improve handling. At times, brand new tires may be 'scuffed in' before a race by practicing in them for a lap or two. (See "Sticker tires")
Sector
A section of one complete lap of the circuit used for timing purposes. For the purposes of Formula One, each circuit is split into three sectors.
Semi-automatic gearbox
A motorsport application, created initially by Scuderia Ferrari for Formula One, in which the driver can change gears manually, but without having to manually activate the clutch. On open wheel race cars it is usually activated by paddles immediately behind the steering wheel, although touring cars and rally usually place the gear shifter as a gear stick in the more conventional position on the centre console, but occasionally is mounted as a stalk off the steering column, when activated, automatically engages the clutch and changes the gear and releases the clutch without any further input from the driver.
Semi feature, B-main, Qualifier
A qualifying race before the main event, where non-qualified cars compete for a predetermined number of spots in the main event. Some races have a C-main where the top finisher(s) qualify for the B-main. At those events, the main event is known as the "A-main".
Setup
The set of adjustments made to the vehicle in order to optimize its behavior.
Shakedown
The first test of a new vehicle.
Shootout
See Superpole.
Short shifting
A technique used, primarily in motorsport, to regain control of a car through a high speed corner. Involves the driver shifting up a gear earlier than usual.
Shunt
A crash.
Shutdown Area
In drag racing, it is the extra 440 yards from the finish line, to the sand trap, used to safely shut down the car, and turn it off the track, so the next racers can begin their race.
Sidepod
Aerodynamic device to improve airflow between front and rear wheels on open wheel racing car which also covers ancillary equipment within car, most often water radiators which are air cooled by ram scoops at the open front of the sidepods.
Sipe a tire
To use a razor blade to cut a tire's thread causing the rubber to break off. Grooving or Cutting a tire means to use a tool to add additional grooves to a tire to adjust handling for a track.
Skid plate
Metal plates, most commonly titanium, fixed to the bottom of flat bottomed racing cars on the undertray facing the racing surface, put there to protect the undertray from ground strikes tearing through the undertray. Today less common as racing cars usually are mandated to have a ground clearance that is less critical to hitting the track.
Slapper bar
see traction bar.
Sled
In truck and tractor pulling, an implement pulled behind the machine which uses friction to stop the machine.
Slick (clay oval)
A phenomenon caused on short-circuit clay ovals that dry out too much. Clay circuits that do not maintain a certain amount of moisture as a race meeting progresses will start to wear the rubber off the soft specialised clay surface tyres of clay surface race car tyres much in the same way asphalt or concrete paved circuits do, giving the track surface a noticeably black shade.
Slick (tyre)
A tyre with no tread pattern, maximising the amount of tyre rubber in contact with the racing surface. A specialist motor racing application as in wet weather conditions these tyres have little resistance to aquaplaning.
Slidejob pass
Especially in dirt oval racing, a passing car dives low into a corner, deliberately oversteers in front of the vehicle being passed in an attempt to slow their momentum. The vehicle being passed often attempts to pass back by steering low coming out of the corner down the following straightaway.
Slingshot
front-engined dragster, named for the driving position behind the rear wheels (erroneously attributed to launch speed).
Slingshot pass
A pass using Slipstreaming (see below).
Slipstreaming
A car following close behind another uses the slipstream created by the lead car to close the gap between them or pass it. Same as drafting.
Smoking the tires
Also called Lighting the hides, or Blowing the tires off. A term used mostly in drag racing when a loss of traction occurs, causing the rear tires to rise, and smoke profusely. This usually happens off the starting line. When this happens during a race, it usually results in a loss, unless the opponent also loses traction as well.
Spare car, Backup car
A car used by a driver if he has damaged his main car. It may or may not have the same setup as the primary car. Teams in most major racing series have a spare car available at the track. At Indianapolis, it is traditionally called a "T Car" ("T" loosely short for "test" or "temporary")
Spec
see One-make racing
Special stage
A section of road or track, closed off used for timed runs in rallying. A rally is made up of a number of special stages.
Spin turn
A semi-doughnut which a driver use to turn themselves to a correct position on a tight space without the need of a reverse gear.
Splash and dash, Splash and go
A pit stop which involves refueling the car only, often less than a full tank.
Splitter
Also referred to as the front Spoiler or Front Air Dam. Aerodynamic device placed on the nose of some touring cars and GTs to improve airflow around the nose of the car and sometimes create downforce for the front wheels to aid steering. It is prominent on NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow body style.
Spoiler
Aerodynamic device attached to the trailing edge of a race car to increase its rear downforce. The difference between a spoiler and a wing is that wings are generally multi-element with air passing both above and below the aerodynamic surface, whereas a spoiler is flush fitted to the car's bodywork.
Spotter
a person, positioned high above the circuit, who communicates what going on the track to the driver
Stagger
the difference in circumference between the left and right tires. It is used to make a racing car turn easier on oval tracks.
Standard tree
(drag racing) timing lights which flash in sequence five tenths of a second between each yellow light before turning green. Traditional form, before introduction of pro tree.
Standing start
A starting method where the race machines are stationary on the grid.
Start and park
A team or driver who starts a race and only runs a small number of laps to avoid using up resources (tires, parts).
Steward
The adjudicator or referee at a race meeting who interprets incidents and decides whether penalties or fines should be issued.
Sticker tires
Brand new tires put on a race car. Nicknamed "sticker tires" because the manufacturer's labels are still visible. (Opposite of "Scuffs")
Stint
The period a driver is at the wheel in an event involving more than one driver in the vehicle. Sometimes refers to the period of driving between pit stops.
Stop-go penalty
Requires erring drivers to enter their pit and come to a complete stop before resuming, sometimes for a specified time. Sometimes called a Stop and go penalty, it penalises drivers more than a Drive-through penalty. Prior to the early 1990s when pit lane speed limits became standard in motorsport, the stop-go penalty was used more often. After pit speed limits were implemented, the drive-through penalty was developed.
Stripe or Strip
The start/finish line.
Struck the tires
(drag racing) loss of traction, causing them to smoke.
Success ballast
A method used to level performance between competitors by adding weight to cars the win races or are successful. Somestimes referred to as Lead trophy as the usage of lead bars is most popular in applying the additional weight.
Superpole, or Shootout
A selection procedure in which the ten or 15 fastest qualifiers compete for grid positions in a single-lap effort without other vehicles on the track. While not specifically referenced, most NASCAR races will use this style of qualifying for all cars.
Support race
A race(s) that takes place before and after the title race, also during qualifying day.
Super rally
When a rally driver retires on any day, except the last, they can continue the next day incurring penalties for the stages they did not drive, including the one they retired on. Currently, in World Rally Championship, a driver will be given the time of the fastest driver of their class, plus a five-minute-penalty for each missed stage.
Super Special
Timed special stage in a rally on a purpose-built track, often in a stadium. Usually two cars will set off at the same time in separate lanes, and at the halfway point of the stage they will swap lanes, usually due to a crossover involving a bridge. A similar format is used in the Race of Champions.
Swinger
(from Sidecar racing) A passenger on a racing motorcycle sidecar who athletically moves from one side of the sidecar to the other, altering a sidecar's weight distribution to assist in cornering speed and in some corners to prevent the sidecar from tipping over.

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