Slingshot Pass - T

T

T-bone

A collision in which the front of a car crashes into the side of another car, forming a "T" shape. This is one of the more dangerous types of crash due to the relative vulnerability of side impacts where there is much less deformable structure on the side of a car to protect the driver. Also, to crash into another car in such a fashion; the victim is "T-boned".

T-car

Alternative term for spare/backup car

Tank-slapper

When the front wheel of a motorcycle oscillates rapidly, causing the handlebars to slap against the fuel tank. It is increasingly being used to refer to a vehicle that loses traction at the rear, regains traction and loses it again, causing the rear to weave side to side independently of the front of the car. This is more often referred to as fish-tailing.

Tansō (単走, solo run?)

(drifting) Japanese term for individual passes where drivers drive whilst being observed in front of judges in an attempt to vy for the top spot.

Team orders

The practice of one driver allowing another from the same team or manufacturer to gain a higher finish at the direction of the team management. Often employed to prevent the risk of an accident resulting in damage to both of a team's cars. The practice was briefly forbidden in Formula One as a consequence of the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix controversy. U.S.-based series (NASCAR, IndyCar, etc.) rarely if ever have used team orders, and the practice is widely frowned upon due to sportsmanship issues and fan backlash.

Tear-off

thin plastic sheets that drivers stack up over their visor for visibility. Drivers tear one off after it becomes dirty.

Ten-tenths

Refers to driving a car to its absolute potential.

Throttleman

In offshore powerboat racing, the boat's second occupant who work alongside the driver, whose role is to steer the boat. The throttleman's position is to adjust the trim tab whilst observing water conditions and extract as much speed out of the boat by controlling the hand-throttle during a race whilst it hops over tides after tides to prevent the propellers from spinning wildly whilst the boat is airborne, which causes the engine to overrev, leading to engine damage.

Throw a belt

(drag racing) losing the drive belt connecting the engine's crankshaft to the supercharger.

Tight

See Understeer.

Time attack

A competition which involve cars running around the circuit in lieu of a qualifying lap.

Timeslip

(drag racing) E.T. slip.

Tin-top

Road car-derived vehicles with a roof, mainly in touring car racing.

Tire shake

A term in drag racing, when the engine is putting out more horsepower than the drive axle can handle, causing the rear tires to shake violently. This results in a loss of speed, and can also result in loss of steering, and occasionally, lead to on track accidents. Refer to in other disciplines sometimes as axle tramp.

Top end

(drag racing) finish line of strip; high part of engine's rev band.

Track

The racing surface.

Traction bars

(drag racing) rear struts fixed to rear axle to keep rear axle from twisting, which causes wheel hop and loss of traction; also called slapper bars. In FWD cars, commonly import drag racing, used to keep front wheels in the ground.

Traction control

This regulates the power supplied to the wheels of a vehicle to prevent wheelspin. It is banned in many forms of motor racing.

Trap(s)

(drag racing) the 20 meter (66 ft) timing lights at top end of race track to measure speed & E.T.

Trap speed

(drag racing) Speed as measured by the speed trap near the finish line, indicative of the maximum speed reached on a pass.

Tsuisō (追走, chase-attack?)

(drifting) Japanese term for tandem passes where two cars are paired off against each other over two passes within a heat, with each driver taking a turn to lead.