Glossary of Motorsport Terms

• B-team - A racing team that exists to develop the careers of upcoming drivers, such as Scuderia Toro Rosso and unofficially, Super Aguri F1. Sometimes also referred to as a satellite team
• Back half - (drag racing) referring to distance from the 1/8 mile mark to the 1/4 mark of the track.
• Backmarker - A slower car, usually in the process of being lapped by the leaders.
• Ballast - Weights fixed on the cars to maximise its balance and bring it up to the minimum weight requirement.
• Banking - A.) The angle at which a track inclines towards the outside of a corner or from the lower to the higher side of a straight, also referred to as camber, more so when modest or negative, B.) a corner that inclines towards the outside or C.) an earth bank where spectators sit or stand.
• Bargeboard - A piece of bodywork of the car that is mounted vertically between the front wheels and the side pods to help smooth the airflow around the sides of the car and make it more aerodynamic.
• The Big One - A large pileup during a stock car race involving up to 30 cars. The term is largely reserved for restrictor plate racing at Daytona and Talladega.
• Black flag - A black flag accompanied by a car number, directs a driver to return to his pit and is most often used to signal to the driver that he has been excluded from the race.
• Black with orange circle flag - This flag accompanied by a car number warns a driver that he has a mechanical problem and must return to his pit.
• Blend line - The painted line defining the exit from pit lane where it rejoins the race track.[citation needed] It prevents emerging race cars from driving into race traffic travelling past the pits. Competitors are penalised for crossing the blend line, ensuring cars have attained full racing speed before rejoining the race.
• Blower - supercharger (occasionally turbocharger); in '90s, generally grouped as "power adder" with turbocharger and nitrous.
• Blown - A.) An engine that is supercharged (i.e. a "blown" V8 is a supercharged V8); or B.)An engine that has suffered serious failure, usually no longer running and/or having sustained irreparable damage (i.e. "Looks like #21 has a blown engine...his race is over").
• Blowover - flipping of a car or boat, due to air under car lifting front wheels.[citation needed] Commonly suffered by dragsters and powerboats.
• Blue flag - A blue flag warns the driver that he is about to be lapped and to let the faster car overtake him. If a driver passes three blue flags, without complying, then the driver risks being penalised. Blue lights are also displayed at the end of the pit lane, when the pit exit is open and a car on track is approaching.
• Bottoming - When a car's chassis hits the track surface, sometimes making sparks fly. This is because the suspension has hit the maximum amount of compression it can take, for example due to increased downforce.
• Bridesmaid - A driver who finishes the race or racing season as runner up Sometimes reserved for a driver who finishes second many times without ever winning a championship (or major event) in his career.
• Bump and run - A move in stock car racing, where a trailing car intentionally bumps the car in front in an attempt to pass.
• Burnout - performed to heat the tires up for better traction.
• Bye - Allows a driver to advance to the next stage or heat of an event, without competing, when there are uneven numbers entered. Commonly used in speedway, drag racing and drifting etc.