This 101 report is the second part in a series about racetracks and the terms that define the dynamic action about or during a NASCAR race. This report includes definitions plus comments by popular NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kasey Kahne.

Reporter Dwight Drum asked Kasey Kahne:

As far as hitting your marks, feeling the car, is there any way to explain that to a fan so they understand it a little bit more? 

“Yeah, I mean, it's difficult to explain”, Kahne said. “But really the hardest part with these cars is when you're behind another car and you want your front end to be turning good, that's hard to get that. A lot of times when you get your front end to turn really good, then the back of the car wants to slide around the front of the car, then you got your hands full with the back of the car. 

“Being able to get the front as good as you can and not have the back come around, not wear out your rear tires by having the front positive, you'll be eating in the right rear quick, halfway through the run, you'll lose the back that way. It's a fine line. We've been fortunate enough over the last couple months we've been hitting it pretty close. We just have to keep doing that. 

“It's tough. It takes time to figure out what it is. Once you get it, you have to figure out how to keep it and just give the right information and then you need your team to set the car up in that certain way. We've been able to do it pretty well this year.” 

It’s so difficult to put all that happens at an actual race into words but being familiar with terms helps in the knowing and the viewing of a NASCAR race.

Glossary of Racing Terms from the 2009 NASCAR media guide. Courtesy of NASCAR 

Groove: Slang term for the best route around the racetrack; the most efficient or quickest way around the track for a particular driver. The “high groove” takes a car closer to the apron than the outside wall. Road racers use the term “line.” Drivers search for a fast groove, and that has been known to change depending on track and weather conditions.

Handling: Generally, a race car’s performance while racing, qualifying, practicing. How a “car” handles is determined by its tries, suspension geometry, aerodynamics, and other factors.

Lapped traffic: Cars that have completedat least one full lapless than the race leader.

Lead lap: The lap that the race leader is currently on.

Loose: Also known as “oversteer.” When the rear tires of the car have trouble sticking in the corners. This causes the car to “fishtail” as the rear end swings outward during turns. A minor amount of this effect can be desirable on certain tracks.

Loose stuff: Debrissuch as sand, pebbles, or small pieces of rubber that tend to collect on a track’s apron or near the outside wall during a race.

Marbles: Excess rubber build-up above the upper groove on the racetrack. Also known as loose stuff.

Pit road: The area where pit crews service the cars. Generally located along the front straightaway, but because of space limitations, some racetrack sport pit roads on the front and back straightaways.

Pit stall: The area along pit road that is designated for a particular team’s use during pit stops. Each car stops in the team’s stall before being serviced.

Pole position: Slang term forthe foremost position on the starting grid, awarded to the fastest qualifier.