AERO PUSH

Sometimes when two or more cars are running nose to tail it messes up the airflow on both cars. The tendency is for the lead car to lose downforce off the rear of the car and the following car to lose downforce off the front. When a care looses downforce off the front it doesn't turn like it should (understeer) and pushes up the racetrack. This condition is more apparent on the exit of the turns.

AERODYNAMIC DRAG

A number that is a coefficient of several factors that indicates how well a race car will travel through the air. In other words how streamlined is the race car. The idea is to get the car to go through the air as slick as it can but at the same time not to loose too much downforce. A car has to have a certain amount of downforce to get through the corners. Too much drag and it slows the car down…too little and it won't turn.

AIR DAM (lower valance)

A strip that hangs under the front grill, very close to the ground. It helps provide downforce at the front of the car. Crew chiefs will set the car up so the valence is as close to ground as possible so the air will go over the top of the car providing downforce and not under the car which causes lift. That is why the crews tape up the front grilles on the car during qualifying.

AIR PRESSURE

(BUMP = "go up" or add more air-- DROP = take some air out.)

It is all about balance and how the car is gripping the racetrack. With the type of tires Goodyear provides today an increase in air pressure raises the "spring rate" in the tire itself and changes the car's handling characteristics. If his race car was "tight" (won't turn) coming off a corner, a driver might request a slight air pressure increase in the right rear tire to "loosen it up." (make it turn better)