Crashnet > Guide Index > 1. Track & General

Oval racing can be traced back almost as far as the motor car, forming one of the simplest courses that you can race on. Oval racing in the UK is based around the stock car formula as imported from America in the mid-1900's, and the other formulas were developed from there, including the popular banger (or jalopy) racing formulas. These are covered in the sixth chapter.

• armco: Fencing used usually for road fencing, usually used in single or double rows on outer walls. You may recognise it as the curved metal sheeting from which motorway and roadway safety fences are made, the name coming from the manufacturer of the system.
• catch fence: second fence structure used to catch pieces of cars that break up on impact.
• figure of eight: A short circuit track with a cross over in the middle. Racing figure-of-eight requires that cars cross and, sometimes, crash. Strictly a full contact type.
• full contact: contact allowed between cars including fencing and spinning
• jays: short for RSJ (rolled steel joist) used sometimes as posts to hold up fence cables.
• limited contact: varies according to formula, contact is limited to race gaining manoeuvres only, no wrecking.
• non-contact: Contact expressly forbidden
• Oval/Short Circuit racing: Motor racing performed within a flat oval circuit of up to a quarter of a mile in circumference.
• pit: holding area for cars not racing, where repairs and refuelling can take place.
• Shale: Loose surface circuit
• Tarmac: Layered hard surface (tarmac!)
• Grass: A circuit set out on a grass circuit.