{{about, the element of a track, , Straight (disambiguation)
In many forms of
racing
In sports, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific g ...
, a straight or stretch is a part of the
race track
A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also us ...
in which the competitors travel in a straight line for any significant time, as opposed to a bend or curve. The term is used in
horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
,
motor racing
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gene ...
and
track and field athletics
Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...
.
In athletics, a typical 400 m track features two straights and two bends. The final straight before the
finish line is known as the home straight, or the pit straight in
Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
, while the other is known as the back straight.
In motor racing, both the
pit lane
Pitstop may refer to:
* Pit stop
Pitstop may refer to:
* Pit stop, in motor racing, when the car stops in the pits for fuel and other consumables to be renewed or replenished
* ''Pit Stop'' (1969 film), a movie directed by Jack Hill
* ''Pit ...
and finish line are often located on the longest straight on the circuit. Notable exceptions are the 6 km
Mulsanne Straight
The Mulsanne Straight (, "Straight Line of Les Hunaudières") is the name used in English for a formerly long straight of the Circuit de la Sarthe around which the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race takes place. Since 1990, the straight is interrup ...
at Le Mans, which is at the opposite side of the circuit; and at the
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is a motor racing circuit in England, near the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. It is the home of the British Grand Prix, which it first hosted as the 1948 British Grand Prix. The 1950 British Grand ...
, which has the pit lane on the Hamilton Straight, rather than the Hangar Straight.
In the United States the home straight in athletics, and also the straight part of a motor racing track, is sometimes referred to as a ''straightaway''. The final straight is sometimes known as the ''home stretch''.
Racing