Glossary / General

fourth gear

16 Episode Mentions

Too Afraid to Ask

fourth gear is a term you might hear when people talk about cars.

Technical Definition

Mentioning “fourth gear” is a clue about how the car is being driven through the corner/section—gear choice affects engine speed, acceleration, and stability. In racing, staying in a higher gear can indicate the driver is prioritizing smoothness and traction rather than downshifting for extra acceleration.

Hear It Discussed

"And so for Tommy's, it was almost impossible to run in fourth gear, but you were in like kind of the mid stages"
Our Race Recap w/ Tommy Kendall and Mateo Siderman The Smoking Tire 18:21

"And when I get to about 35 miles an hour in third gear and I go to shift into fourth gear, it feels like it's surging or bucking, but once I get up over 35, start giving it more gas,"
Under The Hood The Automotive Experts for Free Car Repair Advice Under The Hood show 14:59

"And by the time your foot got to the bottom of the floor on the squeeze, that needle had gone to 105 before you needed to shift into fourth gear. [3424.0s] It was fun, such an exhilarating rush..."
🏎️ 🏁 Brad Phillips on The Great Race, Cross-Country Ferraris, and Vintage Porsches To All The Cars I've Loved Before: Classic Car Restoration, JDM, and Automotive History 56:56