Kitty Litter

Kitty Litter is a motorsport slang term that refers to either the gravel-filled run-off areas beside race tracks or the absorbent material used to clean up fluid spills on the racing surface, both named for their visual resemblance to cat litter.

The most common use of the term describes gravel traps, which are safety zones positioned on the outside of corners and other high-risk areas around a race track. When a driver loses control and goes off the track, their car enters this gravel-filled area instead of immediately hitting a concrete wall or fence. The loose gravel stones act like a brake, digging into the car's tires and underbody to slow it down before a potential impact.

These gravel run-off areas earned the nickname "kitty litter" because the small stones look remarkably similar to the granular material people put in their cats' litter boxes. Track workers spread this gravel several inches deep across large zones that can extend dozens of feet from the edge of the racing surface.

Getting stuck in the kitty litter is every driver's nightmare during a race. Once a car enters the gravel, it often becomes beached or stuck, with the wheels unable to gain traction on the loose surface. In some racing series, track officials can use recovery vehicles to pull the car out, allowing the driver to rejoin the race, though usually in last place. In other series, ending up in the gravel trap means an automatic DNF, or Did Not Finish.

Modern Formula 1 circuits have largely moved away from gravel traps in favor of smooth, paved run-off areas made from asphalt or special high-friction surfaces. These paved areas allow cars to rejoin the track more easily and provide better options for motorcycle racing, which also uses many of the same circuits. However, traditional race tracks and many other motorsport venues still rely on gravel traps as their primary safety feature.

The term kitty litter also describes absorbent materials that track officials spread on the racing surface to soak up oil, coolant, or other fluids that leak from damaged cars. This cleaning material works just like cat litter in a home, quickly absorbing liquids to prevent dangerous slippery conditions. Officials must act fast to clean these spills because even a small patch of oil can cause multiple cars to lose control.

During a February 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, crews used quick-dry grit to clean debris after a crash. Because NASCAR trucks have open cockpits without full roofs, the absorbent material sprayed onto the track ended up hitting some drivers as they drove through the cleanup zone, demonstrating one of the practical challenges of track maintenance during active racing.

Whether referring to gravel traps or cleaning materials, the term kitty litter has become standard vocabulary in the motorsport world, used by drivers, commentators, and fans alike to describe these important safety and maintenance elements of race track operations.