English grammar expert required to assist with Studebaker race car?!

[Studebaker Wheel]

I have dozens of photos of Studebaker Indy 500 racing cars from the 1930-37. Some months ago I was typing an article into the “word” program on Studebaker's Indy participation and that program consistently corrected my wording from “race car” to “racecar,” all one word! I thought that was pretty crazy and wondered when that happened. I overrode it changing it back to the more sensible/logical two words race car! In the past 24 hours I have read two articles (one in Turning Wheels) in which the nonword racecar was used. Was I napping when this word change took place or has it always existed and I just never noticed? Now I figure when I refer to the four Studebaker cars that "paced" the 500 (1929, 1940, 1952, 1962) I should refer to these as pacecars?

[8E45E]

Now spell "racecar" backwards and see what you get!!

Craig

[Chris Pile]

Despite what Mr. Quinn may think, RACECAR is quite acceptable and correct.

[StudeNewby]

"Race car" is the older and still more accepted spelling. Over time, the single-word variation has started to become more commonplace, probably due to its association with the anagram NASCAR.

Short answer: You won't offend anyone by spelling it as two words.

(Former college writing instructor)

[Noxnabaker]

I agree with Chris but I reckon race-car also could do...

[StudeRich]

I think it is all NASCAR's fault! All these Reporters, Drivers, Owners and Crew members always say "Racecar" very Fast in almost in ONE Syllable!

[TWChamp]

Pushing that "space bar" one extra time is just too much work. Or should that be spacebar? LOL

[S2Deluxe]

Now I figure when I refer to the four Studebaker cars that "paced" the 500 (1929, 1940, 1952, 1962) I should refer to these as pacecars?

I would imagine that there are several differences between Racecars and Pace cars. The spelling certainly could be one. Oddly enough, as I just tried typing it in as one word above, my auto-correction program separated it into two and I had to go back and edit out the space.
It must not make any significant difference, doing it however you like?

Mark

[64V-K7]

Race Car. . . . . . . . . . . .

[tomlewis]

I'm with you, Dick. I have very vivid memories of typing term papers in college in the 60's. They had to be absolutely correct, or you might as well not even turn them in. It seemed like I made a mistake on the bottom line on each page the first three or four tries. This was, of course, on a manual typewriter, so there was no going back, making a correction, and going on. I couldn't afford to have my papers typed by someone else.

Fast forward to today. It is certainly easier to correct incorrect key strokes now, but I know without a doubt that every, single thing that I put out there in public view has to be checked because the computer doesn't know the difference between "there" and "their"

I know I will make some people mad with this, but if you put something in a post, and the computer program changes it to something different, that's on you for not checking it before you hit "Post Quick Reply"

"Your" is not a proper contraction for "You are".

As I checked the above, I found the the computer had changed the word "there" in the second paragraph to, " the here" I am appalled if I find an error in something I have submitted. I figure that that Liberal Arts education should have at least been good for something.

Tom

[tomlewis]

As some of you may know, my sense of humor is slightly twisted.

$20US to the first person who finds (what is, I hope) the only grammatical error in the post above

Tom

[jclary]

I'm with you, Dick. I have very vivid memories of typing term papers in college in the 60's. They had to be absolutely correct, or you might as well not even turn them in. It seemed like I made a mistake on the bottom line on each page the first three or four tries. This was, of course, on a manual typewriter, so there was no going back, making a correction, and going on. I couldn't afford to have my papers typed by someone else.

Fast forward to today. It is certainly easier to correct incorrect key strokes now, but I know without a doubt that every, single thing that I put out there in public view has to be checked because the computer doesn't know the difference between "there" and "their"

I know I will make some people mad with this, but if you put something in a post, and the computer program changes it to something different, that's on you for not checking it before you hit "Post Quick Reply"

"Your" is not a proper contraction for "You are".

As I checked the above, I found the the computer had changed the word "there" in the second paragraph to, " the here" I am appalled if I find an error in something I have submitted. I figure that that Liberal Arts education should have at least been good for something.

Tom

As some of you may know, my sense of humor is slightly twisted.

$20US to the first person who finds (what is, I hope) the only grammatical error in the post above

Tom

Well, tom...How 'bout keystrokes instead of key strokes??? You also typed "the the"...and "to" instead of "too."

OOPS...I had to come back and confess I screwed up. I was in such a hurry to post my comments, I read your post too quickly and failed in reading comprehension myself. That is regarding the last "too/to" comment. I think you were correct and I didn't follow it contextually.

[ddub]

Well tom...How 'bout keystokes instead of key strokes??? You also typed "the the"...and "to" instead of "too."

John, you forgot the capital T in Tom.

[jclary]

John, you forgot the capital T in Tom.

No...it wasn't me...it was my finger!

[Cowtown Commander]

Tom -
Can you advise us regarding white wall and blackwall tires or is it tires?