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In many forms ofracing, astraight orstretch is a part of therace track in which the competitors travel in a straight line for any significant time, as opposed to a bend or curve. The term is used inhorse racing,motor racing andtrack and field athletics.
In athletics, a typical 400 m track features two straights and two bends. The final straight before thefinish line is known as thehome straight, or thepit straight inFormula One, while the other is known as theback straight.
In motor racing, both thepit lane and finish line are often located on the longest straight on the circuit. Notable exceptions are the 6 kmMulsanne Straight at Le Mans, which is at the opposite side of the circuit; and at theSilverstone Circuit, 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 astraightaway. The final straight is sometimes known as thehome stretch.