Hundredth of a second
Also: Hundredth, 1/100 s
The smallest unit of time used for timing and scoring in many regularity tests.
A hundredth of a second is one hundredth part of a second. In many regularity tests it is the unit used for timing and scoring.
How it is measured
You cannot do this by eye or with a hand-held watch. Organisers therefore use light barriers, pressure hoses or GPS timing. They record the moment your car crosses a line to the hundredth.
What it means for you
A hundredth sounds like nothing. But at 40 km/h you cover about 11 centimetres in a hundredth of a second. Half a second late means you are more than 5 metres behind plan. Top crews are often only a few hundredths out at each timing point.
Scoring
Depending on the regulations, you get one penalty point per hundredth or per tenth. Some events only penalise beyond a certain margin, others count every hundredth.
Realistic goals
As a beginner you do not need to drive to the hundredth. Aim first to stay under one second of time deviation at each timing point. Crews who manage that often finish near the front of their class.