Racing

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

This article is about the speed competition. For the Argentinian football club, see Racing Club; for the Spanish football club see Racing de Santander.

Offshore inflatable racing (Thundercat class) at Ilfracombe, north Devon, England.These boats can reach 60 mph

Air racing:Hungarian aerobatics pilot Peter Besenyei at speed in his Extra 300 at an air race in England

A race is a competition of speed. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed.

A race to cover a certain distance may be any length, and using any means stipulated by the rules. Running a distance is the most basic form of racing, but races are often conducted in vehicles, such as boats and cars, on or with animals such as horses and in aircraft.

A race may be run continuously from start to finish or may be made of several segments called heats or stages. A heat is usually run over the same course at different times. A stage is a shorter section of a much longer course or a time trial.

Early records of races are evident on pottery from ancient Greece, which depicted running men vying for first place. A chariot race is described in Homer's Iliad.

[edit] List of types of race

[edit] Unassisted human racing

Using only the human body's own muscles:

• Amateur Radio Direction Finding
• Cross country running
• Marathon
• Orienteering
• Racewalking
• Road running
• Running
• Track running in Athletics
• Swimming

[edit] Cycle racing

Bicycle racing:

• Track cycling, such as a Points race
• Road bicycle racing, such as the Tour de France
• Mountain (offroad) cycling

[edit] Ski racing

Skiing with skis, on snow:

• Alpine skiing such as Slalom skiing or Downhill skiing
• Cross-country skiing

[edit] Animal racing

Animals alone, or with human riders on the animal's back or in a conveyance:

• Camel racing
• Dog racing
  • Greyhound racing
  • Dogsled racing, such as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
• Horse-racing, see also United Kingdom horse-racing and Equestrianism
  • Chariot racing
  • Flat racing
  • Thoroughbred horse races, such as Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing or a Derby.
  • Trotting
  • Steeplechase
• Pigeon racing
• Pig racing

[edit] Aircraft racing

• Air racing

[edit] Motorized racing (motorsport)

Machines powered by motors, on land:

• Auto racing (also known as automobile racing, motor racing or autosport)
  • Board track racing
  • Drag racing
    • Sand Drag Racing
  • Dirt track racing
  • Grand Prix motor racing
  • Midget car racing
  • Open wheel racing
    • Champ Car
    • Formula One, Formula Ford, GP2 Series (Replacement for Formula 3000)
    • IndyCars
  • Offroad racing
  • Production car racing
  • Rally racing
    • Drifting
  • Road racing
  • Sports car racing
  • Sprint car racing
  • Stock car racing
    • NASCAR
  • Touring car racing
  • Truck racing
• Kart racing
• Motorcycle racing
  • Tarmac (aka Road Racing)
    • Grand Prix motorcycle racing
    • Pocketbike Racing
    • Production Bike Racing
    • Superbike racing
  • Off road
    • Motocross
      • Supercross
      • Beachcross
    • Track Racing
      • Flat Track
      • Speedway
      • Grasstrack (aka Long Track)
• Snowmobile racing ("land" = land or frozen lakes/rivers)
• lawnmower racing

[edit] Boat racing

Boats on water:

• Drag boat racing
• Dragon boat racing
• Hydroplane racing
• Jet sprint boat racing
• Offshore powerboat racing
• Outrigger Canoe racing
• Rowing
• Sailing or yacht racing also match race such as America's Cup races or team racing.

[edit] Other types

Some races involve multiple modes of transport:

• Adventure racing
• Kinetic sculpture racing

[edit] Etymology

The word race comes from a Viking word. This Viking word arrived in France during the invading of Normandy and gave the word raz which means "swift water" in Brittany; it can be found in "Pointe du Raz" (the most western point of France, in Brittany), and "raz-de-marée" (tsunami).

A race and its name are often associated with the place of origin, the means of transport and the distance of the race. As a couple of examples, see the Dakar Rally or the Athens marathon.

[edit] See also

• Sport
• Gambling
• Totalisator
• Pacemaker
• Nuclear arms race
• Space Race
• Racing game
• Surf lifesaving