auto racing

American

noun

the sport of racing automobiles in which drivers compete against each other on a course designed for racing or on closed public roads.

Etymology

Origin of auto racing

Probably earlier than 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He was obsessed with building the world’s fastest cars to conquer the booming world of auto racing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Devotees of European-based, open-wheeled auto racing already know what happened during the 2025 season.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

However, it is arguably in Nascar where Gordon is best known, having spent more than two decades competing in the beloved auto racing series.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 20, 2025

The Emmy-winning series “Formula 1: Drive to Survive,” beginning its seventh season next month on Netflix, has been widely credited with re-popularizing open-wheel auto racing in the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2025

Hacker sports are almost always primarily self-competitive ones involving concentration, stamina, and micromotor skills: martial arts, bicycling, auto racing, kite flying, hiking, rock climbing, aviation, target-shooting, sailing, caving, juggling, skiing, skating, skydiving, scuba diving.

From The Jargon File, Version 4.2.2, 20 Aug 2000 by Steele, Guy L.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023