Rallycross

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A motorsport that combines elements of rallying and circuit racing, where vehicles race on a mixed surface track featuring both dirt and asphalt sections
2. A competitive racing event involving modified cars that traverse a series of challenging terrains, including obstacles and various surfaces in a timed format
3. An exciting automotive sport that merges off-road rally driving with traditional racing, showcasing vehicles navigating diverse courses and conditions against the clock

Etymology: Rallycross is a plain compound: "rally" joined to "cross," the second element taken from "motocross," the name for off-road motorcycle racing on dirt tracks. The sport takes its character from both parents, pairing the rough-road speed of rally driving with the closed, circuit-based layout of motocross. The word therefore describes a hybrid. Its cars are typically rally-style vehicles, but they race on tracks that mix surfaces such as tarmac, gravel, dirt and sometimes snow or ice, with drivers competing wheel to wheel rather than against the clock. The name signals that blend of two motorsport traditions: the speed and surface variety of the first, and the tight, jostling competition of the second.