If you mean racing against other people, it was that NES game where you race mini cars (I forget the name).

Otherwise there was Rad Racer for the Nes and, while I can't remember what it was called I have a clear memory of playing an atari 2600 game before that... Mighta been named Indy something or Gran Prix, don't know.

MicroMachines?

That game was really fun!

Either Pole Position (or one of its sequels) or Ivan "Iron Man"s Super Off Road.

Hah no but now that I've seen it I definitely remember that game too, lots of fun!

Apparently I was thinking of RC Pro Am

Something for VCS. Might have been Pole Position.

Need For Speed: Underground 2.

Pole Position in the arcades.

Good question.

It was either R.C. Pro-Am or Rad Racer. Or possibly Excitebike, if that counts.

I think it was Pole Position on ZX Spectrum...not 100% sure it was exactly that game, but it was ZX.

Gran Turismo on the psx and mario kart on n64