A sub-genre of racing games that combine racing and fighting. Usually found in console systems. Racing realism definitely takes a back seat to "fast paced action" (read: lobbing banana peels at one's opponents). Best played against friends.
Cart Racing was pioneered by Nintendo's Super MarioKart for the Super Nintendo. If you've ever owned a Super Nintendo, you have played Super MarioKart. This game spawned the genre. Many imitators (some quite innovative) continue to spring up.
Some Cart Racers are:
The earliest incarnation of Cart Racing was probably
Midway's arcade classic,
Spy Hunter.