race vs contest

race and contest both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
race	Yes	No	Yes	No
contest	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, contest is a hypernym of race; that is, contest is a word with a broader meaning than race:

race: a contest of speed
contest: an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants

Other hypernyms of race include competition.

As nouns, contest is a hypernym of race; that is, contest is a word with a broader meaning than race:

race: any competition
contest: an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants

Other hypernyms of race include competition.

race (noun)	contest (noun)
a canal for a current of water	a struggle between rivals
a contest of speed	an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants
any competition
people who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock
(biology) a taxonomic group that is a division of a species; usually arises as a consequence of geographical isolation within a species
the flow of air that is driven backwards by an aircraft propeller

race (verb)	contest (verb)
compete in a race	to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation
move hurridly
cause to move fast or to rush or race
to work as fast as possible towards a goal, sometimes in competition with others