Here's why:
* The vowel sound in "race" is a short "a" sound. It sounds like the "a" in "cat" or "hat".
* Long vowel sounds are typically associated with the vowel being pronounced as the letter's name. For example, the "a" in "fate" is a long "a" sound because it sounds like the letter "a".
Therefore, the "a" in "race" is a short vowel sound.