Are nascar drivers really athletes?

Are nascar drivers really athletes?

  • Total voters
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#3
#3
Anyone who's spent some time at the track understands that the mental and physical requirements of racing are intense.

For those not at the track, try to run a full 2-3 hour race on PS2 in EA's NASCAR or for more reality in Gran Turismo. The amount of skill and focus to consistently be fast is absurd.

(did I mention I'm going to M driving school in March!!!!!!)
 
#4
#4
Yes. The physical and mental demands to drive anything as fast as possible for 4 or 5 hours is ridiculous.

Or what GAVol and volinbham said.
 
#5
#5
I just posted this in another thread but I drove 2 very fast sports cars today. They both would require many hours to learn how to wring all the speed out. Both were hurtling masses (3000 lbs) of metal. Neither match the acceleration or twitchy-ness of real race cars. The more fast cars I drive (and the more I push the limits) the more respect I have for racecar drivers.
 
#7
#7
The argument in support of them being athletes is because of the mental and physical stress it takes on their bodies. Does this mean astronauts are athletes?
 
#8
#8
I don't consider them "athletes" in the way I think of someone like Brian Urlacher or Vince Young or a marathon runner. They are definitely in very good physical condition and have amazing visual acuity, but so do fighter pilots.
 
#9
#9
I've never understood why people get hung up on whether golfers and drivers are athletes. It's a skill set that requires precision and (believe it or not) endurance. It's not running a marathon, it just is what it is.
 
#10
#10
The question was asked on TV once. I'll have to agree that they are athletes. They have to exercise quite a lot and have a lot of stamina to last 4 hours in a race car and especially when it's hot. They lose as much as 25 pounds when racing each week. Some of the guys race 2 times a week. Mark Martin has done it three times (Craftsman Truck, Busch race and Nextel Cup race) in one weekend. It takes a lot out of them.
 
#11
#11
Let's see. ESPN covers poker, pool and spelling bees. If that makes it a sport than racers are definitely athletes. I think they are anyway. Racing in 120+ degree conditions inside the car, with the physical pounding they take, AND having to be mentally on the edge making split second decisions.
 
#13
#13
Let's ask Merriam Webster:

athlete


Pronunciation: 'ath-"lEt, ÷'a-th&-"lEt

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin athleta, from Greek athlEtEs, from athlein to contend for a prize, from athlon prize, contest
: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina
Click to expand...

According to this definition - race car drivers = yes (contend for a prize, requires physical strength and stamina).

Fighter pilots = no (not contending for prize or in a game or sport)

Chess players, spellers, = no (doesn't require physical strength, agility or stamina (assuming agility and stamina are in the context of "physical"))
 
#14
#14
Whoever voted no would be in a world of hurt if they happened to enter a road course event.
 
#15
#15
vixenvol said:
Let's see. ESPN covers poker, .
Click to expand...

i was just going to bring up how the poker announcer/idiot raves about the mental endurance and the ability to stay seated for hours on end without eating, and the physical constitution it takes to play competitive poker....cooking your ass in a race car for hours takes a hell of alot more than that
 
#17
#17
GAVol said:
I've never understood why people get hung up on whether golfers and drivers are athletes. It's a skill set that requires precision and (believe it or not) endurance. It's not running a marathon, it just is what it is.
Click to expand...

I would admit they are athletes, just not the same degree of ones like football players, basketball players, etc.
 
#18
#18
To add to the fact that this driving thing is filled with "lesser" athletes, I am always amused at a 43 car Nascar field, made up of a group of drivers consisting of about 7 different families.
 
#21
#21
There are different skills required for different types of competition, but I wouldn't call any of them "greater" or "lesser". It's true that most drivers couldn't stand up to banging heads with a 300lb offensive lineman for 4 quarters, or running the court for two hours. It's also true that most football/basketball players couldn't handle a 3400lb stock car for five hours in the draft at Daytona with cars all around them mere inches away at 200 MPH. That dosen't make either of them greater or lesser as an athlete, just different.
 
#22
#22
MyBloodRunnethOrange said:
There are different skills required for different types of competition, but I wouldn't call any of them "greater" or "lesser". It's true that most drivers couldn't stand up to banging heads with a 300lb offensive lineman for 4 quarters, or running the court for two hours. It's also true that most football/basketball players couldn't handle a 3400lb stock car for five hours in the draft at Daytona with cars all around them mere inches away at 200 MPH. That dosen't make either of them greater or lesser as an athlete, just different.
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There are certainly different talents needed, but I would still consider them "lesser". As shown by how many of the same families continue to put drivers into the seats, it seems a skill that can be more easily attained through experience and financial backing than skills needed to say, play football or basketball.
 
#23
#23
allvol123 said:
To add to the fact that this driving thing is filled with "lesser" athletes, I am always amused at a 43 car Nascar field, made up of a group of drivers consisting of about 7 different families.
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I think they are athletes. But i think it is funny #20 gains 20 - 30 pounds during every season and excels in the sport.
 
#25
#25
allvol123 said:
There are certainly different talents needed, but I would still consider them "lesser".
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And I wouldn't.

allvol123 said:
There are certainly different talents needed, but I would still consider them "lesser". As shown by how many of the same families continue to put drivers into the seats, it seems a skill that can be more easily attained through experience and financial backing than skills needed to say, play football or basketball.
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What it shows it that the son grows around the sport, has a father who is able to teach it to them, and grows up to emulate their father. How is that any different from Peyton Manning, Brian Greise, Jarrot Payton, or any number of NFL players who grew up watching their father and followed in his footsteps?

And the skill to play any sport is attained through experience.
 
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