Are Nascar Drivers Athletes?

Answer 1

I say yes, they are. I think about it this way: only a handful of guys do this, not the whole world. It must take a person with strength and great skill to be able to handle hot temperatures of hours, stay calm even through feuds and fights, keep their head up when races don't go well, and fight their way with other drivers to victory lane. It's really impressive. The drivers all need to be physically fit enough to stay in a hot car for periods of time (so things like heart problems, etc could potentially hurt them if they drive). They have to be awake and alert each time they drive so they don't crash....and ruin their points and standings (not to mention get hurt!) They have to deal with fans, some of whom are wild, and some of whom are mean. They have to be good guys even when things get rough between drivers. And most of all, they need to be able to have normal lives outside of racing, and balance their racing world with "regular" world. With all this said, I certainly consider them to be athletes to be admired and respected, just like the guys who play basketball, football, or baseball.

Answer 2

Here is the never ending question.
The answer in the true spirit of COMPETITION is yes.
These drivers are on workout programs with their teams,an several of these drivers do more.Mark Martin lifts weights,Mike Waltrip runs marathons,Carl Edwards is an avid biker.These are just some of the things drivers do.
When you are in the car for 3 or 4 hours at 100 degree plus temps this is a very demanding sport and it takes an athlete to stand this for this long.

Answer 3

Hmmm, good question.
I've seen the response of look at Tony Stewart... man, he's fat. So if a physical condition defines an athlete there are lot people we need to now take out of the athlete list: A good number of wrestlers are way overweight (check out our heavy weight in the Olympics... would you fight him though?), a good number of boxers carry a lot of weight, look at baseball...wow, and some linemen in football... yes... that is funny. So the folks that pointed at one guy and said, he is fat, he is not an athlete... hmmm, please consider what you are saying for other athletes. Someone said Tiger woods. Wow. Golf has been established as a sport, athletes play it. If you don't agree. I understand :)
I understand that a racer's heart beats fast and they tend to have strong hearts (not meaning they are immune to heart attacks). They have challenging physical and mental conditions (hot, long, and you have to keep control). The car does do work, but the driver makes huge impact. If physical stress is part of being an athlete and conditioning is part of being an athlete and if competing in a competition is an athlete... then yes. If you said natural athlete... that would be another question.
Bravo

Answer 4

What is a sport? Isn't it a competition? Aren't you trying your hardest to have fun and to win?Don't you need to practice for whatever it is that you are doing? And who are the people that play these sports? They are athletes. Don't Nascar Drivers do all of the above? So in my opinion Nascar Drivers are athletes and if anyone disagrees then that is their opinion but you obviously do not understand the meaning of athlete if you disagree. But that is only my opinion. Hope I helped.

Answer 5

YES. I think they are.
Think about how tired you are when you get home from your commute? The traffic you fight everyday is draining on you.
Now, think about driver well over 100 MPH in traffic, tighter than what you drive in daily, add in that they all want to pass you. Three hours later, when you are done....you are exhausted.
They need to be in good physical (Michael Waltrip competes in marathons) condition to stand the beating that their bodies take in the corners, not to mention the wrecks that they get in.
They can call golfers athletes, and all they do is walk around on the grass. OK, there is the mental challenge to the game too, but a NASCAR driver also has mental challenges, too.

Bottom line is NASCAR drivers are Athletes

Answer 6

Yes. Sure, it may not be the most physically demanding sport, but it is really demanding mentally. The pit crew guys are also athletes, I think. They have to move quickly to get the car out as soon as possible. So yes, NASCAR drivers are athletes.

Answer 7

Why not? At the speeds they are traveling they have to have very fast reflexes. They must be in good physical condition to endure the high temperatures inside the cars and some tracks are very rough so they get a real pounding. Except for pitting, they do not get a breather so they have to remain highly alert to what's going on with both their own vehicle and all the others around them for hours. Then there is learning the competition, planning, and the strategy required to win any given race.

Answer 8

Definitely.Most of the answers above mine made the point.The sport of NASCAR racing is demanding physically and mentally.The drivers go to daily conditioning, train constantly, and demand excellence. Even the pit crews are athletes. Ever change a tire on your car? Get your buddies together and try changing four tires and fuel up in under 14 seconds.
Don't forget to clean the windshield.


Now, will you answer my question too, please?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Av8cMoZbkRlzmJnqTuvGg.vsy6IX?qid=20060926082449AAKXbvy

Answer 9

NO NO NO NO NO

Look at Tony Stewart, the couldn't beat Rosie O'DOnnell in a footrace. I know people say that it's tough mentally, and it get's so hot in the car. You know what else is tough mentally and get's really hot...being a surgeon in Africa, but I wouldn't call them athletes either.

They are racers in a contest, the pit crew is more of an athlete than the racer. I'm not trying to diminish what they do (ok a little bit) but it's not athletic. It's like calling Tiger an athlete, he doesn't even carry his own clubs.

Answer 10

No.

Athletes compete against other athletes in contests of physical prowess, and the equipment used plays a very small part of winning. NASCAR drivers are just overpaid chauffeurs for their rolling billboards.

But at least the sponsors picked the right target audience: Budweiser for that early morning pick-me-up, Tide to wash that smelly wife-beater shirt, Viagra to help the fat, girly rednecks feel important, and one big, gay DuPont rainbow for everyone!