Since snoz won't go there, I will.  ;)

Is NASCAR a real sport?

Are NASCAR drivers atheletes?

Discuss.

Ant

Yes and Yes, by definition

Since snoz won't go there, I will.  ;)

Is NASCAR a real sport?

Are NASCAR drivers atheletes?

Discuss.

Ant


snoz is stirring up enough battles on other threads.... but the answer is no on both counts....  ;)

;D

Since snoz won't go there, I will.  ;)

Is NASCAR a real sport?

Are NASCAR drivers atheletes?

Discuss.

Ant

It's a gas guzzling event, not a sport.

definition under Webster's New World Dictionary

Sport
1. any activity or experience that gives enjoyment or recreation; pastime; diversion
2. such an activity requiring more or less vigorous bodily exertion and carried on, sometimes as a profession, according to some traditional form or set of rules, whether outdoors, as football, golf, etc. or indoors, as basketball, bowling, etc.
3. Fun or play

So based on the actual definition how can one say it is not a sport?  It is a recreational activity that is played with a set of rules in a traditional form. . .

Athlete
a person trained in exercises, games, or contests requiring physical strength, skill, stamina, speed, etc.

A good racer has to be trained, and skilled enough to perform well, while there are sports that athlete is arguable, all it takes is looking at a Nascar driver after a race to see the amount of stamina and energy put into what they do

It's not really debatable, I speak purely on definition here, it is a sport, they are athletes. . .and this is coming from a non-fan

I fail to see where in the actual definition of sport it says anything that discredits racing, disliking it is one thing--but to say it isn't a sport is false.

I don't like wrestling, golf, boxing, baseball, basketball, hunting, olympic swimming, and a number of other sports, but they are still sports--their individual physical requirements vary, but they are all activities played by a set of rules and regulations, it's how ESPN gets away with playing "Poker Night" in place of hockey. . .which irritates me to no end because I don't get Versus over here.

going around track 500 times in a race car at high speeds requires concentration and strong bladder but not much else  ;)

plus it boring... unless they crash but that's just wrong  so pretend I didn't just say that.

going around track 500 times in a race car at high speeds requires concentration and strong bladder but not much else  ;)

plus it boring... unless they crash but that's just wrong  so pretend I didn't just say that.


It is boring, I'll give you that, but that doesn't change the fact that it meets the definition of a sport

and wrong on the crash-yeah--but it's true as long as no one dies. . .

I agree that racing is a sport and drivers are athletes. I always thought that horse racing was not a sport (a nasty little man beating a horse around a track) ....but under the definitions ....well, almost anything can be a sport!  :-\\

Not a sport at all!  I base this on many factors, but primarily by the fact that I can speed though I'm certainly no athlete!  8)

A poll has been added!

Ant

I find it humorous when I hear the reasons it is not a sport. Just cars going in circles, all you need to do is drive fast, hell I
can drive fast too. Oh yeah, the strong bladder and concentration part is another favorite of mine.

You know, we can all drive fast but do we do it in an unairconditioned car, where it can reach over 120 degrees, in a five
layer fire suit? Do we drive fast for 4 to 5 hours at a time and putting up with 4 to 5 g-forces in the corners, thats is almost
1,000 lbs pushing you sideways in corners? Do we do these things almost every weekend for 8 months of the year?

NASCAR has a lot of detractors but just because you don't like it, it doesn't mean it's not a sport, I hate squash but still
consider it a sport. People have to understand, these athletes, yes athletes, have to be in top physical shape, in mind and
body. 250 lb. guys can throw fastballs and hit a tiny ball around the countryside but in no way can they drive a race car.
Take it for what it's worth, by definition, call it a sport and then ....just don't watch it.

While it is extremely boring to watch, loki's statement holds.  NASCAR is in fact a sport, and the drivers are athletes, they just play the most boring sport other than golf :D

It's not a sport if there aren't any steroids involved  :P

Really though, I've just posed the question to my husband and he believes it is a sport, so maybe it's mostly the ladies who are the naysayers  :-\\

It's not a sport if there aren't any steroids involved  :P

Really though, I've just posed the question to my husband and he believes it is a sport, so maybe it's mostly the ladies who are the naysayers  :-\\


I know a lady (related to Red Ant) who believes it is a sport also, and who says there aren't any steroids involved, certainly not the amount involved in Baseball, Football and Hockey. . .but it's not unheard of. . .

Loki, your statement is exactly what I mean. . .it is a sport. . .

Sure we all drive fast, but that's not to a set of competitive rules. . .Nascar racing is a sport

One other thing. . .I've never seen a morbidly obese racer in Nascar . . . just an observation

Yes, auto racing is a sport. It takes very fast reflexes and an enormous amount of stamina to steer a race car at high speed around a track for three hours. The amount of g-force put on drivers' bodies is intense. It's very physically demanding.

I actually saw a piece on the training regimens that drivers go through to prepare for races. They're in very good shape. Most have less than ten per cent body fat.

I know a lady (related to Red Ant) who believes it is a sport also, and who says there aren't any steroids involved, certainly not the amount involved in Baseball, Football and Hockey. . .but it's not unheard of. . .


The remark about ladies' opinions was only based on the 2 responses to this thread, myself and Q, who happen to be female. 

The steroid remark was actually just a joke.  ;)

The remark about ladies' opinions was only based on the 2 responses to this thread, myself and Q, who happen to be female. 

The steroid remark was actually just a joke.  ;)


I don't think you're wrong though, I bet some drivers have performance enhancers, and even if they personally don't, their cars get "steroids" in the form of additives and illegal modifications.

I was thinking, the performance of race car drivers could probably benefit from stimulants like amphetamines and cocaine.

NASCAR is about endurance, sort of. I mean I really can't say if it is a "real" sport.  Hmmm...that gives me an idea for a thread.

I voted...............yes!!!  Surprise!!

I will admit that watching the races on tv is not as exciting as being there.  When you are AT a race, you can see how fast these guys are really going, (200 mph) and even though it looks boring to us, there is a lot of strategy, communication and adrenaline in each and every car.  It's kind of like PacMan, if you will.  Try to get around without the little blue guys getting you...ha.  I've listened to drivers on the scanners (headphones) and that makes it a lot more fun.

It is actually pretty dangerous if you just make a wrong move.  You can hurt not only yourself and trash your car, (or DIE) you can wreck someone else or even hurt fans, like the crash at Talladega.  Russian Roulette with cars.  These guys have to know their cars just like a jockey has to know his horse.

And Satish is right, you really do have to be in pretty good physical condition to race-NASCAR driver physical conditioning must be such that it builds a driver’s endurance to withstand some harsh conditions and G-forces. And, the NASCAR driver physical conditioning is very similar to athletes in other sports except different areas are built up.

Thanks, Big Nasty for being so brave and setting up this poll..... ;D  I wanted to but didn't have the.....you know.  :)

Not a sport at all!  I base this on many factors, but primarily by the fact that I can speed though I'm certainly no athlete!  8)


NICE!!!! O0

I voted...............yes!!!   Surprise!!





but you're a lady  http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/04/eek2.gif  you voted wrong....

obviously you know I'm just kidding... I hope...

Of course I know you're kidding......you can't help it if you don't know a real sport when you see one!  ;) ;)  :-*

YES is stilll winning, by just a little...  8)  <------  I like this smiley, he reminds me of Dale Earnhardt Jr.!  My #88  :)

Of course I know you're kidding......you can't help it if you don't know a real sport when you see one!   ;) ;)  :-*

YES is stilll winning, by just a little...  8)   <------  I like this smiley, he reminds me of Dale Earnhardt Jr.!  My #88  :)


Funny... I like this smiley best cuz it's doing just what I am thinking.  :P


;D

To me, NASCAR is a 'sport' in the same sense that long distance running is a 'sport'. Yes, there is a level of skill involved and yes the 'athletes' need to be in top condition to do it, but it's more a case of endurance than talent. You can be as fit and strong as you like, it doesn't mean Adam Wainwright wont strike you out, but if I can drive around the Gateway Speedway at a ridiculous speed (after signing more insurance waivers than I'll ever see again) in my old ass Nova (track days are awesome!) and do it pretty much the exact same way that the 'athletes' do it.. I don't see how it's that much of a sport. Give me a faster car and time to build up my stamina and endurance levels and I dare say I could enter a NASCAR race. I'm not about to say I'd win, but I'll bet I could finish..... last.... but finish. Whereas in a baseball game, I'd never make contact with the ball, playing basketball I'd lose it every time it was passed to me and I would probably be killed playing football or hockey.

In questionably Non Sports Related news:   ;)

I have to bring this thread back up to mention that David Reutimann, from Zephyrhills, Florida won the CocaCola 600 yesterday!  The race I didn't watch! His first Sprint Cup win!  This guy is pretty popular locally, his family has a house not far from us, and his Father owns an auto collision repair company that's fairly big in town. He's been building cars from the bottom up for years. And he's a NICE guy that doesn't do drugs.

Yay Dave!  8)

http://thm-a01.yimg.com/image/1f1f5e98a3f48162

Ooooh, now I really wish I had seen this race! Tony Stewart started spouing his mouth off as usual, and yelled at Dave for racing him too hard when HE had the faster car......obviously he didn't!  ;)

In your face, Smoke!

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