Someone enlighten me as to why people in motorsports are considered athletes.

Did I ever say competitive walking was not a athletic event?

 

Alright, That's it.

Everyone who has posted in this thread has to record themselves "competitive walking"

 

I don't think being proficient in something that not everyone. Can do means its an athletic type event. Even though chubbies can do cheer leading....I agree its a sport.



Being proficient at creating software is something that not everyone can do but its far from an athletic event

Also even though drivers have to deal with shitty conditions, that's their on fault. The factory workers in china that make the tech everyone is using go through far worse conditions. Don't see them being considered athletes or their event athletic, seeing how not everyone can do it.

 

Fixed it

 

Ermahgerd

 

Because I want to go into physical therapy...wait your right. Let me drop everything and hop on the fast track, pun intended.

 

Valid point

 

Well if it's as easy as you seem to think it is then it shouldn't be a problem

 

When did I say it was easy?

 

Drive a few hundred flawless, precision, miles at 125-250 mph, in just a few hours and within feet of other vehicles traveling the same speed, and you'll find the answer yourself. The demands on your senses, reflexes, concentration, and muscle control are obviously intense.

Hogwash. Read the above.

 

Not in the professional sense of the word that drivers are "in"....but yes, I'm an athlete.

 

Ok....

 

I give up haha

 

you guys convinced me that they went fat sacs of crap of that helps

 

^ auto correct *are not*

 

Put Lebron James, Adrian Peterson, Albert Pujols, or any other athlete who has dominated their own respective sport in a Sprint Cup Series car, guarantee they are lucky to finish a race let alone be competitive. The same would go for Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, or any driver trying another sport. Each has mastered the skills and what physical fitness is deemed necessary to compete at a high level. These guys are athletes. Sure Tony Stewart is a little on the heavy side. But his sport doesn't require you to bench a certain amount or run a sub-5 second 40. NASCAR demands quick reaction time, endurance, and the cajones to race side by side in a pack of 20+ cars doing 200 mph at Daytona where 2" is the difference between wrecking and not wrecking.

 

Not athletes. Not even close. No.

 

I would happily see them in the car racing, assuming they made a car the offset the added weight they have. Give them a little time to get use to how to drive and what not and I'm sure they will do fine. Will they win first? Probably not. But they will fare MUCH better than if we put drivers in a football or basketball game.

So congratulations, they are "athletes" but not professional athletes by any means.