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

If you really want an answer to why they are considered athletes, go drive a shifter-cart for about 30 minutes.

 

Same reason people on TV or movies or whatever make the money they do. Its entertainment that brings in lots of money.

Not saying I don't agree that soldiers (or police, fire fighters, etc etc for that matter) should make more money.

As far as this dumb thread, if the activity they partake in has sports in the title how are they not at athlete? Why does an athlete have to be someone that runs a 4.4 40 or knocks someone on their ass? Baseball players sit and stand around most of the game but it would be asinine to not consider them an athlete.

 

You probably couldn't even fit in an f1 car

 

This

 

http://jalopnik.com/5971586/do-you-have-to-be-physically-fit-to-drive-a-race-car

 

Nascar is lame and boring and for the masses. Only people who watch it are people who know nothing about motorsports simply a spectator sport. The only true & pure Motorsport is Motocross FTW.

 

http://youtu.be/LbxP09UZ2F0

Just sayin

 

Motocross is lame and boring and only for bros with flat brimmed hats.

 

Hmmm... what about MONSTER TRUCK drivers?... LOL.

('something') may take skill, but are all skilled persons athletes?

.

 

Amen Brother...

I used to race enduro karts (non shifter), and after 45 minutes around a fast track like Mid Ohio I was spent (and majorly sore after the full weekend of racing).

This was when i was much younger, and fitter - today it would probably kill me....

 

Because a race and the inside of a race vehicle is a violent environment. There is NO insulation so it is loud, hot, and dirty. The heat can reach over 110 degrees in the cab, nevermind the insulated firesuit, helmet, gloves, weather of location if it is humid like the south, or dry heat like the desert, etc. Nascar racers have been known to sweat over 10 lbs. during a race. Then you have the G forces of braking, turning, accelerating, and the impact of a wreck. If you are racing off road then you have the high speed bouncing around and jerking from the rough road, or lack of a road. Add this with the endurance and stamina of sitting through it for hours on end? Then yeah, I would say you have to be in pretty good shape to tolerate this type of stress on the body. Just like an athlete.

 

So are the iron workers who work on guide-wire towers athletes? They have to be in shape for the climb, they have a risk of 'crashing' if they're not careful, their climbs can last for hours and, if they slip up at any time during that climb, it could be fatal for them. They are also in shape because their job demands it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ry-ofJHatGs

I'd say stuntman for now, but what happens when they start competing in X-games or some such thing? then they must be athletes??

..just saying

 

I have a few choice words to say, but to keep myself from being banned, I will keep them to myself. You have a right to your own opinion, but insulting other people, including TW members is just plain rude, and being an ass. I was probably racing back when you were still in a nappy.

 

NASCAR has its audience just as pingpong has its audience. this thread was not created to bash the sport. Add to the discussion or gtfo.

 

So by your definition using strength to turn a car without power steering for 500 miles while going 200mph is a physical activity

 

No because they are not competing in a sport or contest. They're performing their job duties. The same reason a gladiator is an athlete but a roman soldier is just that, a soldier.

That's the dividing line.

 

While I do agree, if you want to get technical, every sports player in the general sports we have talked about in this thread do this as a job. But yeah, I get your point...just razzin ya.

 

Olympics

 

OK, one sport we talked about doesn't do it for pay. But still, many of them do. They get sponsor money to further their training, so technically you could say they do it for pay....lol.