View Poll Results: Do you think auto-racing is a sport and are race car drivers athletes?
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Do you think auto-racing is a sport and are race car drivers athletes?
12-01-2008, 01:28 PM
#32
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Originally Posted by Jimmies,Dec 1 2008, 02:08 PM
Nobody can convince me that John Force is an "athlete."
There are some drivers who are athletic, but I hardly consider drivers to be athletes when compared with real specimens.
There are some drivers who are athletic, but I hardly consider drivers to be athletes when compared with real specimens.
OR
Do you think that he's a participant in a sport?
Yes, he's an athlete.
12-01-2008, 02:34 PM
#34
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Originally Posted by vader1,Dec 1 2008, 01:40 PM
I answered double no.
I think driver are higly skilled and it is a competitve event that requires some endurance but I don't find them to be athletes.
Would horse jockey's be athletes? Or would it be the horses.
I say it is not a sport because the work is being done by a machine, and the endurance is sitting in a car concentrating and enduring heat and mental exhaustion. It aint running up and down a court and using physical skill to dunk on Shaq.
I know people will disagree, but thats how I view it. I have great respect for their skill, but poker players have skill and endurance, but it aint a sport and they are not athletes either.
I see most people view it differently than me but this board is full of auto racing fans. Put the same question on a basketball board and you would probably have different results.
I think driver are higly skilled and it is a competitve event that requires some endurance but I don't find them to be athletes.
Would horse jockey's be athletes? Or would it be the horses.
I say it is not a sport because the work is being done by a machine, and the endurance is sitting in a car concentrating and enduring heat and mental exhaustion. It aint running up and down a court and using physical skill to dunk on Shaq.
I know people will disagree, but thats how I view it. I have great respect for their skill, but poker players have skill and endurance, but it aint a sport and they are not athletes either.
I see most people view it differently than me but this board is full of auto racing fans. Put the same question on a basketball board and you would probably have different results.
I guarantee that if you do an an endurance karting event that you'll change your tune about how physical motorsports are.
12-01-2008, 02:52 PM
#35
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i do go karts and requires a lot of training like running all the days 30 minutes to 1 hour and also i go to the gym to make some muscles... race cars drivers also need a good phisical preparation especially those who run open wheel because is more difficult with more G s Forces ...
12-01-2008, 03:00 PM
#36
Originally Posted by bloodzombie,Dec 1 2008, 02:28 PM
Do you think that John Force is a person trained or gifted in contests involving physical agility and stamina?
OR
Do you think that he's a participant in a sport?
Yes, he's an athlete.
OR
Do you think that he's a participant in a sport?
Yes, he's an athlete.
Not Athlete (got more chins than Chinatown:
12-01-2008, 03:35 PM
#38
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Originally Posted by vader1,Dec 1 2008, 04:40 PM
I know people will disagree, but thats how I view it. I
12-01-2008, 03:57 PM
#39
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Originally Posted by GPMike,Dec 1 2008, 05:35 PM
And your view is wrong. Fact is, F1 drivers, and many other drivers in other series are serious olympic quality fit athletes. Go do your research before you arrive at "a view."
My answer to that is NO, race car drivers are not considered by me to be athletes just because they race cars/bikes. Are most of the good racers in great shape and athletes, probably
I consider an athlete to be someone that uses their body as the major tool to compete. Racers have to endure a lot and also have to have great endurance but the machine is doing most of the work. For the record I raced carts when I was younger so I do understand how much strength it takes to be good.
Yes, some athletes use tools in other sports like baseball, pole vault, etc but their bodies do a large majority of the work.
That all being said if you asked me if professional race car drivers are usually in as good if not better shape then athletes, my answer would be a very strong YES! Greg Biffle is a friend of my fathers and although he is small, he is in great physical shape and very strong
He is fast on his feet too 
