Are Drivers Athletes, Yes or No?
Like this guy, in almost 18 years of sports reporting, I've covered virtually every major professional sport. And, like this guy, I've even competed in my share over the years, a few at a reasonably competitive level and with some success. But, unlike this guy and at risk of pissing off a whole bunch of people, I just don't think NASCAR drivers are athletes, per se.
Of course, it will likely come as no real surprise, then, that I don't consider NASCAR a sport in a conventional sense. But then, I don't consider golf a sport in a conventional sense, either. Hell, I'm not terribly impressed by most professional baseball players (former Philly John Kruk, who once famously told a female fan, "I ain't an athlete, lady, I'm a baseball player," remains a hero). Regardless, I love each competition and appreciate and respect the unique skills necessary to do any of them at a high level.
Are there athletes, as I define the term, who are drivers? Sure -- and just as I tend to think Tiger Woods is an athlete, I acknowledge that Elliott Sadler or Kyle Petty or Dale Jarrett could well be excellent athletes. I just don't happen to think one needs to be an athlete to be a successful NASCAR driver. Put another way, I can and have played 18 holes of golf before, but, I can promise you, I'm no golfer.
Do NASCAR drivers need to be athletes to do what they do? I don't think so. And to all those who will doubtless be annoyed and disagree, I give you ... Tony Stewart.
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No NASCAR Fan--see, that's the thing: I'm just not sure one does need to possess other-worldly endurance to be successful. Might it help? Sure, but, I don't think it's a requirement. Tony Stewart may not be as "unfit" as some others who have been successful, but I'm willing to bet that his endurance is still far less impressive than, say, even a marginally fit runner's.
KS--yes, this discussion is obviously reliant on my definition of 'athlete,' and, as I wrote originally, I'm disinclined to call most baseball players athletes. But, again, I'm just not sure I think you need to be in particularly good shape to drive a race car fast for three hours. Might it help? Sure. You'll be less fatigued generally, you'll recover more quickly, etc., but, I think you can be fairly unfit and still be a good, successful driver.
You make a good point, but it all depends on what your defintion of an athlete is. Most football players hands down are athletes, soccer players are athletes, hockey players are athletes. But what about baseball players, are they athletes? Thats difficult to say, some say yes some say no, I say eh.
I agree, you do not have to be an athlete to be a successful race car driver, but it sure does help. Tony Stewart is probably the fattest driver out there that I have seen at his level. You have to be in shape to drive those cars around as fast as they go and for as long as they go.
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Any time 50 year olds can compete alongside 20 somethings, it's a pretty clear sign that 'athlete' does not apply.