NASCAR A Sport?

[Tarheels.]

well the question is simple, do you think Nascar is a sport and why. I personally love Nascar and watch the race every week. I went to the all-star race and LOVED IT. It was my first race and a great one. I just wanna know if there are any Nascar fans out there.

[naiwf]

I'd definitely say it's a sport because of the way it's organized, but I don't necessarily consider the drivers athletes. It's the same thing with other fringe sports like table tennis, billiards, bowling etc.

[Guest Morecello]

How can you compare it to Table Tennis and Bowling? You take a lot of physical and mental abuse as a driver. I would like to see you sit in a stock car moving at 190 mph and the in car tempature being over 125 degrees. It takes a lot out of you. Some drivers lose about 10 pounds a race.

[naiwf]

How can you compare it to Table Tennis and Bowling? You take a lot of physical and mental abuse as a driver. I would like to see you sit in a stock car moving at 190 mph and the in car tempature being over 125 degrees. It takes a lot out of you. Some drivers lose about 10 pounds a race.

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[oldskool]

I consider it a sport. I don't watch it religiously, but without any playoff hockey to watch I've seen more races than usual this year.

There's a lot to it, and it takes an entire team to get it done...and it's unpredictable. Virtually ANYONE in the 43-car field each race can win it, and I love that. Sure, it's usually one of 10 or 15 drivers, but there's always a couple drivers that surprise you with a top ten or a top five finish.

[Godfatha]

It is a sport. Because they're all stock cars, the entire race is designed to test the skill of the driver himself, and not the car. How to take the turn, when to pass, when to stay behind, when to take the pit (although that may be due to the crew) but for the main reason that the race tests the skill of the driver driving 500 laps means that it is mentally straining and is a sport.

[sahyder1]

How can you compare it to Table Tennis and Bowling? You take a lot of physical and mental abuse as a driver. I would like to see you sit in a stock car moving at 190 mph and the in car tempature being over 125 degrees. It takes a lot out of you. Some drivers lose about 10 pounds a race.

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Because your skillset to be a driver consists of quick reflexes. . . and. . . yeah that's pretty much it.

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[Tarheels.]

It is a sport. Because they're all stock cars, the entire race is designed to test the skill of the driver himself, and not the car. How to take the turn, when to pass, when to stay behind, when to take the pit (although that may be due to the crew) but for the main reason that the race tests the skill of the driver driving 500 laps means that it is mentally straining and is a sport.

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[naiwf]

its not all based on their skills though.  Dale  Jr. is a great racer but is doing terrible this year due to his entire team changing.  So it has to be a good car for their skills to actually come into play.  But I was wondering who thought it was a sport here because half of the people at my school consider it retarded.  Then half of the rednecks just want to kick their asses 

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[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

To me, when you rely on your equipment more than you're actual physical abilities it stops being a sport.

[Lowerdeck]

It's part equipment, part driver ability - cause a crap driver won't win, and part pit crew. Cause if your team sucks, and you're in the pits for 17 seconds every time - that hurts a lot. Good pit crews can get you out in like 13 seconds now.

[Farmer Reil]

It's as much of a sport as Snooker and Pool are.

That is to say, it's not.

[Liam]

Yeah, I don't think they are sports, personally.

I dunno what they then get classified under, but I just don't think that it matches the requirements that most things go under to be a sport.

[Greg The Smooth]

I dont consider it a sport in the same way that Horse racing isnt a sport. The riders/drivers are not athletes, they just drive fast.

[Clawson]

Non

Atheltic

Sport

Centered

Around

Rednecks

I'd say it's a sport.

Oh and Jimmie Johnson can suck my wang. How many does does 24 go into 48? Twice a night.

[Jester of Death]

I agree with naiwf with it being a sport, but the drivers aren't athletes. I mean they can be skilled in driving and knowing what a carborator? does, but that doesn't mean they are athletic, anyone can go in those cars and live to talk about it.

But if you read the definition of athlete:

A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

But then it all comes down to whether the individual (us) believe that NASCAR involves 'physical exercise or sports', whilst it might be hot and they sweat that doesn't mean diddly shit to me.

[Blehschmidt]

I vote Yes.

Fine, they may not be physical specimens, but it does take a training regiment to be able to sit in those temperatures, fighting dehydration and exhaustion....all the while maintaining a sharp mental edge to avoid piling yourself into the wall at 200 miles an hour.

If Golf is a sport....Nascar is a sport.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

I vote Yes.

Fine, they may not be physical specimens, but it does take a training regiment to be able to sit in those temperatures, fighting dehydration and exhaustion....all the while maintaining a sharp mental edge to avoid piling yourself into the wall at 200 miles an hour.

If Golf is a sport....Nascar is a sport.

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[oldskool]

Pilots, however, never have 42 other planes flying around them for three hours.