NASCAR A Sport?

[Liam]

What those runners and other athletes are doing is using endurance, reflexes and strength, the same thing a NASCAR driver uses.

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Read EBG's post again. Accept the truth of the matter. Exit thread. Thank you.

[Guest TheTokenWhiteGuy]

Truth of the matter? what is not a sport about NASCAR it has all the components of a sport. The only reason people don't seem to count it is because they imagine that they could just climb into the cockpit of a Race car and just compete in the sport, because they drive a car every day, and it seems to them to be a normal, everyday thing.

With that ramble I'm trying to say, you can't say those drivers in NASCAR aren't athletes just because you do that same thing (Driving) on a daily bases. The drivers require endurance, reflexes, strength (I know I sound like a broken record). What does a runner do that a driver doesn't do?

[Liam]

No, people are saying it isn't a sport because it's not a sport.

Generally, anything where it becomes machine vs machine, rather than man vs man, its not a sport. As most of the "work" is done by a car, and a set of mechanics and what have you, means that the blokes as whole aren't athletes.

And the reason I said the truth of the matter is because thats what it is. There are certain things that either make, or don't make, something a sport. Nascar isn't a sport, and as such, there drivers aren't athletes.

[Tarheels.]

it might be Machine v. Machine but those machines test the ability of the drivers in them. If that driver isn't a good driver then he can't possibly do good unless everybody else is having a terrible day. Yes if your car isn't running great you might not be doing all that good. But if two people get in the exact same cars in NASCAR..the better driver will win...right? So it does come down to man v. man

[Guest TheTokenWhiteGuy]

I agree with Tarheels

Ok, then what are those things that make it a sport?

And I wouldn't say the car is doing all the work, because it takes a man to operate the machine, they aren't just riding on the top of a robotic car (I would bring up horse racing, but I'm not sure how many people consider that a sport). The mechanics also add a team aspect to it, in a way (However small it is) you need the mechanics to be able to work the car, although I wouldn't call NASCAR a team sport by any means.

Edited June 8, 2005 by TheTokenWhiteGuy

[Liam]

But the cars aren't going to be running the same, are they?

I got this from someone else's blog, and it sums it up nicely.

In my mind, sports are athletic competition. There must be competition, and it must require athletic ability for it to be a sport. It also has to be man powered; if you are operating a self powering mechanical device, its not a sport. And no, i dont consider a baseball bat or a hockey stick to be a mechanical device. But I don't consider NASCAR a sport, either. Car racing is a sport for the car, not for the driver. It takes a great deal of skill to drive a car that fast for that long, and it takes a great deal of talent. I couldn't do it. But that doesn't make it a sport. Fishing is not a sport. Fishing by throwing a spear into the water like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, if done in a competitive manner, is a sport. Hunting with a rifle is not a sport. Hunting with a knife is a sport.

Chess is not a sport. Rock climbing is a sport. Riding a motorcycle is not a sport, but riding a bicycle is a sport. Darts, billiards, bowling, and the world series of poker are games, not sports. The reason i define all these things as games and not sports is that although they take a great deal of talent, hand eye coordination, and/or brain power, they do not require athletic ability. You can be a great bowler and still be a fat out of shape bastard, you only have to be strong enough to throw the ball down the lane.

Golf is a sport. Horse racing is a sport for the horse, but not for the jockey. Snowboarding is a sport. Skateboarding is a sport. Motocross is not a sport. Dogsled racing is a sport for the dogs, but not for the rider. Dog showing is not a sport for any parties involved. But the doggie skill competition where they jump through hoops and shit is a sport for the dog, but not the handler. Gymnastics is a sport

EDIT: Basically, what the bloke says at the top is what makes a sport. NASCAR, by definition, is not a sport.

EDIT 2: And there are actual rules which define whether a sport is a sport, or not. It's probably based on what the Olympics say, or something. I did P.E and it was brought up....and I don't agree with all what that bloke says, by the way.

Edited June 8, 2005 by kevinnashwannabe

[naiwf]

The fact of the matter is that Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt Sr. wouldn't amount to shit in the worst car in the Winston/Nextel Cup circuit. However, some fringe driver could win races with Gordon, Petty or Earnhardt's equipment as evidenced by Kevin Harvick, who won his 3rd career race riding in Dale Sr's car. The fact that you can drop an average guy into a great car and still get a winner indicates it is not the skill of the man that dictates who wins for the most part. On the other hand, there's no way to give me Michael Johnson or Carl Lewis' legs and cardiovascular system, therefore it's the man who dictates who wins. Hence, runners are athletes, NASCAR drivers are simply caretakers of million dollar equipment.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I'd place it below Formula 1, Rally and Touring Car.

They go around various corners.

NASCAR seems to be "put your foot to the floor and keep turning left for 700 laps".

Motor Racing is always a strange thing. It's competitive, dangerous and can be exciting, but is it properly classed as a "sport".

And if it isn't, can you class Snooker and Darts as a sport? Or Syncronized Swimming, or Rhythmic Gymnastics...Or baseball?!?!?!

Ultimately NASCAR bores me to tears, so for me, it's no sport.

[Lowerdeck]

While for the most part, NASCAR is racing around on oval shaped tracks and turning left all day, there are some exceptions to that rule.

A couple races of the year are held on road courses, similar to the F1 and TOCA series. There's Sonoma/Sears Point in California, I believe in June. Then there's Watkins Glen in New York in August.

There's also Martinsville and Richmond, which are nearly circles. ANd Pocono in Pennsylvania is a triangle. These three, they always go left. But the first two, you never stop going left. The third, you're practically drag racing for long periods of time.

[Colly]

The 'sport but not athlete' argument works the other way too. I mean like I am a sexual athlete, but that definitely isn't a sport. If it was I'd win though.

[The Kraig]

Of course it's not. It's driving a car.

To me, sport is defined by BEING an athlete.

Stuff I don't see as sports, but more of as games/racing:

Any form of car/horse racing.

Horse sports.

Snooker/Pool. The most action here is chalking the cue.

Bowls. The sport for OAPs.

Thing that just qualify:

Golf (professionally anyways, you really need great technique and power, which requires strength, speed and accuracy).

Bowling. Requires a lot of power, as well as a lot of accuracy.

Sports which are underestimated:

Table tennis. Sure, ping pong balls are featherweights, but to compete professionally it takes tons of skill as well as fitness - power (strength/speed), local muscular endurance (in the playing arm) as well as cardio vascular endurance (because those rallies can go on for a long time, as well as the game as a whole).

Athletics. While a racecar driver may get hot enough to sweat a bit in their super-padded cells, that is in no way the same as professional runners. The fact you think that just makes you look like a complete idiot. And honestly, endurance may be a factor, it's not the driver doing the work.

And before you go all shitzoid on me, I watch MotoGP (which is a whole lot harder than NASCAR fucking racing) as well as some Formula 1, rally racing as well as NASCAR when it's rarely on. They just do not push the body to the limits as a sports should. It's more of a mental ability than a physical one. And sports are supposed to be physically demanding.

Point made.

[Jester of Death]

Motor Racing is always a strange thing. It's competitive, dangerous and can be exciting, but is it properly classed as a "sport".

And if it isn't, can you class Snooker and Darts as a sport? Or Syncronized Swimming, or Rhythmic Gymnastics...Or baseball?!?!?!

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[Lowerdeck]

Eh, shall we introduce the term 'quasi-sport' for NASCAR and all these other sports. It sorta is, it sorta isn't a sport.

[MDK]

Eh, shall we introduce the term 'quasi-sport' for NASCAR and all these other sports. It sorta is, it sorta isn't a sport.

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Then we'll make food shopping a quasi-sport as well, eh? >_>

[Lowerdeck]

Depends on how much violence and running is involved.

[Guest Bluesman]

No. There is no athletic ability or skill required to do so, hence it is not a sport. The fact that this thread has this many posts helps demonstrate the recent explosion in popularity of mental retardation and NASCAR, which I'm told holds a correlation of .83.

[MDK]

Depends on how much violence and running is involved.

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You obviously haven't seen people shopping on Christmas Eve

[Jester of Death]

Depends on how much violence and running is involved.

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You obviously haven't seen people shopping on Christmas Eve

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[Lowerdeck]

Depends on how much violence and running is involved.

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You obviously haven't seen people shopping on Christmas Eve

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I was trampled trying to buy an XBOX when it was released, and they were sold out by my place in line. I settled for a gamecube

I remember nearly getting trampled a few years back on the day after Thanksgiving over them damn Furbies. I was at a once-famous store outside Worcester, MA, there was a line of people trying to get those fuckin things. My mother just *had* to get the family there at 5:45, over an hour before the store opened to get three. When the doors opened, the mob rushed the place. Ugly sight.

Eh, shall we introduce the term 'quasi-sport' for NASCAR and all these other sports.  It sorta is, it sorta isn't a sport.

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I think that will work since everyone is absolutly convinced that it takes no physical skill to turn a wheel at 150-170 MPH with 200 degree heat, while trying to stay away from others, drafting the cars in front to take higher position, and communicate to your crew what needs to be done to make your car better.

So i'll keep my stance at a sport with no athletes, but skilled drivers.

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That's my stance too. Funny. I only said that to appease the haters.

Edited June 10, 2005 by Lowerdeck