"Watching 2,000 left turns doesn't do much for me," my brother said this morning.Tens of millions of Americans feel differently about NASCAR, though, and given its massive following, stock car racing deserves at least an "Is it a Sport?" day in court.
Why NASCAR might be considered a sport
It has been suggested at times that NASCAR has a following of 75 million in America, but this article claims the true number is actually closer to 37 million. Either way, that's a huge number, unparalleled by any other borderline activity/sport.
And my perception is that if you're a fan of NASCAR, it's pretty much the most important thing in your life.
Besides the rabid fan base, there's also the intense level of competition. The Nextel Cup awards points for wins, top five, and top 10 finishes, and at the end of the season, one racer is proclaimed champion. If you're scoring at home, Jeff Gordon is atop this year's standings.
And finally, it can be argued that NASCAR driving requires great skill. No disagreement here, except to say that calculus and barbecuing would also fall into that category.
Why NASCAR might not be considered a sport
In a way, it seems fitting that NASCAR is on the cusp of surpassing baseball and football as the national "sport" here; apparently, we Americans admire the ability to sit for long periods of time.
All sarcasm aside, I do have a great deal of respect for the skill and bravery of NASCAR drivers. Unfortunately, though, those traits do not classify them as athletes. As I wrote in the inaugural post of this debate, an activity must require physical fitness to excel to be considered a sport.
With NASCAR, once you strap on the seat belt, you're good to go: no amount of strength or cardiovascular endurance gives you any advantage over the field.
Final Ruling: Not a sport
Certainty: Sorry, NASCAR fans, but this one's a blowout in my books.
15 comments:
A "blowout in my books"...sheesh, Kevin ;)
I've actually been told that you have to be in very good shape to excel in Nascar. I can't think of any fat Nascar drivers that I've ever seen. I think it would qualify as a sport, personally.
That being said, I can't stand watching it. What do people see in this? I can go outside in my front yard and watch cars drive around...big whup!
Hey Kevin, i'm not a fan of NASCAR, but i've met a few people that have been to live races. They tell me it is unbelievable live. Perhaps once someone watches the action live, they get hooked. I admit i like to make fun of driving around in a circle, but i would like to watch a live event, then have my final view on NASCAR.
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NOT A SPORT? CAN YOU GET OUT THERE AND GO 500 MI. I THINK NOT ITS BETTER THEN FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL GO TO A RACE AND FIND OUT FOR YOUR SELF
Just because we can or cannot do something does not determine it's placement as a sport or non-sport.
I can't kick a 50 yard field goal so is football not a sport?
Nascar- the drivers have skill but it is not a sport.
Thank you, Zoner. As I wrote in the post, I have a lot of respect for NASCAR drivers. It's challenging and risky, and I'm sure the adrenaline rush must be insane. But those factors notwithstanding, I still contend that physical fitness gives no edge to one driver over another.
I will concede, though, Luke, that there aren't many fat guys or girls on the Nextel circuit.
luke, the reason NASCAR has no fat drivers is not because they're in such phenomenal shaped, it's because fat drivers could not fit in those cars
What's amazing to me is how long the NASCAR have been able to stay around. When i first heard of the Games, i was thinking the trend wouldn't last long. At least you can give them credit for marketing.
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Wow Kevin, you have a lot to learn about NASCAR. The physical endurance of these drivers is incredible. It may surprise you, but NASCAR drivers actually are in great physical condition. They also train on a regular basis to maintain that shape. The need that endurance to drive. They really have to fight the wheel, it takes a lot of strength to do so. Also, didu know that drivers can lose up to 20 pounds during a race. This is because of how much they sweat in the 120 degree cockpit of the car.
I'm one to say that the physical shape of the drivers puts one person over the other.
I believe, in similarity to Formula One, they are required by contract to work out everyday.
The work out is, like other sports, tailored to their activity. In this case, it is to be able to strengthen their neck and arms to handle the g-forces in turns. Not only this but they do cardiovascular exercises mixed with coordination exercises.
Their ability to be concentrate while under pressure much comes from their physical fitness.
I hate Nascar, I really do, I think Indy, F1, WRC is better in every way. (As do I think the drivers are more skilled) But I cannot ignore the fact that their physical fitness does give them an advantage, whether it be explicit or implied.
the good physical fitness of a driver can ONLY be an advantage but being out of shape (which OFTEN occurs WITHOUT being fat) is not necessarily a disadvantage. the absence of fat drivers is by necessity of space and desirability of a positive company image for their sponsors. i vote NASCAR = not a sport.
I strongly believe its a sport
Based on the definition alone:
sport /spɔrt, spoʊrt/ [spawrt, spohrt]
–noun
1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.
2. a particular form of this, especially in the out of doors.
3. diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime.
Nascar racing is definitely a sport.
Dude you need to be fit to race, no matter what type of racing, from F1, to Indy Car, to Touring Cars to NASCAR. These aren't steering wheels like in road cars, they are stiff and they have to work hard to keep the thing under control and it takes a lot of energy to race for hours, as well as a lot of skill. They are exposed to high g-foces and it's hard work. It's not like driving a road car. You have to be in good shape to do well.
Your ignorance is pathetic. Don't write an article on something you know nothing about. Moron.
Amazing how up in arms people can get over this stuff. He never said anything bad about NASCAR: he just questioned whether we should call it a "sport" or something else.
Personally, I'm with the author. Sport usually has three components: skill (practice), physicality and competition (a winner). NASCAR certainly has *some* physical component, as others have pointed out, but I think it falls a little short of the physicality test.
As an example, it's well known that to be at the top of your mental abilities, you need to be in good physical shape. Chess matches can be long and require significant mental and physical endurance. However, I think most would agree that chess is not a sport. It's not physical enough. Video games are an even better example: quickly manipulating a controller is a physical activity, but few would call them "sport."
On the other hand, most will agree that bowling is a sport, and it hardly requires you to be in top-top shape--even at the highest levels. Throwing that ball is still a very physical activity.
Ultimately, NASCAR is in the gray area at the edge, which exposes "sport" as a Sorites. But you have to draw the lines somewhere, and I think most people would draw NASCAR out if they really think about the lines that define "sport." Better to call it a competition in my book.
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