Is Auto Racing a sport?

Gastric ReFlux · 06-08-2004, 12:10 PM

Why does a bunch of guys driving in circles qualify as a sport?

Jason Moyer · 06-08-2004, 12:19 PM

Driving in circles?

jaxmagicman · 06-08-2004, 12:22 PM

Yes it is a sport.

KurtBevacqua · 06-08-2004, 12:25 PM

It may fill the competitive requirements of a sport, but it is not an athletic event. Race car drivers are race car drivers, not athletes. Just as golfers are golfers and not athletes.

jaxmagicman · 06-08-2004, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KurtBevacqua
It may fill the competitive requirements of a sport, but it is not an athletic event. Race car drivers are race car drivers, not athletes. Just as golfers are golfers and not athletes.

Have you ever driven a car that fast for that long? Have you ever played 18 holes four straight days?

kq76 · 06-08-2004, 12:35 PM

Next we'll hear that playing video games for 16 straight hours is a sport too.

Gastric ReFlux · 06-08-2004, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Moyer
Driving in circles?

In the interest of accuracy, ovals.

Jason Moyer · 06-08-2004, 12:44 PM

Hm.

Auto racing requires:

Strength
Endurance
Hand-Eye Coordination

It involves:

Competition

And is a form of:

Entertainment

Sounds like a sport to me.

Gastric ReFlux · 06-08-2004, 12:46 PM

I will say this. It is the one sport that truly has clutch ability.

Jason Moyer · 06-08-2004, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gastric ReFlux
In the interest of accuracy, ovals.

Saying that all auto racing involves driving in circles is like saying all bat/ball games involve a girl throwing underhand.

I can't imagine too many sports that require a greater degree of athleticism than the top formula series. Driving a car at dangerous speeds for 2 hours with precision while your body is being subjected to loads in excess of 3 G's while you're simultaneously trying to actually beat other drivers doing the same thing is pretty intense. Then again, I guess you don't really see guys like John Kruk in F1 cars.

Jason Moyer · 06-08-2004, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gastric ReFlux
I will say this. It is the one sport that truly has clutch ability.

Howso?

I'd wager that clutch ability is as much of a myth in motorsports as it is in baseball. Even in NASCAR, the same person who's won the most races in the past year and a half, most times by coming through "in the clutch", stuffed his car into the tires at the entrance to the pitlane.

In 1999, the world driving champion spins his car twice while leading comfortably. Yet he clinches his title with one of the greatest clutch drives ever against one of the greatest drivers in the history of motorsport.

Gastric ReFlux · 06-08-2004, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Moyer
Saying that all auto racing involves driving in circles is like saying all bat/ball games involve a girl throwing underhand.

I can't imagine too many sports that require a greater degree of athleticism than the top formula series. Driving a car at dangerous speeds for 2 hours with precision while your body is being subjected to loads in excess of 3 G's while you're simultaneously trying to actually beat other drivers doing the same thing is pretty intense. Then again, I guess you don't really see guys like John Kruk in F1 cars.

That's because Kruk would have dominated had he chosen to be a race car driver, but he wanted something challenging like baseball.

Gastric ReFlux · 06-08-2004, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Moyer
Howso?

I'd wager that clutch ability is as much of a myth in motorsports as it is in baseball. Even in NASCAR, the same person who's won the most races in the past year and a half, most times by coming through "in the clutch", stuffed his car into the tires at the entrance to the pitlane.

In 1999, the world driving champion spins his car twice while leading comfortably. Yet he clinches his title with one of the greatest clutch drives ever against one of the greatest drivers in the history of motorsport.

It's the pedal on the left.

jaxmagicman · 06-08-2004, 12:54 PM

Clutch as in using the clutch to shift gears.

Jason Moyer · 06-08-2004, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kq76
Next we'll hear that playing video games for 16 straight hours is a sport too.

Combining 2 of the most incorrect things I've read on this forum (both being below the Ichiro > Abreu thread of course) into one nifty ESPN spot:

http://www.tvronline.com/members/savage/simracer.wmv

Jason Moyer · 06-08-2004, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gastric ReFlux
It's the pedal on the left.

Oh, you mean that switch they have on the wheel and only use at the start?

Jason Moyer · 06-08-2004, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gastric ReFlux
That's because Kruk would have dominated had he chosen to be a race car driver, but he wanted something challenging like baseball.

Kruk would have to lose about 100 pounds to fit into the cockpit of an F1 car. And then, he'd probably black out when he stepped on the accelerator.

Gastric ReFlux · 06-08-2004, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Moyer
Oh, you mean that switch they have on the wheel and only use at the start?

Quote:

Greg Biffle overcame a failing clutch, a transmission that was popping out of gear and an engine that was laying down to salvage a top 10 finish

kq76 · 06-08-2004, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Moyer
Hm.

Auto racing requires:

Strength
Endurance
Hand-Eye Coordination

It involves:

Competition

And is a form of:

Entertainment

Sounds like a sport to me.

You forgot physical activity which to me is the most important qualification. You move your arms and feet around fast, that's not enough in my books.

Hank Greenberg · 06-08-2004, 01:08 PM

Nascar is not a sport.

Rally Sport or other type of off-road is a sport.

View Poll Results: Is Auto Racing a sport?
No	15	28.85%
Hell no	36	69.23%
other explain	12	23.08%
Polls should have more than 10 options	9	17.31%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 52. You may not vote on this poll

06-08-2004, 12:10 PM	#1
Gastric ReFlux Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Member #3409 Posts: 8,350	Is Auto Racing a sport? Why does a bunch of guys driving in circles qualify as a sport?

06-08-2004, 12:19 PM	#2
Jason Moyer Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 5,108	Driving in circles? __________________ "I pretty much popped everything cold turkey. We were doing steroids they wouldn't give to horses." -- Tom House "I was very fortunate to have a pitching coach by the name of Tom House...Tom, I really miss those days that we spent in the weight room and out on the field working together." -- Nolan Ryan's HoF Induction Speech

06-08-2004, 12:22 PM	#3
jaxmagicman Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Retired defloration-maker living in Myrtle Beach, SC Posts: 7,801	Yes it is a sport. __________________ See ID Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Minor League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with the permission of Minor League Baseball. All rights reserved.

06-08-2004, 12:25 PM	#4
KurtBevacqua Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,968	It may fill the competitive requirements of a sport, but it is not an athletic event. Race car drivers are race car drivers, not athletes. Just as golfers are golfers and not athletes. __________________ "The type and formula of most schemes of philanthropy or humanitarianism is this: A and B put their heads together to decide what C shall be made to do for D. The radical vice of all these schemes, from a sociological point of view, is that C is not allowed a voice in the matter, and his position, character, and interests, as well as the ultimate effects on society through C's interests, are entirely overlooked. I call C the Forgotten Man" - William Graham Sumner

06-08-2004, 12:35 PM	#6
kq76 Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 12,031	Next we'll hear that playing video games for 16 straight hours is a sport too. __________________ My OOTP Wishlist \| My FAQ List OOTP Wiki \| Your Recommended Team Nicknames, By City (A Crowdsourced Project) For Beta/Devs: Full screen (1920x1080)

06-08-2004, 12:44 PM	#8
Jason Moyer Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 5,108	Hm. Auto racing requires: Strength Endurance Hand-Eye Coordination It involves: Competition And is a form of: Entertainment Sounds like a sport to me. __________________ "I pretty much popped everything cold turkey. We were doing steroids they wouldn't give to horses." -- Tom House "I was very fortunate to have a pitching coach by the name of Tom House...Tom, I really miss those days that we spent in the weight room and out on the field working together." -- Nolan Ryan's HoF Induction Speech

06-08-2004, 12:46 PM	#9
Gastric ReFlux Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Member #3409 Posts: 8,350	I will say this. It is the one sport that truly has clutch ability.

06-08-2004, 12:54 PM	#14
jaxmagicman Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Retired defloration-maker living in Myrtle Beach, SC Posts: 7,801	Clutch as in using the clutch to shift gears. __________________ See ID Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Minor League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with the permission of Minor League Baseball. All rights reserved.

06-08-2004, 01:08 PM	#20
Hank Greenberg Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 460	Nascar is not a sport. Rally Sport or other type of off-road is a sport.