Recently, former NFL Quarterback Donovan McNabb came under scrutiny for his comments stating that race-car drivers weren’t real athletes. Many fans and drivers of racing were upset by his comments – but it brings up an interesting point. What defines an athlete, exactly, in the eyes of Americans? When I think of sports, the first thing I think of is something like basketball, football, or the Olympics. A sport for me it something physical and active in nature, that requires strength or finesse, and endless dedication and training.
But then, doesn’t driving fit all of those qualifications?
The amount of dedication and concentration that race-car drivers need to pour into their trade is outstanding. As dangerous as some professional sports can be, nothing matches race-car driving. If a driver makes one small mistake, their careers and lives could easily be in danger. There is a reason that NASCAR is so popular – nothing is quite as exciting or exhilarating as seeing someone lay everything on the line in a competition. Driving a car in itself is obviously not a sport – I think that racing becomes a sport due to the sheer amount of mental and physical dedication required to control a machine as powerful as a race car. The amount of pressure and exhaustion that a driver’s mind and body must go through during a race is pretty outstanding – I personally don’t think that I could last for more than a few laps out there.
I think it’s silly to assume that racing is not a sport, simply because it does not fall into the traditional definition of one.
Sports By Rob 