Is NASCAR a sport?

[otterinbham 0]

whomever mentioned the marching band analogy is EXACTLY right. If NASCAR is a sport, then Marching band certainly is. ANYONE, I mean ANYONE who argues against the marching band being a sport MUST argue against NASCAR>that puts this thing in perspective.

Agreed, BIG time. Hell, I even put Marching Band on a higher level than nascar. Marching Band requires some real athleticism (not to say that everyone that marches is athletic, just that the best marching bands are the more athletic ones). If you don't agree with that, go to a drum corps practice, spirit of atlanta is a great one, then go check out Jacksonville State Univ. Marching Band, then go tell a member of the FAMU band that marching band doesn't require athleticism. Band camp at FAMU is a little like hell week in the marines, I'm sure they'd love to talk on the subject with you.

Yep. I played snare in drum corps in 1982. Carry a 45 pound snare 12 hours a day and you've had a workout.

[CircleDrill 178]

The noise must be ear-splitting. Of course, after you've been drinking all day, I guess the noise doesn't bother you.

I have never been on the deck of an aircraft carrier, but that would be about the only thing that I can imagine would top the noise level of a race. Hearing protection is not optional. Even with earplugs or earmuffs, you will still get a headache. And then add to it the sun and the whiskey. Good times!

[Ranger12 53]

I do understand that band members get a pretty good workout, especially those that have to carry heavier instruments. My daughter is in the high school band and I watched those kids sweat their butts off during band camp when they were getting ready for the football season. All that standing in one place and listening to the band director give instruction reminded me of my days in the Army when we had July 4th parades or parades for some retiring general, in which we were all standing at attention or parade rest in the sweltering Georgia or Louisiana heat while several people gave their speeches. Never failed that a few was "locking it up" a little too tight and soldiers were passing out like they were trainees.

However, we need to remember that just because something gives you a good work out does not mean it is a sport or an athletic event. Heck, laying bricks and construction gives you a good work out, but they are not sports. As we debate what a sport is pertaining to "being in shape", to me if it involves keeping score and maintaining an above average level of athleticism, skill, and endurance, then it is a sport. You could probably say that the golf rounds that you and I play are recreational whereas the pros are playing it as a sport because of the level of their competition. Besides John Daly and every now and then Phil Mickelson, you don't see many chubby pro golfers and even then they are playing at a level that most of us dream that we could play on.

Same goes for NASCAR. Sure, back in the day the drivers were just good ole' boys that were a little on the heavy side and not very athletic. But that has changed with today's race. Even though a couple of the drivers may not look like they are in shape, if they last a whole race, then there is no doubting they must be in some kind of decent shape because of their stamina. But, again, if you look at most drivers, they are in better shape then alot of us. We all can agree that baseball and football is a sport, but we could also point out a few players here and there that look like they need to hit the treadmill.

But then I digress to my earlier post, does it really matter what it is called? NASCAR drivers probably would tell us we can call it whatever we want as long as they can keep making the big money that they are making.

[aubie57 119]

Trying to impress us with how rich you are? Well, you didn't. It came off as "I'm better than you".

Nope. You misconstrued that all by yourself. GG made a comment about a bobcat, I made a comment about a bobcat. I guess he really meant that I was dirt poor because I didn't know how much rent was on a skid steer loader. Read the whole thing not just enough to screw up something someone said. The race cars were brought up to simply show that I'm not some babbling defender of racing just for the heck of it. I am involved, not just typing about it on a message board. Good Day.

[AUesquire 1]

Band as a sport...okay Beevis.

I'll be moving in a couple of weeks and I'll be doing 90% of the heavy lifting. Hear me now but believe me next Thursday. This will require athleticism, strength, stamina, mental toughness etc.

Moving a house is not a sport.

[TexasTiger 14,070]

Not a sport. Neither is poker. Get it off of ESPN.

[otterinbham 0]

Band as a sport...okay Beevis.

I'll be moving in a couple of weeks and I'll be doing 90% of the heavy lifting. Hear me now but believe me next Thursday. This will require athleticism, strength, stamina, mental toughness etc.

Moving a house is not a sport.

Getting The Point isn't a sport either. What the previous poster said was that if exertion was all that it took to make something a sport, then marching band would be a sport, too. In fact, ESPN considers it to be one, consider that it televises the Drum Corps International championships every September. But as much as I love the activity, I don't consider it a sport. And no matter how much you love stock car racing, it isn't a sport, either.

[CircleDrill 178]

Thought some of you guys might like this...

http://www.marcmitchell.com/index.html

Looks like they have gotten a corporate sponsor, so they have a new paint scheme. There used to be pics all over this site of the AU #34 car you see above. But not anymore.

[AUesquire 1]

Band as a sport...okay Beevis.

I'll be moving in a couple of weeks and I'll be doing 90% of the heavy lifting. Hear me now but believe me next Thursday. This will require athleticism, strength, stamina, mental toughness etc.

Moving a house is not a sport.

Getting The Point isn't a sport either. What the previous poster said was that if exertion was all that it took to make something a sport, then marching band would be a sport, too. In fact, ESPN considers it to be one, consider that it televises the Drum Corps International championships every September. But as much as I love the activity, I don't consider it a sport. And no matter how much you love stock car racing, it isn't a sport, either.

Sorry, didn't realize your opinion was the only one that meant a damn thing. Personally, I think racing IS a sport, no matter how much YOU think think it's not. The poll seems to back that up as well. That's about 3-4 times you've acted like an ass on this thread alone. Get the point?

[GalensGhost 0]

Trying to impress us with how rich you are? Well, you didn't. It came off as "I'm better than you".

Nope. You misconstrued that all by yourself. GG made a comment about a bobcat, I made a comment about a bobcat. I guess he really meant that I was dirt poor because I didn't know how much rent was on a skid steer loader. Read the whole thing not just enough to screw up something someone said. The race cars were brought up to simply show that I'm not some babbling defender of racing just for the heck of it. I am involved, not just typing about it on a message board. Good Day.

Don't put it off on me. You took it that direction all by your lonesome.

All I said was that if you were going to use the notion that the equipment for racing was expensive as a justification for calling it a sport, then you'd have to include yard work as a sport because the right equipment -- rent on a Bobcat for example -- can get pricey. You're the one that came back with "bobcat smack".

[bojack34 2]

Tell you what, I'll concede that it's a sport on the day that Dale, Jr. can beat me when he's driving a Honda Civic and I'm driving his car. The fact that you adjust the machine rather than train the man invalidates any possibility of racing being a sport.

Hey Galen I'll take that bet. Dale Jr. or the 72 year old man would smoke you. If you stepped into one of those cars you would'nt make it through the first turn.

[rexbo 104]

Racing takes a physical toll on you. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Working in my yard takes a physical toll on me.

Racing takes a mental toll on you. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Sodoku takes a mental toll on most people. So doe crosswords.

Racing is expensive. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Working in my yard is expensive. You probably have no idea how much it costs to rent a bobcat to move dirt around. It takes skill to drive that thing, too.

If racing is a sport, then so is OTR trucking. Breaker, breaker.

Ok, forget NASCAR. Let's put you in a 2 seater F1 car (yes, they made some for demos). After an hour and half they would take you out with a spoon, and you wouldn't be able to lift your head for days. Not mental, try driving a car that weighs 1200 lbs, has 800 hp, stops at 5 gs and corners at 3 gs, at the absolute limit for an hour and a half; knowing one split second of lost concentration and you could die. No one has died from Sodoku. You and last year's PlayStation National Champion wouldn't go 3 corners before throwing it off the road, and if you ever did complete a lap you wouldn't be within 10 seconds of the slowest guy out there. Whatever you want to call it, sport, not a sport; the people doing it the maximum level are not you and me, they are at the same skill level as the most-talented athletes in any other endeavor...

[SLAG-91 1,604]

I don't get the fascination with it, so I voted "waste of time."

Some people feel the same way about college basketball, which is something I've loved since I was about 8.

To each their own.

[aubie57 119]

Sport.

[CircleDrill 178]

The fact that you adjust the machine rather than train the man invalidates any possibility of racing being a sport.

This is an interesting point. The drivers are highly trained, but there is definitely a synthesis of engineering and other sciences and skills that goes into winning a race. It is definitely NOT just the driver. An average driver with a great car and a great team will still win some. A fantastic driver with an average car and team won't win.

[AU_tiger_2000 0]

The fact that you adjust the machine rather than train the man invalidates any possibility of racing being a sport.

This is an interesting point. The drivers are highly trained, but there is definitely a synthesis of engineering and other sciences and skills that goes into winning a race. It is definitely NOT just the driver. An average driver with a great car and a great team will still win some. A fantastic driver with an average car and team won't win.

Agree with you. And for all the people who say that it is not a sport because there is "engineering the equipment" involved, does it make it less of a sport that the equipment Auburn is using on the gridiron today is different than the equipment we used 50 years ago?

Look at the PGA. Not all of those guys are using the same level of equipment.

[CCTAU 3,459]

The fact that you adjust the machine rather than train the man invalidates any possibility of racing being a sport.

This is an interesting point. The drivers are highly trained, but there is definitely a synthesis of engineering and other sciences and skills that goes into winning a race. It is definitely NOT just the driver. An average driver with a great car and a great team will still win some. A fantastic driver with an average car and team won't win.

WRONG. All vehicles are confined within certain allowable tolerances, such that the overall engineering is just about equal. So everyone out there has just about the same machine. There have been times when NASCAR allowed a certian maker to adjust the spoilers an 1/8" or 1/16" to keep it close. That is how close the machines are to being egual. Very rarely does one team have a car that is that much better than anyone else. Therefore it always goes back to the driver.

Seems the pole has more people thinking sport, but the thread has more antis posting. Kinda follows life.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

I don't think everyone's motor is equal.

[CCTAU 3,459]

I don't think everyone's motor is equal.

Pretty much. They all get about 750 hp at 9000 RPMs.

LINK Engine Rules

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

I will maintain that a Yates engine is greater than a Rousch engine is greater than a Hendrix engine is greater than anyone else's.

Do not anger with me on this.

[CCTAU 3,459]

I will maintain that a Yates engine is greater than a Rousch engine is greater than a Hendrix engine is greater than anyone else's.

Do not anger with me on this.

I don't know. What kind of engine does Harvick run? If not for a little air releasing from his tire, he would have beaten Kenseth.

[GalensGhost 0]

Racing takes a physical toll on you. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Working in my yard takes a physical toll on me.

Racing takes a mental toll on you. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Sodoku takes a mental toll on most people. So doe crosswords.

Racing is expensive. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Working in my yard is expensive. You probably have no idea how much it costs to rent a bobcat to move dirt around. It takes skill to drive that thing, too.

If racing is a sport, then so is OTR trucking. Breaker, breaker.

Ok, forget NASCAR. Let's put you in a 2 seater F1 car (yes, they made some for demos). After an hour and half they would take you out with a spoon, and you wouldn't be able to lift your head for days. Not mental, try driving a car that weighs 1200 lbs, has 800 hp, stops at 5 gs and corners at 3 gs, at the absolute limit for an hour and a half; knowing one split second of lost concentration and you could die. No one has died from Sodoku. You and last year's PlayStation National Champion wouldn't go 3 corners before throwing it off the road, and if you ever did complete a lap you wouldn't be within 10 seconds of the slowest guy out there. Whatever you want to call it, sport, not a sport; the people doing it the maximum level are not you and me, they are at the same skill level as the most-talented athletes in any other endeavor...

People who leap out of planes or off the edge of cliffs while wearing a parachute are different than me. Doesn't make either a sport.

It's hard to do a LOT of things. It's hard to fly a jumbo jet. It's hard to pilot a space shuttle (talk about weight and g's). It's hard to wash windows on a skyscraper -- split second of lost concentration and you DIE!! Oh the horror!! But window washing isn't a sport.

You guys keep making these passionate arguments that have no bearing on whether NASCAR is a sport or not. It's hard. Wow. It takes concentration. Double wow. You're completely insane if you sit there and claim that people who drive are athletes. They're not. They're drivers. Little different than truck drivers.

I'm not really sure why this fruitless discussion continues. I've already made my ruling and it stands. NASCAR isn't a sport.

[CCTAU 3,459]

Racing takes a physical toll on you. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Working in my yard takes a physical toll on me.

Racing takes a mental toll on you. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Sodoku takes a mental toll on most people. So doe crosswords.

Racing is expensive. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Working in my yard is expensive. You probably have no idea how much it costs to rent a bobcat to move dirt around. It takes skill to drive that thing, too.

If racing is a sport, then so is OTR trucking. Breaker, breaker.

Ok, forget NASCAR. Let's put you in a 2 seater F1 car (yes, they made some for demos). After an hour and half they would take you out with a spoon, and you wouldn't be able to lift your head for days. Not mental, try driving a car that weighs 1200 lbs, has 800 hp, stops at 5 gs and corners at 3 gs, at the absolute limit for an hour and a half; knowing one split second of lost concentration and you could die. No one has died from Sodoku. You and last year's PlayStation National Champion wouldn't go 3 corners before throwing it off the road, and if you ever did complete a lap you wouldn't be within 10 seconds of the slowest guy out there. Whatever you want to call it, sport, not a sport; the people doing it the maximum level are not you and me, they are at the same skill level as the most-talented athletes in any other endeavor...

People who leap out of planes or off the edge of cliffs while wearing a parachute are different than me. Doesn't make either a sport.

It's hard to do a LOT of things. It's hard to fly a jumbo jet. It's hard to pilot a space shuttle (talk about weight and g's). It's hard to wash windows on a skyscraper -- split second of lost concentration and you DIE!! Oh the horror!! But window washing isn't a sport.

You guys keep making these passionate arguments that have no bearing on whether NASCAR is a sport or not. It's hard. Wow. It takes concentration. Double wow. You're completely insane if you sit there and claim that people who drive are athletes. They're not. They're drivers. Little different than truck drivers.

I'm not really sure why this fruitless discussion continues. I've already made my ruling and it stands. NASCAR isn't a sport.

You ruling means squat. The people of WEN have spoken, you lose. (see pole(l)) (no not the one up...nm)

[Captain Liger 0]

I was at one time a faithful follower of the NASCAR world. I loved NASCAR when the most popular names were Davey Allison, Neil Bonnet, Alan Kulwicki, Bill Elliot (in the Bud car), Rusty Wallace (in the black & yellow Miller Lumina), Mark Martin (in the #6 Valvoline Thunderbird), etc, etc, etc. Back then NASCAR didn't have the media hype that it does today. Back then NASCAR wasn't, and didn't make any attempt to be, politically correct. Back then, with the exception of Dover, Watkins Glen, Phoenix, and California, NASCAR was largely relegated to the South. It was something we could call our own. Sure, NASCAR has always been pretty red but raceday Sunday isn't that much different than any given Iron Bowl when it comes to fanbase. You had your rednecks and white trash (Earnhardt fans = Bama fans) and you had your respectable, normal, everyday fans who came just to watch a race without getting trashed with their kids or family (Allison/Elliot fans = Auburn fans). There's rednecks and white trash that are fans of every sport I'm sure and to label all fans of NASCAR as a bunch of toothless inbreds just isn't fair, plain and simple.

Next, NASCAR is a sport and its drivers and pit crews are athletes. Why? Because it contains the element of competition. That's all anything needs to be considered a sport as far as I'm concerned. If two window washers go at it to see who's faster then they're athletes. If we launch two space shuttles at once to see who gets into orbit first, then the astronauts inside are athletes. If I challenge your ass to a rib eating contest (which I've done before) then we're both athletes and I'll just about guarantee I could letter in rib eating...sort of the way TM lettered in butt kissing and GG lettered in pot stirring. All the arguments here stating that it isn't a sport are quite comical and I've gotten a good laugh from them. But if there are any elements of sincerity in the anti-NASCAR rants then they are way off base and spoken from ignorance. NASCAR, as much as I despise it these days, is a sport. There's nothing stock about a stock car and not just anyone can master a built from scratch car. Trying to make comparisons between truck drivers and NASCAR drivers is asinine. My dad is a truck driver but he's not an athlete. He's not racing his fellow Wal-Mart drivers to see who can deliver a shipment first. But he does race against time so I dunno.....And I don't know of anyone that is 72 years old and still driving...but maybe that's because I don't keep up with it anymore...is Morgan Sheppard still driving or something? Anyway, NASCAR isn't just "driving" and constantly turning left. I'd like to see any one of you haters take a stock car and sling it into Turn 3 at Talladega at 192mph one inch off the back bumper of the guy in front of you with someone just as close behind you and someone possibly on either side. It's more precise than what the Blue Angels do. The guys sitting in the driver seat are truly skilled and the best at what they do. I know that doesn't impress some people in here in the slightest but that's just because you're a close-minded moron that probably couldn't drive a 10 penny nail to save your life let alone a stock car and doesn't know the difference between a rocker arm and a rocking chair.

Sigh....but I digress. NASCAR is a sport. Skill, tenacity, teamwork, courage, competition, yadda, yadda, yadda. End of discussion.

But I will say that the guys out there driving today are just a bunch of asshats and I wouldn't cross the street to get their autograph if they were over there begging me to come get one. And NASCAR can take Nextel and the rest of it's panty waisted politically correct agenda and shove it.

[GalensGhost 0]

Racing takes a physical toll on you. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Working in my yard takes a physical toll on me.

Racing takes a mental toll on you. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Sodoku takes a mental toll on most people. So doe crosswords.

Racing is expensive. Sorry, doesn't qualify. Working in my yard is expensive. You probably have no idea how much it costs to rent a bobcat to move dirt around. It takes skill to drive that thing, too.

If racing is a sport, then so is OTR trucking. Breaker, breaker.

Ok, forget NASCAR. Let's put you in a 2 seater F1 car (yes, they made some for demos). After an hour and half they would take you out with a spoon, and you wouldn't be able to lift your head for days. Not mental, try driving a car that weighs 1200 lbs, has 800 hp, stops at 5 gs and corners at 3 gs, at the absolute limit for an hour and a half; knowing one split second of lost concentration and you could die. No one has died from Sodoku. You and last year's PlayStation National Champion wouldn't go 3 corners before throwing it off the road, and if you ever did complete a lap you wouldn't be within 10 seconds of the slowest guy out there. Whatever you want to call it, sport, not a sport; the people doing it the maximum level are not you and me, they are at the same skill level as the most-talented athletes in any other endeavor...

People who leap out of planes or off the edge of cliffs while wearing a parachute are different than me. Doesn't make either a sport.

It's hard to do a LOT of things. It's hard to fly a jumbo jet. It's hard to pilot a space shuttle (talk about weight and g's). It's hard to wash windows on a skyscraper -- split second of lost concentration and you DIE!! Oh the horror!! But window washing isn't a sport.

You guys keep making these passionate arguments that have no bearing on whether NASCAR is a sport or not. It's hard. Wow. It takes concentration. Double wow. You're completely insane if you sit there and claim that people who drive are athletes. They're not. They're drivers. Little different than truck drivers.

I'm not really sure why this fruitless discussion continues. I've already made my ruling and it stands. NASCAR isn't a sport.

You ruling means squat. The people of WEN have spoken, you lose. (see pole(l)) (no not the one up...nm)

The subjects may think whatever they wish. The king has, however, spoken.