Is Nascar a sport?

[nsrammstein]

Is nascar a sport?

[Switchman]

Non
Athletic
Sport
Centered
Around
Rednecks.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Are you shitting me? no its not a sport. No activity that requires a fucking motored vehicle is

[IceColdBrewski]

This again?

Let me save everyone the trouble.


The general concensus is No. Mix in a few yesses with a ton of redneck cracks, and you've got your yearly NASCAR thread.

[midgetonadonkey]

It's a sport for the car. For the driver, no. It's not. But dumb people will say it requires focus and attention for hours in the heat of a non air conditioned car but I say, there are many Southsiders that drive hours to work in non air conditioned cars and that doesn't make what they are doing a sport. So no. It's not a sport.

[NASCARdad]

Yes, it is a sport.

[AlamoSpursFan]

It's not just the driver. There is an entire team of people who contribute to a NASCAR team's success or failure. And it's all athletic. If you don't believe that, watch a race and focus on the pit crews. Or don't actually. I really don't give a shit whether y'all watch NASCAR or not. Nor do I care if you think it's a sport. I'd be willing to bet most of the people trashing NASCAR in this thread think soccer is a sport. That tells me everything I need to know.

[NASCARdad]

Soccer IS a sport and if you don't think so go play it sometime. I bet the majority of those who don't think its a sport wouldn't last 10 minutes.

[AlamoSpursFan]

No Mouse, soccer is a faggot P.E. activity.

[v2freak]

Somewhat, but I wouldn't be surprised to see NASCAR get sacked soon with global warming.

[E20]

Nascar is not a sport.

[O-Factor]

It's not just the driver. There is an entire team of people who contribute to a NASCAR team's success or failure. And it's all athletic. If you don't believe that, watch a race and focus on the pit crews. Or don't actually. I really don't give a shit whether y'all watch NASCAR or not. Nor do I care if you think it's a sport. I'd be willing to bet most of the people trashing NASCAR in this thread think soccer is a sport. That tells me everything I need to know.

NO IT IS NOT A SPORT. :nope Its just a competition of who can drive a car in circles the fastest. And yes as unpopular as soccer here is in the states, its still a sport. Those guys are pure atheletes. Don't be an freakin idiot.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

No Mouse, soccer is a faggot P.E. activity.Typical jackass comment

[NASCARdad]

ESPN, FoxSports, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC all report on NASCAR as a sport. FTW.

[pseudofan]

Nascar is for the people who couldn't decide between being gay or being stupid.....

[MaNuMaNiAc]

ESPN, FoxSports, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC all report on NASCAR as a sport. FTW.I just looked at the definition of sport and its this

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.

this leaves a lot open to interpretation. Racing could mean NASCAR racing, or the 100 meter dash. On top of that it says or instead of and which could be interpreted as anything requiring skill is a sport. Personally, I don't believe NASCAR to be a sport, this is not a knock on NASCAR, it seems cool enough, and I can understand people watching it, but I don't consider it by definition a sport.

[Avitus1]

http://www.bustedtees.com/bt/images/BT-boringnascar-gallery-6.jpg

Nascar is not a sport. A sport is something you do physically. Bowling is more of a sport then NASCAR...

STttttrriiiikkkEEee!

[Vinnie_Johnson]

No Mouse, soccer is a faggot P.E. activity.


:lol :lol :toast

[dallaskd]

One forum up? and yes i would consider it a sport. everyone on this board would die in a nascar race.

[NASCARdad]

http://www.bustedtees.com/bt/images/BT-boringnascar-gallery-6.jpg

Nascar is not a sport. A sport is something you do physically. Bowling is more of a sport then NASCAR...

STttttrriiiikkkEEee!

Yeah, so boring it sets attendance records and advertising revenue records. :rolleyes

[resistanze]

One forum up? and yes i would consider it a sport. everyone on this board would die in a nascar race.
I'd probably die if I set myself on fire or drank a bottle of turpentine. THose ain't sports :lol

And NASCAR is as much of a sport as competitive eating and pissing contests. Just because you have a winner doesn't make it a sport.

[Opinionater]

IMHO, its a matter of opinion since the "dictionary" definition is open to interpretation. Personally I consider NASCAR a sport due to the competiveness and the physical toll it takes on the driver and crew. IMHO, bowling is also a sport.

[Avitus1]

NASCAR is not a sport its a competition, like Chess, Poker, and Rock Scissors Paper. (Which can all be seen on ESPN)

Sure most of us wouldn't make it in a NASCAR Race and sure NASCAR drivers are in some kind of physical condition to race but that doesn't make it a sport.

You gotta be in good physical condition to survive surgery, does that make surgery a sport?

If being in good physical condition with a great supporting team makes it a sport then lets embrace NASA as a sporting agency. After all they have both of those things.

NASCAR might be entertaining and setting records with its sells but so does another non-sport, Pro Wrestling. Its entertaining and it sells out well, but its not a sport. The World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world and people dont think Soccer is a sport and its far more athletic then NASCAR.

[Avitus1]

IMHO, its a matter of opinion since the "dictionary" definition is open to interpretation. Personally I consider NASCAR a sport due to the competiveness and the physical toll it takes on the driver and crew. IMHO, bowling is also a sport.

Bowling is an awesome sport.

[NASCARdad]

NASCAR is not a sport its a competition, like Chess, Poker, and Rock Scissors Paper. (Which can all be seen on ESPN)

Sure most of us wouldn't make it in a NASCAR Race and sure NASCAR drivers are in some kind of physical condition to race but that doesn't make it a sport.

You gotta be in good physical condition to survive surgery, does that make surgery a sport?

If being in good physical condition with a great supporting team makes it a sport then lets embrace NASA as a sporting agency. After all they have both of those things.

NASCAR might be entertaining the records and the sells and all that crap, but movies set records all the time. The World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world and people dont think Soccer is a sport and its far more athletic then NASCAR.

WTF!?!? "Sports" is a competition. Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey are all competions. :lol Thanks for proving my point that NASCAR is a sport.

[Avitus1]

Monopoly is a competition guess that makes it a sport too.

[sabar]

Sports should be competition that requires athletic ability.

[E20]

Let me reiterate on what I said:

No Nascar is not a sport.

[O-Factor]

Monopoly is a competition guess that makes it a sport too.

So is Jacks, I guess its a sport too.

[Borosai]

No.

[Shaolin-Style]

Things that come into debate as sports: Video gaming and Nascar

I think gamings more of a sport myself.

[KEDA]

IMO

NASCAR is a sport


Bowling is NOT a sport, and I really mean that. It is a game, not a sport, and it never will be.

[boutons_]

There are motor sports (planes, boats, motorcycles, cars, snowmobile, etc). Even if driver needs to be in good physical condition to perform best in physically challenging conditions, the machine performs the primary work.

There are athletic sports (no motors, unaided body, muscle power). includes bowling, skateboarding,

Motor sports aren't athletic, but they are commonly considered sports.

[ATRAIN]

No its not a sport and yes soccer is!!

[NorCal510]

no nascar is not a sport

football and basketball are the only REAL sports... along with extreme sports

[Zombie]

Well, lets strap Tony Parker in to a Race car for a full race. That dude is already pretty skinny but after a race this time of year. 4 hours will take 10 lbs off of him.
Soccer and Baseball is for FAGS!

[NASCARdad]

Rugby is real football since their bodies take the physical punishment without the aid of helmets, pads, gloves..etc.
Soccer and Baseball are NOT for fags and anyone who says they are is an idiot..or a porno watching truck driver.

[MajorMike]

NASCAR might be a sport. The drivers are abused physically for 3 hours. Yes, most of the time they are just turning left, but they are forcing a 1/2 ton machine travelling 200 mph into a near or full 90 degree (at some tracks like Indy and Pocono) to turn and not smack the wall. It requires a tremendous amount of upper body strength.

Not only are the drivers in great shape, but the pit crews themselves are athletes. They practice, workout, and do nothing other than train for their pit all week. What are they doing? Changing tires. Whoopty do, right? Well there has been a litany of professional football players and WWE stars who have come to try out on pit crews (because they think it is cool) and haven't made it.

As far as the fact that 50 year olds are still doing it, most are not relevant by the time they get that age. Few are, but they are normally the most skilled (Earnhardt, Wallace, Martin) but even the ones who were some of the best struggle when the get older because they start to lose the ability to handle a car (Petty, Waltrip). The Big Unit and The Rocket are both well into their 40s and still relevant in baseball, or have been until very recently. Some NFL players play into their 40s (Blanda, Andersen). Marcus Allen was pushing 40 when he was still rushing for 100 yards a game in KC. In the NBA, players like Dekembe still have a place. Kareem was 42 when he retired (making it to the Finals his last 3 seasons) and Malone got a triple double in his 40s.

As far as the weight factor (as we all know drivers like Smoke, Newman and Spencer are far from svelt), weight doesn't seem to be a factor in determining the sport status of other sports. How huge are Larry Allen or Cecil Fielder or Frank Thomas or Warren Sapp or David Wells or the 384 pound DT Kris Jenkins compared to the other NFL/MLB players? You wouldn't say they don't play in a sport just because they are fat.

At the very least, NASCAR drivers are athletes. Whether or not it is a sport can be debated forever, but one cannot deny the physical demands stock car racing places on the driver or crew members.

Sure, its alot of fun to poke fun at beer laden rednecks completely decked out in their driver's number and colors. Sort of reminds one of this special soccer fan pic:
http://www.funnyhub.com/pictures/img/child-soccer-fan.jpg
Also, I don't remember the last time there was a riot at a NASCAR race that people have been killed in.


Here's a pic of Carl Edwards (the guy who does back flips when he wins) for you visually challenged types.
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:Ztxh-oNKiREOfM:http://towleroad.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/carl_edwards_shirtless.jpg

[JoeChalupa]

I think NASCAR is a sport.

[BobcatsDynasty]

NASCAR is a fluke.

[JMarkJohns]

ESPN, FoxSports, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC all report on NASCAR as a sport. FTW.

ESPN also reports on chess, spelling bees and poker, while FoxSports reports on poker, darts and bikini competitions.

Just because you exert some energy, and there's a winner and a loser, doesn't make it a sport.

Competition.

I also don't deem Golf a sport. It's a recreation. If John Daly can win tournaments drinking, smoking, whoring and playing 150 pounds overweight, then it's not a sport. Same for bowling, darts, poker, horse racing...

[BacktoBasics]

Its physically demanding. Plain and simple its takes a toll on your body. You guys are thinking of this as driving around in circles and its not anything like driving your own vehicle. Think about how tight you feel after a nonstop 4 hour car ride and thats not even close to 500 miles at 180 mph with some redneck up your ass bumping you the whole way.

You people have no clue. To compare this to chess, billiards, bowling, checkers is fucking absurd. If you want to bitch about the sport then bitch but to say its not a sport just makes you look ingonrant.

I've raced cars both in short and long tracks but not for nearly as many miles as these guys do. I can tell you first hand how much your arms and shoulders and hands hurt after 50 or 75 miles at 130-150 mph. I can attest to how difficult it is to remain focused at high speeds, do you guys realize how a wall looks flying past you at 140 mph while sparks fly to your left from another car rubbing you.

The longer you go the more your ass, hamstrings and knees hurt from the vibration. Not to mention how hot the suit is, even with cooled water flowing thru it. You lose a good 8 or so pounds every race.

Then factor in how fast something feels at different levels of speed. Going from 140 to 160 has a far greater impact on what you feel than from 80-100. The effect is compounded. I bet most of you have never exceeded 120 mph in Daddy's 4 door sedan. 100 and 110 mph aren't even close to what 130 140 150 feel like.

Anyone who says this isn't a sport has never even been close to know what it involves. You're simply calling it a non sport because a ball isn't involved or you don't run. I promise you driving those cars is just as demanding as 40 minutes on a basketball court.

[JoeChalupa]

ESPN also reports on chess, spelling bees and poker, while FoxSports reports on poker, darts and bikini competitions.

Just because you exert some energy, and there's a winner and a loser, doesn't make it a sport.

Competition.

I also don't deem Golf a sport. It's a recreation. If John Daly can win tournaments drinking, smoking, whoring and playing 150 pounds overweight, then it's not a sport. Same for bowling, darts, poker, horse racing...

There are also players in other sports that fit the the John Daly you describe above. Does that make them athletes? All I know is that if was so easy to play golf than I'd be on the golf course taking home the major bucks!!
It really is a matter of opinion to me and in my opinion NASCAR and Golf are sports but for those who don't they are that is cool too. Doesn't change the sport or competition in any way, shape or form.

[TheZackAttack!]

Its physically demanding. Plain and simple its takes a toll on your body. You guys are thinking of this as driving around in circles and its not anything like driving your own vehicle. Think about how tight you feel after a nonstop 4 hour car ride and thats not even close to 500 miles at 180 mph with some redneck up your ass bumping you the whole way.

You people have no clue. To compare this to chess, billiards, bowling, checkers is fucking absurd. If you want to bitch about the sport then bitch but to say its not a sport just makes you look ingonrant.

I've raced cars both in short and long tracks but not for nearly as many miles as these guys do. I can tell you first hand how much your arms and shoulders and hands hurt after 50 or 75 miles at 130-150 mph. I can attest to how difficult it is to remain focused at high speeds, do you guys realize how a wall looks flying past you at 140 mph while sparks fly to your left from another car rubbing you.

The longer you go the more your ass, hamstrings and knees hurt from the vibration. Not to mention how hot the suit is, even with cooled water flowing thru it. You lose a good 8 or so pounds every race.

Then factor in how fast something feels at different levels of speed. Going from 140 to 160 has a far greater impact on what you feel than from 80-100. The effect is compounded. I bet most of you have never exceeded 120 mph in Daddy's 4 door sedan. 100 and 110 mph aren't even close to what 130 140 150 feel like.

Anyone who says this isn't a sport has never even been close to know what it involves. You're simply calling it a non sport because a ball isn't involved or you don't run. I promise you driving those cars is just as demanding as 40 minutes on a basketball court.

No its not. I too have raced cars in both short and long tracks. But its just fucking fun to go that fast. Im a pretty fit guy so maybe it doesn't "hurt" me as much as it does you. I like racing, ALOT, but it is not a sport. Any exertion you feel on your body is brought about by the vechicle itself, that and it gets fucking hot in those suits, but you are not achieving anything cardio. You just have to have the mental capacity to drive at high speeds...mental capacity like when your are playing chess.

[BeerIsGood!]

Does it really matter? If you like it, watch it. If you don't like it, don't watch it.

[JMarkJohns]

There are also players in other sports that fit the the John Daly you describe above. Does that make them athletes? All I know is that if was so easy to play golf than I'd be on the golf course taking home the major bucks!!
It really is a matter of opinion to me and in my opinion NASCAR and Golf are sports but for those who don't they are that is cool too. Doesn't change the sport or competition in any way, shape or form.

I enjoy watching golf. I once played it once every month or so with my grandfather. It's a lot of fun. But it's most certainly recreation. Same with darts. Same with bowling. Each requires focus, and some physical skill.

[BacktoBasics]

No its not. I too have raced cars in both short and long tracks. But its just fucking fun to go that fast. Im a pretty fit guy so maybe it doesn't "hurt" me as much as it does you. I like racing, ALOT, but it is not a sport. Any exertion you feel on your body is brought about by the vechicle itself, that and it gets fucking hot in those suits, but you are not achieving anything cardio. You just have to have the mental capacity to drive at high speeds...mental capacity like when your are playing chess.Ok who are you? Where did you race and with what series and sanctioning body. Never in all my life have I heard a driver talk like that.


its just fucking fun to go that fast

doesn't sound like a driver to me. I'm not buying it.

[BeerIsGood!]

Why is it that Americans eat up NASCAR by the droves but don't watch open wheel racing? I never understood that - they're basically the same concept.

[BacktoBasics]

Why is it that Americans eat up NASCAR by the droves but don't watch open wheel racing? I never understood that - they're basically the same concept.You see a lot more bumping and grinding type driving in NASCAR and rednecks like wrecking things. Personal I like the precision of open wheel racing.

[j-6]

You see a lot more bumping and grinding type driving in NASCAR and rednecks like wrecking things. Personal I like the precision of open wheel racing.

Didn't San Antonio almost land one of the World Cup (open wheel, so don't worry - we suck) races a couple of years ago?

Those are pretty entertaining.

[MajorMike]

Why is it that Americans eat up NASCAR by the droves but don't watch open wheel racing? I never understood that - they're basically the same concept.


NASCAR grew out of stock cars - cars you could actually recognize on the track as cars you could drive yourself. With the American passion, especially in the 60s and 70s, with hod rod street cars, NASCAR was the logical outlet for car enthusiasts to watch 'the pros'.

Open wheel cars were alien looking contraptions conceived with the sole purpose of racing. Times have changed and you would be hard pressed to say a stock car on the track looks like anything you could buy or drive yourself, but the concept remains the same.

[cornbread]

Sort of reminds one of this special soccer fan pic:
http://www.funnyhub.com/pictures/img/child-soccer-fan.jpg
Also, I don't remember the last time there was a riot at a NASCAR race that people have been killed in.

Somebody's jealous of the world's most popular real sport.

And seriously Mike. Are you trying to tell me that you've never heard of "race riots"? :lmao