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Is race car driving a sport?
I want to be a professional race car driver. I told my dad and he said, “Car racing? That’s not a sport, why can’t you be a golfer?” I just want to know: is race car driving even a sport?
Jason Tushinski · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Fear not, future Al Unser Jr.! Your chosen sport (there’s that word again) is far more than a leisurely pursuit—with its requirement of skill, physical prowess, and athletic ability, as well as its competitive nature, race car driving is definitely a sport.
We’re not saying that golf isn’t a sport, but you’d be well within your rights to tell dear old dad about the skill and physical strength necessary to succeed in motorsport. Sure, John Daly might be able to drive a car (and a golf ball), but can he drive a car at four times the speed of normal highway driving, weaving in and out of traffic against other highly-trained and motivated drivers?
Not to mention everything pro drivers need to be on top of while driving at breakneck speeds, such as:
- Switching gears
- Monitoring fuel levels
- Managing tire performance
- Executing pit strategy
- Being aware of their competitor’s strategies
- Not dying
Race car drivers need to be fit—they can lose between 5 and 10 pounds of sweat per race, not to mention withstanding up to 5 Gs of force when cornering amidst hyper-competitive conditions. Who knows—maybe Phil Mickelson can withstand that kind of force when turning into the Torrey Pines parking lot…but probably not.
Driving a race car requires a tremendous amount of physical and mental training, not to mention a high degree of skill at maneuvering a hurtling piece of steel and glass around a hot concrete oval for hours at a time. There’s a reason race car drivers are in such great shape—because they’re athletes.
Make sure to protect your non-race car with a robust
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- Gregory R.
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