Let’s take a look at what it takes to be a NASCAR driver. They maneuver a 3,600 LB car around curves, debris, and other drivers while withstanding tremendous G Force from banking turns at 160-180 MPH. There is a lack of oxygen in the cockpit mixed with carbon monoxide fumes which causes confusion and disorientation. Total concentration is required for 3 to 4 hours going at breakneck speeds of 180-200 MPH and breaks aren’t even guaranteed because the only break is during a caution. Every move could be a fatal move, “In the blink of an eye”, you could be flipping in your car as it spins up into a ball of fire.
In Football, a player runs for 15 seconds and rests for 30 to 40 seconds, and they only play half the game. In Basketball, there are timeouts, and can sit on the bench to take a break. In Baseball, more of the same. Golf, let’s not even go there. Bowling…..Oh my Gosh! Hey, let’s not forget Corn Holing! Who the heck started that?! Whatever happened to a good old-fashioned game of Horseshoes? I have seen some serious injuries from a rouge horseshoe. What’s the worse that could happen in Corn Holing, you get hit by a bean bag or maybe get a splinter picking up your little “sack”?
Four straight hours of constant arm, leg, and torso movement in 100 degrees plus car the heart can average 144 beats per minute and spike at 180. Dehydration and heat exhaustion are so common that many need to be put on IV fluids immediately after a race. Racers have been known to lose 10-13 pounds during the race. G-Force makes your body feel a lot heavier and allows less blood flow to your brain and impairs vision. It could be compared to riding a rollercoaster for 3-4 hours while constantly performing movements that require exceptional dexterity and coordination, and of course no breaks unless a caution happens, all the while 39 other cars are trying to pass, bump, and run you off the road.
The sports science lab stated that “NASCAR drivers are some of the best Athletes on the planet, with reaction times, endurance, strength, and concentration that rival the best in any sport”. Even the pit crews have a grueling workout schedule to be able to perform crucial 13-second pit stops.
Here is a list of just a few NASCAR drivers and their workouts……
Jimmie Johnson – Motorcross races, Triathlons, Marathons, Long distance cycling, and has even done 1/2 marathons the morning before a race.
Jamie McMurray – Participated in the “Assault on Mt Mitchell” which is a group cycling ride that covers 103 miles and over 11,000 feet of climbing. He finished 22nd out of 532 riders. His average heart rate was 148 beats per minute for almost 6 hours.
Michael Waltrip – Ran Marathons.
Mark Martin – Avid Weightlifter.
Dick Trickle – While a great athlete, liked to smoke and drink coffee in his car.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – Works out with Medicine Balls, Bench Presses, and Free Weights.
Carl Edwards – Recently retired, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).
Austin Dillon – Likes to participate in Push Up Challenges.
Chase Elliot – Mountain Biking and Extreme Watersports.
Danica Patrick – Intense Cardio Workouts and Weightlifting.
Matt Kenseth – Long Distance Cycling.
Ty Dillon – Intense Gym Workouts.
Kasey Kahne – Mountain Biking, Gym Workouts.
Landon Cassill – Running, Weightlifting.
Cory LaJoie – Boxing, Gym Workouts, Ninja Warrior Workouts.
Denny Hamlin – Even with a hurt back he still lifts weights to increase strength.
Daniel Suarez – Lifting and working out in the heat to get used to 100-degree-plus conditions in his car.
Kyle Busch – Grueling gym workouts every day.
Matt DiBenedetto – Avid Weightlifter.
Clint Bower – Runs his 650-acre farm from sunrise to sunset.
Ryan Newman – He runs his 208-acre farm/ranch with Black Angus Cows and Buffalo and grows his own crops including Hay, and loves to split wood.
So next time you hear somebody say that NASCAR drivers aren’t athletes, just show them this article and say…..
“No, Maybe They Are Just a Little Bit More…”
By: Lincoln
