Is Nascar a Sport?
Is NASCAR a Sport?
According to freedictionary.com, a sport is defined as a physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and is often engaged in competitively (Sport). Many people argue that NASCAR is not a sport, while others who are avid fans argue that it is indeed a sport. Not everyone finds NASCAR fun to watch; they say that it’s the same thing over and over, left turn after left turn. A question that comes up often is: “is NASCAR really a sport?” If a sport is defined as something that requires physical activity, has rules, and is often engaged in competitively, then why should NASCAR not be considered a sport? If one has ever watched a NASCAR race, one will see that it lasts a long time and that the drivers make no stops for bathroom breaks. A NASCAR racecar is built for one thing; speed, not comfort. While racing, the drivers reach speeds up to 200 mph, and sometimes higher than that. When the drivers turn at such high speeds a G-force is formed, and this causes a high pressure against the driver’s torso as he or she is pushed against the vehicle (DiCicco). The cars are built to be very aerodynamic which helps increase speed. Because of this, much of the air flows around the car instead of inside it (DiCicco). This leaves the driver with little oxygen during the several hour long races. Inside of the car, temperatures reach up to two hundred degrees; to make the drivers a little cooler, an air conditioned hose is hooked up to their helmets to supply them with more air. Part of any good athletic training is to eat the proper amount of nutrition and to get the adequate amount of rest; NASCAR is no exception to this (DiCicco). At speeds upwards of 200 mph, there is no room for error; a simple mistake such as nodding off for one second could be fatal to oneself as well as other drivers. Combining the lack of air, the carbon monoxide fumes, and the G-forces with poor nutrition and lack of rest is very dangerous (DiCicco). NASCAR
According to freedictionary.com, a sport is defined as a physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and is often engaged in competitively (Sport). Many people argue that NASCAR is not a sport, while others who are avid fans argue that it is indeed a sport. Not everyone finds NASCAR fun to watch; they say that it’s the same thing over and over, left turn after left turn. A question that comes up often is: “is NASCAR really a sport?” If a sport is defined as something that requires physical activity, has rules, and is often engaged in competitively, then why should NASCAR not be considered a sport? If one has ever watched a NASCAR race, one will see that it lasts a long time and that the drivers make no stops for bathroom breaks. A NASCAR racecar is built for one thing; speed, not comfort. While racing, the drivers reach speeds up to 200 mph, and sometimes higher than that. When the drivers turn at such high speeds a G-force is formed, and this causes a high pressure against the driver’s torso as he or she is pushed against the vehicle (DiCicco). The cars are built to be very aerodynamic which helps increase speed. Because of this, much of the air flows around the car instead of inside it (DiCicco). This leaves the driver with little oxygen during the several hour long races. Inside of the car, temperatures reach up to two hundred degrees; to make the drivers a little cooler, an air conditioned hose is hooked up to their helmets to supply them with more air. Part of any good athletic training is to eat the proper amount of nutrition and to get the adequate amount of rest; NASCAR is no exception to this (DiCicco). At speeds upwards of 200 mph, there is no room for error; a simple mistake such as nodding off for one second could be fatal to oneself as well as other drivers. Combining the lack of air, the carbon monoxide fumes, and the G-forces with poor nutrition and lack of rest is very dangerous (DiCicco). NASCAR