RACING IS NOT A SPORT by dan Black
danblackRacing.com

Ok, so I'm REALLY FED UP with people not considering auto racing not a sport.  So I took time to lay out some information to all for you to judge.

First I will let the philosophers define a sport since this is what I'm basing this debate on.  I know we all have our own opinions, and that's wonderful, but I feel like I need to write this to un-cloud some people I have talked to in the past.

DEFINE 'SPORT' (noun)
Answers.com says:
sport (spôrt, sp?rt) pronunciation  n.
   1.     a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
    b. A particular form of this activity.

   2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.

M-W.com (Merriam-Webster) says:
Function: noun
1 a : a source of diversion : RECREATION b : sexual play c (1) : physical activity engaged in for pleasure (2) : a particular activity (as an athletic game) so engaged in

3 a : something tossed or driven about in or as if in play b : LAUGHINGSTOCK

5 : an individual exhibiting a sudden deviation from type beyond the normal limits of individual variation usually as a result of mutation especially of somatic tissue

Dictionary.reference.com says:

sport /spawrt, spohrt -noun

1. 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.
2. a particular form of this, esp. in the out of doors.

Okay, you get the point.  You sweat, it's physically exhaustive, mentally draining, but you love it.

Let's look at two categories of sports everyone knows and rarely disagrees about being a 'sport'.

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INDIVIDUAL SPORTS
These sports rely upon the physical activity of an individual to get an object(s) to a certain point to win.  In golf, they use a ball.  In Disc Golf, it's a disc.  Sometimes you are to score points based on style, creativity, and difficulty, like in the sport of surfing and XGames sports like BMX dirt jumping.  In those cases they are using a surfboard, bicycle, inline skates, etc.

Main gear:  the ball, the club, the disc, the bike, the board, etc.

Personal Gear: They rely upon special clothing for their movements, temperature, and surrounding conditions. They also need safety equipment, special footwear, eye-ware, and gloves.

Location: indoors or outdoors, some times even dedicated stadiums and fields

Training: Some require more strength training will other require mental fitness.  Some of these sports may requite agility training due to quick sharp movements that may cause injury if not properly addressed.

Examples:
Golf
Disc Golf
Wrestling
Skateboarding
BMX dirt jumping
Track & Field singles

What do you need to win? Know your opponents weaknesses, be mentally AND physically fit, and know the most you can about every facet of that sport.  A lack of mental strength usually means losing.  A lack of mental and physical strength will result in losing and injury.

What's the Goal? Most often the goal is to get the object to the point where they can score points, or impress the judges.

Agree?  Ok let's move on…

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TEAM SPORTS
These sports rely upon the physical activity of all members to reach one goal, win.  Often, a 'coach' or other type of manager is involved to motivate and organize the events.  These sports usually involve getting some type of object like a ball into a certain area to gain points.

Main gear:  the bat, the ball, the puck, nets, goals, etc

Personal Gear: They rely upon special clothing for their movements, temperature, and surrounding conditions. They also need safety equipment, special footwear, eye-ware, and gloves.

Location: indoors or outdoors, some times even dedicated stadiums and fields.

Training: Some require more strength training will other require mental fitness.  Some of these sports may require agility training due to quick sharp movements that may cause injury if not properly addressed.

Examples:
Soccer
Hockey
Football
Baseball
Track & Field relays

What's the Goal? Most often, the goal is to get the object to the point where they can score points.  This is a team effort.  If can not be done alone!!!  No Rambos allowed!
 
What do you need to win? You have to be a team player!!!!  These sports are designed so that all members are important.  Everyone is needed to win!  You need to support each other in getting mentally and physically stronger to play the game.

What's the Goal?  Typically, cross the finish line, or make the most goals (points).

Do you agree?  I thought you would.  Ok let's finish up.

From my experience most 'non-gearhead' Americans only think of one thing when they hear the term 'racing'….NASCAR.  Just for your personal knowledge in becoming well-rounded, NASCAR is only one of many types of racing.  People often seem to forget about:

Boats
Semis, pronounced 'seem-i's". (A.k.a. Tractor-trailers without the tractor)
Go-Karts
Motorcycles
Trucks
Delivery trucks (yes you read that right)
ATV's (4-whelers)
Dune buggies
Air planes
And of course, cars

Now let's take only eight of those ten categories and multiple those times 3 or more.  Why?  This is because they vehicles may be raced indoors, outdoors, on asphalt, dirt, snow, sand, and even ice.  Yes, ice.

So to get to the point I'll simply Copy & Paste the sections from the Individual and Team Sports.

Viola, ok here we go.  Remember, 'racing is not a sport'

RACING (remember, not a sport)

Ok, you'll probably get upset that this first statement because well, racing is not a sport, but I'm using the basis of team sports to get this going.

Racing sports rely upon the physical activity of all members to reach one goal, win. How so? They are just getting in or on some gas guzzling object and going fast right? Well, right.  But, who set up that machine?  Hmm, the mechanics - similar to the people in the locker room helping the football players get their tape on.  In team racing events like the well-known NASCAR, there is a manager who organizes the whole team, and other positions like quarterbacks to manage event operations.  They have to motivate and organize the events and team players to make it all happen.  But well, this is not a sport still because no one is training hard like the big baseball and football players, and there's no super-athletic player like the fast soccer and hockey individual.  Ok I see your point.  No it's a lie that drivers and riders go though special mental endurance exercises , and that they have rigorous strength and endurance routines to be able to handle the machine they use that has no power options like what we drive and ride everyday. They are not swinging a stick hard, running to catch a ball, or even, smashing into each other like Ruby players.

Ok I get your point you win.  I suppose fighting a steering wheel or handle bars for dozens or hundreds of miles isn't' all that hard - even if you are in a 100+ degree fire suit.  It's also not a big deal (not mentally challenging) to do all of this with limited peripheral vision, and poor visibility due to blizzards (rally racing), snow, rain..water, mud and sand splashes.  I suppose any of us could handle that at around 100 - 200 M.P.H. any day since we do that on the highway all the time right?  I meant, how hard could it be for motocross riders to get pounded for 20- 30 minutes, while launching 10 to 25 feet in the air landing on hard slippery ground while wearing a helmet that restricts visibility of what's heading towards you are 50 m.p.h. below.  Not a big deal I suppose.  That helmet that weights 4 lbs. doesn't do a thing to the stress on your neck.  And geeze, those stupid NASCAR drivers going 160 to 195 mph, fighting the lack of power steering, no genuine air condition, no peripheral vision due to safety gear, no side mirrors to avoid the other car 6 inches away, while fighting cross winds is easy.  No sweat.  Seriously, I'm not sweating.  And that steering is so easy to control at that speed, without power steering.  And wow, where's the team effort?  Those pit crews quickly lifting 30 to 40lb wheels super fast takes no effort.  Who can't change four wheels in 10 seconds? That takes no skill whatsoever. And please, mechanics.  Turning a wrench is easy, especially after hours and hours, bending over, and carefully matching up data to the racing rules, up all hours of the night working on projects for the next day.   No skill, no endurance in racing or with the teams.

Main gear:  the car, the bike, the boat, or other external object like in other sports

Personal Gear: They rely upon special clothing for their movements, temperature, and surrounding conditions. They also need extensive safety equipment. They use special footwear for quick pedal movements using both feet. Polarized eye-ware and gloves are a must..

Location: indoors or outdoors, some times even dedicated stadiums and fields. Mountains, cliffs, and waterways.

Training: Mental fitness is a must. Whilst physical strength is more dominant in bike and external riding sports, endurance may play a higher role in the in-vehicle sports. Some of these sports may require agility training due to quick sharp movements that may cause injury if not properly addressed.  This is especially true on motocross and ATV racing

Examples:
NASCAR < -- boring but fun at the end
Drag racing < ok
Hydroplanes < wow
Rally Cross < super wow
Off-Road Rally !!!!!!!!
Hill- climbs
Road racing!!!!!!!!!
F1 - ok
D1
Super cross
Baja
Kart Racing
CART
Minis
Modified
The list goes on…

What's the Goal? Most people believe racing is only about the finish line. BUZZZ!  Wrong answer.  Most racing events also have a point s system. In some races you can never get first place, and still be the champion for the year.
 
What do you need to win? You have to be a team player!!!!  These sports are designed so that all members are important.  You can do crap without your team (mechanics, managers, etc.) understanding what you have experienced with your vehicle on the track, just like how a rugby or soccer football player reports about plays, audible commands, and movements that the coach did not pick up.  Everyone is needed to win!  You need to support each other in getting mentally and physically stronger to win.

What's the Goal?  Typically, cross the finish line, or make the most goals (points).

Well, you see Racing is not a sport.  It's easy, anyone can do it, it takes not energy, and you won't or be sore.
 
Seriously, if you really think anyone can race a vehicle, and that it's not athletically challenging (a sport), well, then after reading all this… you're an idiot. And for those of you who think its a redneck sport, it's not.  Do I look like a fucking redneck to you?  Do your research and you'll find out that most tuners and racers are white collar workers.

BOTTOM LINE: If you hot, you sweat, it hard, you train, you break things.  It's a sport g*ddamit. 



Dan Black Racing has spoken
danblackRacing.com