Kyle Larson, Jeff Gordon Challenge Stephen A. Smith Over 200-MPH Non-Athlete Claim
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 14
Kyle Larson, Jeff Gordon Challenge Stephen A. Smith Over 200-MPH Non-Athlete Claim
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 14
Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon pushed back after Stephen A. Smith said on SiriusXM last month that NASCAR drivers are not athletes because they are "driving a car."
Larson argued the physical demands are obvious at speed, saying critics would struggle to complete one lap in a 200-mph race car without feeling like they were going to die.
He said the strain continues over 3.5-hour races in 150-degree cockpits, with his heart rate around 150 for hours and peaking near 190.
Gordon said Smith does not understand what motorsports requires, pointing to the mental fatigue and endurance involved and saying drivers are athletes in a different form than stick-and-ball sports.
The exchange highlights a recurring debate over whether elite motorsports competitors should be judged by traditional definitions of athleticism.
Will a top analyst accept the challenge to drive a 200 mph car after calling racers 'non-athletes'?
What 'brain-flipping' techniques do drivers use to master the extreme mental stress of high-speed racing?