That’s not how it should be. Stock car racing is a sport. That’s a fact, not an opinion. Now allow me to prove based on only the most common, most ignorant claims made against the “sport” of racing.

Welcome claim no. 1: NASCAR drivers sit down; therefore NASCAR racing is not a sport. That statement was once told me by a state champion high school power lifter. To him I asked, "What are you doing when you bench press?"

Sitting down doesn’t make a sport any less than a sport.

Come on down, claim no. 2: a lack of running, jumping, diving, hurdling, spitting, sneezing, coughing, etc. prevents NASCAR from being an athletic event. That one was said to me with great determination by a scholarship endowed college athlete.

Mr. “I average six tackles a game” should know better than me that sometimes it’s not about moving, but what moves you in the game. The G forces NASCAR drivers experience at a constant rate for 500 miles a weekend alone should be reason enough to claim NASCAR as a sport.

Most quarterbacks are affected by a hefty defensive lineman charging into his side while trying to throw a 70 yard deep ball to a streaking receiver. Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch aren’t affected by the three lateral Gs they’re hit with 1,000 times when racing twice a year at Texas Motor Speedway.

By the way, astronauts receive a similar G force when launching into space. By the way no. 2 – they aren’t steering the spacecraft or trying to beat 42 other spacecrafts to a checkered flag made of stardust and cosmic particles.

Say hello to claim no. 3: “Man, all those guys do is turn left for four hours. I could do that!”

Thank you, Captain Obvious. We all know you can turn left for four hours. I can too. But have you ever tried doing it at a modest 150+mph? Oh, you have? You got your Honda Civic going at 155mph that time on the freeway? Besides mom and dad being really proud of that, I’d like to let you know that you were still going at a speed too slow to race at most NASCAR tracks.

Next time that Honda Civic gets up to 150, try wearing a Head and Neck Restraint – looking for cops to your left and right will be hampered. But even before that, let your car heat up to about 105 degrees. Then find the freeway with 20 degree banking in the turns and see how you handle it. I’m sure you’ll pass with flying colors of burning car parts and charred body work.

Maybe those three common claims cleared some foggy logic. Keep in mind that the mental aspect of racing wasn’t even touched. Peyton Manning can study film for as long as he wants before a game knowing what to expect. NASCAR drivers don’t have that same luxury.

Stock car racing isn’t standardized. Drivers can’t expect the same conditions in every event. The playing field will be a different length, the pit boxes a different size, and the race distance anywhere from 250-500 miles at the Cup level.

It isn’t going to be the same every time out, even at the same race track twice in one year (Daytona in February is a totally different animal than Daytona in July). Day to night events call for major adjustments during a race, and there’s no half time to sit around and talk about a game plan.

They can do that because stock car drivers are professional athletes. The proof is right here.