Jimmie Johnson Athlete of the Year?

Four-time Cup champ Johnson first driver to be AP Athlete of the Year - Sprint Cup, NASCAR - CBSSports.com NASCAR, IRL, F1 (http://www.cbssports.com/autoracing/story/12691116/fourtime-cup-champ-johnson-first-driver-to-be-ap-athlete-of-the-year)

I have alot of respect for Nascar drivers but I don't think they should win any athlete of the year awards. There's alot of talent involved and you better be in good physical condition, but let's face it, they drive cars around a track. Not buying the athlete of the year deal.

Why not? Jimmie Johnson has been as dominating as anyone the past four years. And it's not easy at all to drive a race car. Especially a stock car.

Athlete of the Year to me, implies a level of personal achievement vs competition. Of course, JJ has been dominant in racing. I know too, that driving a stock car, for hours and hours in brutal condition aint easy.

You've got to rely on a good team in racing and more importantly the car itself. I can guarantee, that if JJ, drove for a lesser team or engine builder, he wouldn't be as successful. Also, I just don't think drivers should be classified w/ all other athletes. Maybe, it's because I grew up watching the old regime of Nascar like Darrell Waltrip, Dale Sr, Harry Gant, and others. Jimmie Spencer...not much of an athlete, although a heck of a driver.

I don't know..just never really thought of a Nascar driver as an athlete. That's not downgrading their talent. Just an opinion.

So who's your athlete of the year then?

1 vote for Tiger Woods

With any luck Jimmie will hit the wall in Daytona. I vote Danica. She's a hottie.

Athlete of the Year to me, implies a level of personal achievement vs competition. Of course, JJ has been dominant in racing. I know too, that driving a stock car, for hours and hours in brutal condition aint easy.

You've got to rely on a good team in racing and more importantly the car itself. I can guarantee, that if JJ, drove for a lesser team or engine builder, he wouldn't be as successful. Also, I just don't think drivers should be classified w/ all other athletes. Maybe, it's because I grew up watching the old regime of Nascar like Darrell Waltrip, Dale Sr, Harry Gant, and others. Jimmie Spencer...not much of an athlete, although a heck of a driver.

I don't know..just never really thought of a Nascar driver as an athlete. That's not downgrading their talent. Just an opinion.

i agree with ya and i'll even take it a step further. to me, an athlete is someone who participates in a sport. i do not consider nascar a sport.

NASCAR is a competition, not a sport. Sort of like how coaches are not athletes, at least not recently or better yet jockeys. Rule of thumb states that if the equipment does the majority of the physical work then you don't have a sport. Doesn't matter how much you sweat and how grueling it is. Sports are competitions that require some form of running, jumping, punching, etc.

So who's your athlete of the year then?

Should have been Messi. 6 championships in one year.

Athlete of the Year to me, implies a level of personal achievement vs competition. Of course, JJ has been dominant in racing. I know too, that driving a stock car, for hours and hours in brutal condition aint easy.

You've got to rely on a good team in racing and more importantly the car itself. I can guarantee, that if JJ, drove for a lesser team or engine builder, he wouldn't be as successful. Also, I just don't think drivers should be classified w/ all other athletes. Maybe, it's because I grew up watching the old regime of Nascar like Darrell Waltrip, Dale Sr, Harry Gant, and others. Jimmie Spencer...not much of an athlete, although a heck of a driver.

I don't know..just never really thought of a Nascar driver as an athlete. That's not downgrading their talent. Just an opinion.
~~~
Agreed. Having been around NASCAR when I lived in North Carolina and some of the people involved in it, I came to respect the guys for what they do, but like you, I do not really consider them to be athletes, eventhough it does take a certain level of mental and physical stamina to do what when I think "athlete" race car drivers are the last ones that come to mind.

NASCAR is a competition, not a sport. Sort of like how coaches are not athletes, at least not recently or better yet jockeys. Rule of thumb states that if the equipment does the majority of the physical work then you don't have a sport. Doesn't matter how much you sweat and how grueling it is. Sports are competitions that require some form of running, jumping, punching, etc.
~~~~~
So true!

~~~

Should have been Messi. 6 championships in one year.
~~~~
The guy is a stud! Do you ever go to castrolindex.com? It runs all sorts of soccer stats, including how much these guys run a game. The average is between 5-7 miles a game.