SOME, but a very, very small percentage....................and that seems to be at the very highest level of national competition. I wouldn't lump the "Street Outlaws" or the "Fastest Car in the Dirty South" drag races into the "Athlete" column, shoot I'd bet most all of them would get winded in a pick up softball game

I'm good friends with a current top level Supercross and motocross competitor and champion whose training regiment is so over the top as are almost all of the competitors in that sport. His dad was a former Mopar NHRA Super Stock drag racer and even at his (dad's) best in physical shape point wouldn't last one lap on a motocross track with his son. His son on the other hand wouldn't have an issue running an entire head to head season against his dad at the strip. Even the mental strength of competition is improved by physical training so it would seem that drag racers if they were very serious would start to physically train more (or even start to) to improve their game. That's why I'm sure the top level drag racers physically train to improve their mental game over their competition.

athlete

ˈath-ˌlēt

noun


a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

Has anyone ever seen there local pits look like and athletic event, like fit people, stretching, warming up.... no.

But a great test of mind/body coordination as well as testing ones limits on mental stress.

Really if the driver is the builder/owner its far more a mental event I think then anything.

Sure.....why not? We as a society are removing qualifications & "barriers" on all manner of things....so why not that?

"Hey look at me....I'm now a Rocket Surgeon...and I I self identify as a Rutabaga."

HELL NO! I was a college athlete way back when and it is certainly not a requirement to be a drag racer. Could it help, to some extent it could possibly on the tree as you could possibly have the ability to concentrate and focus more clearly, but it does not take any athletic talent to do that either, just practice. Alot of what happens in a drag race in instinctual and comes from repetition and experience.

Zach Osborn is who I think we are talking about here?

MX/Supercross racers are in incredible shape. Racing a dirt bike at the upper levels takes everything you have.

Depends. Kids playing wiffleball in their backyard? Not really. Running your 15 second Civic down the track on TnT night? No.

Going rounds at a high dollar bracket race requires a certain skill set, physical and mental skills that are practiced and acquired over time. Skills that some people will never gain, regardless how much they try.

Getting a Pro Stocker, Alcohol or fuel funny car, or a fast drag radial car down the track also requires certain skills and abilities that not everyone has or can achieve.

Is Stevie Fast an athlete? Erica Enders? John Force?

I guess it depends on how you look at it.

athlete noun
a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.

I'm a drag racer. I have never considered myself an athlete.

NO

Yes Zach and his dad Mark.........helped Zach from when he was 6-years old on KTM mini bikes. Zach, his dad and long time friend Al B were a great development team for us (me) d for the KTM minis. One of Zach's best accomplishments was becoming the first "85cc World Mini Champion" and Loretta Lynn's champion and last year the 450 U.S. National Motocross champion as you know That kid NEVER QUIT and always gave and still gives his ALL

You said it best it takes a lot of hard work on and off the bike, even off-road racing DAMHIK

MikeR

Just thinking how funny it would be to determine qualifying positions by lining up the drivers and having them foot race each other for a quarter mile. Reaction times and 60 foot times would also factor into qualifying along with 1/4 mile times and if they even make it a 1/4 mile within a certain time limit like within 15% of the fastest driver's time.

How many of them...hell, how many people in general, for that matter...can't run 1/4 of a mile? Too many.

Absolutely not.

Until something that requires the skillset of a janitor gets removed from the olympics, race car drivers are definitely athletes.

Certain types of drag racing I would say yes, 99% of racers, no...