livius drusus
06-15-2006, 03:04 AM
I found this article (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/14/dining/14nasc.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin) about the physical hardships of stock car racing and how many drivers now have nutritionists. Never having spent much time thinking about NASCAR, I had no idea how immensely taxing a race can be, and that's without crashing.
To understand the physical impact of stock car racing, start in the driver's seat. Roll bars and restraint devices leave barely enough room for a person. The driver is wedged in so tight that the steering wheel can't be attached till after he (yes, almost always "he") climbs through the window into the seat. To try to keep him cool, his helmet is outfitted with a little air-conditioner.
Unlike football or tennis, this sport has no breaks. "You are locked up for 3½ hours from your nose to your toes," Mr. Waltrip said.
The pressure on a driver doesn't stop with the heat. Carbon monoxide produces pounding headaches. On turns, the sideways forces are twice the pull of gravity. Bumps from other cars and maneuvering around crashes take an emotional toll, further draining energy stored in muscles.
"This has an incredible effect on your internal organs," said Robert Hall, a trainer and nutritional adviser for Scott Riggs, 35, who has been a driver in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, the premier Nascar circuit, for three years.
The season is 10 months long, too. :stunned:
I also can't believe Mario Batali has a tailgating cookbook. That's pretty damn cool.
To understand the physical impact of stock car racing, start in the driver's seat. Roll bars and restraint devices leave barely enough room for a person. The driver is wedged in so tight that the steering wheel can't be attached till after he (yes, almost always "he") climbs through the window into the seat. To try to keep him cool, his helmet is outfitted with a little air-conditioner.
Unlike football or tennis, this sport has no breaks. "You are locked up for 3½ hours from your nose to your toes," Mr. Waltrip said.
The pressure on a driver doesn't stop with the heat. Carbon monoxide produces pounding headaches. On turns, the sideways forces are twice the pull of gravity. Bumps from other cars and maneuvering around crashes take an emotional toll, further draining energy stored in muscles.
"This has an incredible effect on your internal organs," said Robert Hall, a trainer and nutritional adviser for Scott Riggs, 35, who has been a driver in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, the premier Nascar circuit, for three years.
The season is 10 months long, too. :stunned:
I also can't believe Mario Batali has a tailgating cookbook. That's pretty damn cool.