Stephen A. Smith isn’t backing off his latest take — and this one is squarely aimed at NASCAR.
During a recent SiriusXM segment, Smith made it clear that, in his view, NASCAR drivers don’t qualify as athletes. The comments came during a broader discussion about how athletic greatness should be defined, but quickly turned into a firm stance on motorsports.
And he didn’t leave much room for interpretation.
Stephen A. Smith Draws a Line on NASCAR
GettyStephen A. Smith appears at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, where the ESPN personality has long been a visible presence around the sport.
When the conversation turned toward racing, Smith dismissed the idea almost immediately.
“Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!” Smith ranted. “I’m being honest, it’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same.”
He followed that up by doubling down on his definition of what separates athletes from skilled competitors.
“You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud. A golfer is not an athlete. A NASCAR driver is not an athlete,” Smith insisted. “Just because you gotta walk the course for 18 holes for four days, that don’t make you an athlete.”
Skill vs. Athleticism, According to Smith
As the discussion continued, Smith clarified that his stance isn’t about talent or ability.
“They’re skilled players, they’re elite at what they do. But athletes? Athletes? Are you kidding me?” Smith continued. “Is walking the latest sport that you want to turn into an Olympic sport? Because I guess that would make them athletic, right? Because they can walk. If you’re out there doing stuff that grandmas and grandpas can do, I’m not gonna look at you that way. You’re skilled, you’re phenomenally skilled as a golfer…but that is not an athletic sport.”
In Smith’s view, accessibility is the dividing line — and by that definition, NASCAR drivers fall short.
What NASCAR Actually Demands
At the Cup Series level, driving is anything but passive.
Drivers operate in extreme heat for hours at a time, often in cockpit temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. They manage sustained G-forces through corners, maintain focus at speeds approaching 200 mph, and process constant information with no margin for error.
It’s common for drivers to lose several pounds during a race due to dehydration, while heart rates remain elevated for extended stretches. The combination of physical strain and mental demand is why most top-level drivers train year-round.
That reality doesn’t fit the traditional image of athletic competition — but it’s a central part of the job.
A Debate That Isn’t Going Away
Smith’s comments tap into a debate that has followed NASCAR for years: what actually defines an athlete.
His stance is clear — separating elite skill from what he considers true athletic performance.
Inside motorsports, the definition tends to be broader.
And as long as those perspectives don’t align, moments like this will continue to surface — reigniting the same conversation every time.
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