[Right Brother]

Danica is an athlete worth watching.

First, race car drivers are not athletes. Secondly, her miniscule achievements, if she were a male or unattractive, would not even rise to the level of discussion.

[Pollster1]

First, race car drivers are athletes. Just as the Olympic shooters are athletes even though they don’t perspire (except in biathlon), race care drivers depend on extreme levels of precise observation and precision movements.

Secondly, while Danica’s miniscule achievements, if she were a male or unattractive, would not even rise to the level of discussion, the same could be said for half the NFL players. People who are on the football field (or the bench) but rarely central to a critical play are still athletes, and drivers who are on the course but finishing well out of the lead (because they lack the reflexes, observational awareness, and hand-eye coordination of the top tier drivers - all the skills of the very best in football, except for the speed and muscle), are still athletes. Besides, we all know why Danica’s marketing efforts are so successful, and it’s primarily a byproduct of her “physical fitness”.

[laotzu]

if she were a male or unattractive, would not even rise to the level of discussion.

I agree.

We should continue to cede the public court to only homosexuals. Appreciating the form and talent of a good looking woman is shameful, and I join you in this public scorn.

[Bigg Red]

Foul-mouthed harpies is what she is.

[McGruff]

You probably couldn’t beat her in a 100 yard dash but hey she should be home making babies right.

[UB355]

Athlete, somebody with athletic ability: somebody with the abilities to participate in physical exercise, especially in competitive games and races.

I’ll give her that

[henkster]

First, race car drivers are not athletes.

You should try driving an F1 car at speed for 73 laps. There's a reason there are very few F1 drivers over 35 years of age. The G forces wear them out. You look at them and they are all in top physical condition, and only the young have the stamina to drive a full race. I'd bet you'd be spent after about five laps.

[Chode]

100% right about the girl, however... F1 drivers sustain more prolonged G-Loading than any pilot ever has, a 2 minute dogfight is one thing, a 2 hour race at an average of 4G's is another

In corners, F1 drivers typically experience sideways forces of 4g, and about 5g on braking. As they accelerate out of the corners, they'll feel a 2g pull

multiply that times 3lbs for the helmet and you better have some damn strong neck muscles

"Military pilots experience greater g loads," Monaghan says, "but these are typically aligned with the spine, whereas an F1 driver endures these loads almost at right angles to the spine."

This results in an average F1 driver losing about 4kgs of weight after just one race.

but YMMV...