PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CONDITIONING THE KEYS TO SUCCESS

By: Kari Shear-Carlson
(Friday, July 9, 2010) There is no question that the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and grandstay.net has some of the most talented stock car drivers in the country. But what makes a driver so talented?

Chances are you have all heard someone say that “racing is just a bunch of cars going around in circles.” Or, “racing is not a sport and race car drivers are not athletes.” Well if you have friends that do not share the same level of interest in the sport, chances are you have had to defend your position a time or two.

According to Webster’s 2010 New World College Dictionary, athleticism is defined as “physical prowess consisting variously of coordination, dexterity, vigor, stamina, etc.” Additionally a sport is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules often taken under competitively.” I do not know about you, but that sure sounds like racing to me.

While drivers in the ASA Midwest Tour may not have personal trainers or a private gym, if you have ever attended an event, you have been witness to the coordination, skill and, stamina required of each and every driver. With temperatures inside the car exceeding 100 degrees on a hot summer day, and feeling even hotter because of the suits and helmets, drivers do not have the option to take a break, to catch their breath, or call a time out. Add this extreme heat on top of the G-forces felt at every turn, and you have got the makings of an athlete.

Learning how to drive when you are 16 requires many of the same skills that drivers use on the track. This includes coordination, concentration, and long attention spans. However, unlike driving on the highway, race car drivers are using these same multi-tasking skills within inches of their competitors at high rates of speed. In addition to maintaining focus, drivers are constantly scanning the field of cars and anticipating his or her next move, avoiding accidents, and all while also defending his or her position from the rest of the field.

Competitors in the ASA Midwest Tour may or may not workout everyday and hone their skills playing video games. In fact, most do not have time between their full-time jobs and countless hours preparing the car for the next race. But when each and every driver gets behind the wheel and tightens those belts, the game is on and the athleticism of the sport comes to life. At the end of a race, credit is often given to having a great race car or the perfect set-up. Truth be told, no matter how perfect the car, it is a combination of the car and the physical and mental conditioning of the driver that leads to success.

Make plans now to come out and witness some of the greatest Midwest “athleticism” in the “sport” of auto racing, and be sure to invite your friends. After watching some of the greatest racing by some of the greatest athletes in the Midwest, maybe they will change their tune.

The next event for the ASA Midwest Tour and the ASA Midwest Sportsman Tour is next Sunday, July 18th, for the “Kwik Trip 125” at Raceway Park in Shakopee, MN.

To learn more about the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and GrandStay Residential Suites Hotels and Crossings by GrandStay Inn & Suites, log on to www.asamidwesttour.com or call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (262) 514-3880 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.

If you would like to learn more about the ASAMT series sponsors, please visit their websites: Kwik Trip, Inc. (www.kwiktrip.com), ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment (www.echo-usa.com), and GrandStay Residential Suites Hotels and Crossings by GrandStay Inn & Suites (www.grandstay.net).

To learn more about the Midwest Sportsman Tour log on to www.asamidwestsportsman.com.

To learn more about the ASA Midwest Truck Tour log on to www.asamidwesttrucks.com.

To learn more about the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association® Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association®, visit www.asaracing.com.

ASA®, ASA Racing®, and American Speed Association® are registered trademarks of Racing Speed Associates, LLC. ASA International, LLC or Racing Speed Associates, LLC are not related to or affiliated with the ASA Late Model Series.