CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Jimmie Johnson, the first NASCAR driver in history to win four consecutive championships, was named Male Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press.
AP members include editors at various U.S. newspapers.
The AP named Tiger Woods as Athlete of the Decade, but Woods finished in a tie for 4th place in voting for Athlete of the Year.
Johnson is the first racecar driver to be named Athlete of the Year in the 78-year history of the AP.
Inside Line says: Fellow driver Mark Martin has the final word on Johnson: "I'm pretty sure that dude's Superman." — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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mazda609 says:
03:24 PM, 12/23/2009
I am quite surprised that he did win, I will be honest to say that I do not find nascar an extreme sport. I know it takes more than driving skill but before someone talks about how we know nothing about nascar think about the sports out there that you know nothing about. I am not trying to say any of you are wrong but there are sports out there that require 2-3 tough workouts a day that almost no one knows about which is quite sad especially when they get paid so little even if they are top athletes in that discipline. Before I get flamed just think about it, there are many sports and athletes out there that deserve credit even if they are not popular. Anyways he did have to work his sweat to achieve what he has so it's something he earned.
says:
02:52 PM, 12/23/2009
i defintely give lance 2 thumbs up for his accomplishments, he is a tough dude!! you're probably right that biking is not anywhere near the popularity that nascar is........but why all the hate for a sport you obviously don't understand? he won 4 STRAIGHT championships in a sport that is not known for repeat champions. i take it that you don't respect "driving in circles"......well i can assure you, it's more than just that. it takes a team, from the crew (7 over the wall members), the engineer, to the crew chief, to the driver. not to mention that the car weighs 3400+ lbs on a relatively small tire, it's not just "holding your foot to the floor" for 400-500 laps/miles. it takes massive talent & car control to be a driver.
i'm not diminishing lance's accomplishments at all, he for sure deserves whatever accolades he got (& will get in the future). but that award was for just the year from what i understood & lance finished 3rd this current year.
o_or30_0 says:
01:56 PM, 12/23/2009
The automotive racing world from the outside seems like a "easy" sport when compared to bicycling, or running but theres a lot deeper physical and mental stamina that goes into racing especially Nascar.
I always wonder why are people so quick to bash Nascar as if any automotive company would invest billions of dollars into a sport that didn't require more than just a driving license .There's a lot more to Nascar than people see from the outside. Its not just driving in an oval that makes it difficult, requires skill, massive amounts of stamina and focus.
"A driver runs, lift weights, build endurance, and work on technique during the week. They have to handle a 3500 pound car driving over 180 MPH trying to spin around or hit the wall nose first every single corner. There are 3 to 5 G's every corner. That's like being on a roller coaster for 4 hours. They are also wearing 3 to 4 layers of clothes and it gets up to 120 degrees+ in the car."
"Try to stay in a car that you can barely move in for 4 hours straight in a fire suit and can't eat anything just get a sip of drink through a straw once in awhile when you get a chance, all while going 180+ mph and about160+ mph around turns, also you can't even really look around you, you have to trust what your spotter tells you, so you can look to your sides, imagine driving down the interstate and only looking forward while your passenger tells you when people are passing you and beside you while you still can't actually look."
It's not wise to comment on a sport with no actual idea whats involved, let alone negatively criticize one because you feel you could drive a car fast but not ride a bike for miles.
wikiwiki says:
11:30 AM, 12/23/2009
blues4wagon,
I pretty much agree with you. Lance deserves it more than a car driver. Derek Jeter deserves it more than a car driver too. So would LeBron, Kobe, Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, etc., etc. You can prop a manaquin in a NASCAR car and he would probably make a few laps before crashing.
Is NASCAR a sport? IMO, not really. It's an activity that requires skill, no doubt. I can't drive that fast making nothing but left turns for 50000 miles. That is a skill. Look at these guys. None are built like an "athlete." If it requires gas and a motor other than your heart, it's not a sport to me. As lame as it is, golf is a sport. Archery is a sport. Ping Pong is a sport. Driving a car really fast is an activity. I drive every day to and from work surrounded by road raging morons. Is that a sport? No. Just an activity.
Lance did not win because America is not that into bicycle racing.
critz says:
10:40 AM, 12/23/2009
Yeah yeah we all know about lance armstrong, he's old news, let jimmie have this one. He IS an athlete. Can you drive 500 miles at 200 mph and only stop a few times for 13 seconds when its blistering hot or freezing outside for 4 hours without stopping for a pottybreak? These guys have to work out too. They ARE athletes, try watching the sport before passing judgement.
blues4wagon says:
09:38 AM, 12/23/2009
Yeah. a Bloody Nascar driver beats out Lance Armstrong who has not only returned from cancer, but won the Tour De France 7 CONSECUTIVE times - then took 3 years off, and came back to place THIRD in the worlds most difficult sporting event - and who will probably win again next year.
A Nascar driver beats him out. This is so typical for Americans - no respect for real athletes - Nascar - seriously?? What, he has to drive in only 1 direction for thousands of miles holding his right foot to the floor? This is offensive, and the associated press has no idea what the hell it is doing. Jimmaaayyy can bite it. He is no where near the athlete that Lance is, nor will he ever be!!!