The Greatest Auto Sports Athlete?
It may come as a surprise to some that motor racing is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. There are many exceptional athletes in the sport, though who is the best of these? Here is a discussion of a poll of the Greatest Auto Sports Athlete of All Time conducted on the ESPN Sport Science website in 2013. The voting was based on the best athlete who has a combination of strength, speed, endurance, quickness, durability and the other attributes that make an athlete elite. See more about the ESPN Sport Science poll to determine the Greatest Athlete of All Time.
Nominees
Who is the greatest auto sports athlete of all time?
- Michael Schumacher — record holder of most Grand Prix wins (x91), world champion (x5) and Formula One world champion (x7)
- Dale Earnhardt Sr. — 76 Cup series wins, 7-time NASCAR Cup series champion, 34 career wins at Daytona.
- Jimmie Johnson — the 2009 Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, he has 60 Sprint Cup Series wins.
- Mario Andretti — 52 Indy car race wins. Was named Driver of the Year in three different decades. The only driver to win the Daytona 500, Indy 500 and Formula One world titles.
- A.J. Foyt — He raced a record 35 straight Indianapolis 500s, winning four of them. The only driver to win the Indy 500, Daytona 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
And the winner is ...
Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Related Pages
- More on fitness for motorsports
- The ESPN Sport Science poll to determine the Greatest Athlete of All Time.
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Old Comments
Commenting is closed on this page, though you can read some previous comments below which may answer some of your questions.
- Who the hell is earnhardt and how is he better than schumacher?
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