Fitness
Race car drivers are professional athletes, each with an individual training program designed to prepare their bodies and minds for the rigors of competing on the racetrack at speeds in excess of 200 mph. Because their safety and livelihood are directly impacted by their physical and mental fitness, drivers take their training seriously.
Risk of injury The chance of crashing at high speed presents an obvious risk of injury to drivers, but other injuries sustained during the normal course of driving the car are also a part of racing. Drivers' hands, elbows, ribs, knees and feet are all susceptible to injury from the stresses of racing. Keeping in top physical shape helps drivers avoid injury and remain competitive on the track.
Gaining a competitive edge Drivers and teams are constantly looking for ways to gain an edge on the competition. Engineers and mechanics spend hours working on the cars, looking for ways to shave the extra fraction of a second that could make a difference on the track. Similarly, drivers look at their conditioning as one more way that they can gain an edge during a race. Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan enjoy competing in triathlons as a way to stay in shape. Helio Castroneves enjoys boxing as a way to stay fit. Buddy Rice and Vitor Meira incorporate mountain biking into their fitness routines. Ed Carpenter enjoys cycling and running as part of his endurance training.
Jim Leo, President of PitFit Training, an organization that focuses on training drivers for competition, says drivers should focus on a combination of flexibility, stamina, strength, reaction and nutrition training.
"When we train a driver, we want to duplicate or exceed, as much as possible, the stresses they will go through in the car," he said. "That prepares their bodies to handle the stresses when they encounter them on the track."
Content courtesy of Indycar.com
