Most of us would prefer driving over running, but for NASCAR drivers, the story can be quite different. As Brad Keselowski’s driver from RFK Racing explains, racing is more than just driving around. It can have a massive physical toll, and just the immense training it takes to get used to the pressure in NASCAR is tough to contemplate. But as Chris Buescher reveals his training schedule, the picture becomes clearer.

NASCAR comparable to marathons? Buescher clears the air

While NASCAR drivers are still called athletes, is it fair to compare them with someone who runs? Well, it would be, as Buescher revealed: “We have done studies on expenditures during races to see. We burn similar amounts of energy or sometimes more in the case of like a Bristol, than those running a marathon.”

It makes sense why Buescher named Bristol of them all as it’s one of the most physically demanding tracks in NASCAR. The 0.5-mile track, or The Last Great Colosseum, is popular for being one of the smallest but loudest tracks that creates some intense racing with the constant cornering and less straight-line rest.

And there’s a lot that goes into racing for a couple of hundred miles on a single stretch. Pushing a piece of machinery to its limit is not as easy as just stepping on the throttle and altering it with the brake pedal. Buescher, speaking from his personal experiences, revealed just how long it took him to get used to the massive endurance that NASCAR required.

“I will certainly say my rookie season was not prepared to go 500, 600 miles in a race. And we’re well beyond that now and in a point now to where I’m glad to say that we get done with any of these races, whether they’re hot, whether cool shirt stops working, whatever it may be, we get to get out of the car and take a breath and walk back to the hauler and feel good about it,” he said.

The drivers go through massive, well-planned training routines for these races. Being physically and mentally prepared for a race is extremely important, and when the challenge is in a field with over thirty drivers, it can be rather challenging. Hence, these drivers train for months to get into proper shape and then race.

These are some of the aspects that differentiate between a good and a great driver. As for Brad Keselowski, he has spent enough time in the field to know that difference. While he has more responsibilities to serve right now, being in an owner-driver capacity for RFK Racing, he is also going through a massive physical toll after his off-season incident left him with surgery and a healing leg.

Brad Keselowski is cutting down on his recovery time

Brad Keselowski injured himself while skiing during the off-season and got a broken right femur. He also had to miss the pre-season Clash, considering he was still recovering from the surgery. While he has been racing full-time since Daytona, he is still not in perfect shape.

He can be seen using a cane to walk after almost every race. He revealed earlier this month that he could be recovering much before the actual recovery time, considering the nature of his injury: “It’s supposed to be a six-month to 12-month recovery. I’m on track to do it in three or four, which is great.”

This goes to show the physical strain NASCAR drivers usually go through. While his cane has been a constant companion so far this season, Keselowski also revealed that he would be getting rid of it soon. But still, driving isn’t so easy for him. The vibrations coming from the tarmac and the V8 engine don’t help with his recovering state.

“Driving the car is not the best thing for me in some ways,” he said. “Whether it’s the vibrations or the loads, or the moments to get in and out.”

Understandably, it would take Brad Keselowski some time to have a full recovery. But that doesn’t seem to be hampering his performance a lot. He managed to finish the Daytona 500 in 5 place and marked another top 10 finish at Las Vegas. So far, he has mostly been dangling around in the midfield, which is still impressive. So, the huge training schedules that Chris Buescher talked about seem to be working.