To think racecar drivers aren’t athletes is, at this point, an uninformed opinion. They train just as hard and just as much as any ballplayer even though it may not appear so. But it isn’t always the case, particularly in NASCAR. This was sort of a silent revolution started by a Hendrick Motorsports legend, says Chase Elliott.

In an interview from 2020,  Elliott revealed that it was Jimmie Johnson who changed the norm when it comes to fitness in NASCAR.

The #9 driver was asked during the interview if there are some “chunky drivers” in the sport, guys with “a little bit of a gut,” to which Elliott replied, “Honestly, not really. I feel like fitness has really become more of a relevant thing to a lot of drivers over the years. I think Jimmie kind of, Jimmie Johnson kind of changed that mold.

“He was a guy who was always working out, always training and I think people kind of felt like he had an edge from that standpoint so I think you’ve seen more of that as time has gone on.”

Does Chase Elliott eat during a race?

After emphasizing the importance of being at a certain level of fitness for a driver to take part in a race that goes on for hours and hundreds of miles, Chase Elliott was quizzed on whether he cracks a Powerbar during the race.

“I’m not typically a big eater during the race but some guys do I think,” he replied, which led to the follow-up question being, “One hand on the wheel, PowerBar in the other hand type of deal?”

“Under caution, under caution,” the Hendrick Motorsports man clarified.

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Tony Stewart changed his diet towards the end of his career

One of the most peculiar aspects of Tony Stewart’s legacy is the fact that he achieved all that he did—be it in a sprint car, in IndyCar, in NASCAR, or even now, in drag racing—without being a model of athleticism.

But towards the end of his career, he too became conscious of his fitness. “I’m eating better, drinking better, working out, doing stuff I swore I would never do—and I’m doing it in my last year,” Stewart said during a media tour in 2016 according to UPI.

“I’ve changed my diet. I’ve changed everything for this year.” 

So, to conclude, the question remains, which way is the way to go?

Because on the one hand there are drivers like Jimmie Johnson who gained an advantage because of maintaining a certain level of athleticism. On the other, there is Tony, performing at the same level, achieving just as much, perhaps even more.

Also Read: “People Enjoy Controversy”: Chase Elliott’s Honest Admission About Beef With Denny Hamlin Brought Out the Hendrick Motorsports Star’s Unknown Side in a 2020 Interview