In searching for the answer to this question, I scoured the Internet. The first reference I came to was a feature called "Dear Alien" at Comedyzine.com, in which a space alien answers your most perplexing questions.

Dear Alien,

Are racecar drivers athletes?

Jay, @msn.com

Dear Jay,

An athlete is someone who partakes in exercises or games requiring physical strength, skill, stamina and speed. A race car driver would require skill to maneuver the car, stamina to do it for long periods of time and obvious speed. However racecar drivers do not require physical strength so they do not meet the definition of an athlete.

"What does an alien know about racecar driving?" you might ask. A good question, but one I don't have an answer for. In my opinion, our extraterrestrial friend is using a rather strict definition of the word "athlete." My Webster's Unabridged defines the term as, "a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise or game requiring physical skill."

For that matter, how can he (it?) say that driving a racecar requires no physical strength? As Don Falloon puts it on The Bill Elliot page at Allsports.com, "Based upon Webster's definition, the physical and mental demands placed upon someone threading a 3500-pound chunk of steel through tight traffic literally fractions of an inch apart at nearly 200 miles per hour for 3-plus hours in consistently 100-plus degree heat not only meets the previously mentioned athletic attribute, but (means that a racecar driver) should be considered an elite, world class athlete."

Many who are not fans of racing seem to assume that drivers pay little attention to physical conditioning. I've found that this does not ring true. For instance, at HealthyIdeas.com, CART driver Alex Zanardi explains the importance of a good diet.

"The weight of the driver is a big issue," Zanardi says, "because gaining even a few pounds can make you lose a tenth of a second every lap -- an advantage you don't want to give away to the competition."

CART driver Max Papis described his rigorous physical training program in a June, 1998 article at TheAutoChannel.com. A regimen of aerobic and weight training developed for Papis by three doctors allowed him to achieve a body fat count of just seven percent.

"The key to my workout is to be stronger, mentally, and to be prepared to suffer when I drive the car, because sometimes a driver can experience big pain," says Papis. "I must be prepared to overcome the pain and rely on my body, knowing that I can get the most out of my body and even a touch more."

"I think of myself as an athlete," says Papis. "If I weren't a race-car driver I would still be involved in sports."

American Le Mans Series driver Zak Brown gives a detailed description of his workout at ZakAttack.com. Zak, by the way, is sponsored by "Men's Fitness" magazine. Personal trainer Jim Leo of PitFit Training, who works with a number of professional drivers, supervises Zak's fitness program.

"Auto racing is both similar and very different from sports such as football and basketball," says Leo. "The heart rate of an auto racer commonly hovers in the 140-170 range. The muscle fatigue from constant G-force load is endless. The fatigue from the heat of the cockpit acts as a catalyst for the body's need for energy."

My searches found that Winston Cup drivers are a bit more close-mouthed when it comes to their workout habits. However, a check of their biographies on NASCAR.com reveals that these guys are no couch potatoes. Daytona 500 pole-sitter Dale Jarrett lists "golf" and "all sports" among his hobbies. Bill Elliott, in the number three spot, enjoys snow skiing. Of the three top qualifiers, only Ricky Rudd lists no sports among his hobbies, only "flying."

But then, are pilots athletes? On second thought, let's not go there.