Will Buxton Breaks Down Racing’s Physical Toll in Response to Stephen A. Smith

Will Buxton is the latest to defend the grit of professional racing in the ‘athlete’ debate that Stephen A. Smith has started. On the latest episode of the SPEED with Harvick and Buxton podcast, he invited Smith to experience the cockpit for himself.

Issuing an open challenge to the ESPN analyst, he said, “The invitation remains out there, Stephen, if you want to come on and discuss, the physicality, the athleticism that it takes to be a racing driver, our doors are always open for you”.

To drive home the intensity of the sport, Buxton described the brutal forces acting on a driver’s body. He noted that “when you brake, or when you hit the throttle, and when you go into a sudden change of direction, that head and that helmet is undergoing a change of G-force, sometimes up to 6G”.

He suggested that Smith try a ride along in a professional car: “We could get you two-seater laps in an IndyCar, and if your heart, lungs, last out, if your head hasn’t fallen off your neck by the end of it and you enjoyed it, maybe we could get you some time in a simulator so you can see exactly what it is like, because the physical toll of driving is extreme”.

Buxton made it clear that professional racing bears no resemblance to a casual commute. He insisted that “motor racing is not sitting on your a** and pushing a pedal and using a steering wheel to drive yourself to the shops. It is the most extreme of extremes”.

His conclusion was simple: “You look at any elite driver; they are an elite athlete”.

The controversy began on Mad Dog Sports Radio when a caller suggested NASCAR legend Richard Petty for a list of the greatest athletes based on longevity. Smith immediately dismissed the idea, stating, “Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!”

He went even further by claiming that because people can drive into their 70s, a NASCAR driver simply does not qualify as an athlete.

Stephen A. Smith stands his ground

Despite the pushback from the racing world, Smith is not backing down from his original stance. He recently addressed the criticism, specifically responding to three-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano. While he admitted that NASCAR is a legitimate sport, he remains firm that driving a car does not fit his personal definition of what it means to be an athlete.

Logano had previously suggested that Smith makes these controversial comments to stay “relevant” in the spotlight. Smith fired back at that idea, claiming he did not even know who Logano was before this debate started.

He dismissed the notion that he needs to stir up trouble for attention, asking, “Why can’t I just have an opinion about NASCAR? Why do I have to be doing it to stay relevant?”

Smith pointed to his long career in sports media as proof of his status. He told Logano to look up his history on Google, stating that his position in the industry is already secure.

“I need to say something to be relevant? Do I look like somebody that needs to be relevant? I am relevant!” he argued.