"Professional drivers have enhanced their health and fitness in order to gain the competitive edge," Dr. Patrick Jacobs source: CART.com The word "athlete" has long been held in reserve for those who can high-jump seven feet or run 10-second 100-yard dashes, but newly-published medical research has shown that drivers competing in the Bridgestone Presents The Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford have fitness needs that rival any world-class athlete. Strapped tightly for two hours into a cockpit where temperatures can easily reach 130 degrees is tough for anyone, but when you add the pressure of CART competition where drivers must maintain razor-sharp focus while piloting their 1,550-pound machines at speeds of over 200 mph, a Champ Car driver that is fit will always have a huge advantage over one that is not. A recent study published in the December issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, shows that drivers must possess the same stamina and physiological responses as elite athletes in traditional team sports. The study was performed by researchers at the University of Miami (Fla.)--site of this year's Grand Prix Americas--using advanced technology to measure heart rate and oxygen consumption during high-speed driving sessions.
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