Andrew Luck to IMS PA: I think drivers are athletes

The social media firestorm around Donovan McNabb’s comments saying, in his opinion, drivers aren’t athletes took over the sports blogosphere from last November.

Luckily for the racing world, Andrew Luck doesn’t agree.

“I think they are (athletes),” Luck responded to an Indianapolis Motor Speedway PA announcer’s question during the rain delay of Friday’s “Fast Friday” practice for the Indianapolis 500. “You see what they do behind the wheel and to prep for it, there’s no question to me.”

Perhaps this was a case of Luck playing nice to the local crowd – he is one of the city of Indianapolis’ most beloved athletes – but more likely it was a case of “he knows of what he speaks.”

Luck took in practice at last year’s Indianapolis 500 as well, as a guest of Charlie Kimball and the Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing team. So he has first hand experience of seeing the Verizon IndyCar Series up close and personal.

Said Kimball, last year, of Luck’s visit: “I wanted them to come see my office, because in the winter, it’s easy to turn on the TV and see these guys go to work on Sundays. I wanted to give them the opportunity see what I think is the greatest sporting venue in the world – the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and see us turn laps at 215, 220 mph and give them the full Indianapolis experience.”

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