Kevin Harvick hit back after Stephen A. Smith said golfers and NASCAR drivers are not athletes, turning a radio jab into a wider argument over what racing demands. Smith made the comment on his Mad Dog Sports Radio show on SiriusXM while discussing LeBron James' longevity, and the response from NASCAR came fast.
Smith was dismissive when callers brought up Richard Petty, saying, "Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!" He followed with, "A golfer is not an athlete. A NASCAR driver is not an athlete," and added, "You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s for crying out loud."
Harvick Responds On SPEED
Harvick said, "Here's the deal with Stephen A. Smith: this guy has no clue about racing," using his own numbers to answer the claim. He said he burned 3,200 calories in one 500-mile race during his first watch test, then 2,400 calories at the next race after more cautions.
He said a Polar representative told him that the only people they saw with that kind of calorie burn or constant heart rate were marathon runners. That pushed the discussion beyond opinion and into the physical load drivers say they carry over long races.
Joey Logano Pushes Back
Joey Logano also responded, saying, "People like that have to make comments to stay relevant." He said Smith got exactly what he wanted because people were talking about it, and Smith later answered directly, saying, "Let me speak directly to Mr. Joey Logano, I don’t know you from a can of paint," before asking, "Why can’t I just have an opinion about NASCAR?"
The back-and-forth left the sport with a familiar split: Smith stood by the idea that racing and golf do not fit his definition of athletes, while Harvick and Logano treated the remark as a challenge to the work drivers do in the car. With 14 straight years and 30 years part of the broader discussion around longevity, the debate has already moved past the original quote and into how NASCAR figures plan to answer it next time they are asked.
LeBron James Debate Grows
The comments started with LeBron James and the question of where he ranks among the greatest athletes ever in terms of longevity. Callers suggested Richard Petty, and Smith dismissed him in that debate before expanding the point to golfers and NASCAR drivers.
