The world of motorsports is a colorful one; filled to the brim with all different types of racing series for each and every individual interest. Here in the United States, our biggest source of automotive racing is that of NASCAR. While Europe has events such the WEC and Formula 1, we've got IMSA, IndyCar, and NASCAR.

NASCAR takes place on predominantly oval racetracks. This, in turn, has led fans of other racing disciplines to call into question the veracity of the sport. More specifically, if driving in NASCAR is even worthy of an 'athlete' designation.

Though it may not look that hard, we can assure you that NASCAR/oval racing is the furthest thing from simple. Besides the car itself, drivers need to stay hyper-focused, in-shape, and always be ready to lay their life down if (that were to happen). The physics of pushing a car so beyond its natural limits will, naturally, lead to push-back, which is what the drivers need to maintain.

Still not convinced? Well, allow us to elaborate on why NASCAR racing is way harder than most people think...

In a majority of the racing scenes around the world, circuits consists of delicately crafted and windy sets of tarmac. Long straightaways, hairpin turns, chicanes, and so on, are just a few types of turns that make up a race track. NASCAR, on the other hand, is far less complex. Here in the States, our cars go in ovals (with the occasional deviation to tracks like Mid Ohio, for example).

Because of this lack of variety in racetracks, NASCAR gets a bad wrap overseas, as well as domestically. A common complaint you may encounter will likely be "all they do is turn left!" To that we say "Yes, they do (usually) only turn left. It sounds boring and mundane to an uninformed observer, but, in reality, few things are as challenging as effectively "just turning left"...

As drivers go around the track, the elevation, offset, and other components of the circuit play a crucial role in how the driver manipulates the throttle, clutch, and brakes. To add to that, the mechanics behind the scenes need to fine-tune their car for every race; setting up the camber, suspension stiffness, toe, etc.

All the prep means nothing, though, if you can't setup a winning strategy. What looks like driving in circles is, actually, an intense chess match taking place in excess of 180 mph. If you want to win, you'll need to manage your fuel, tire wear, position on-track, the cars in front of/behind you, ad infinitum.

As you can see, there's a lot more working behind the curtain than anybody would anticipate at first.

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Thanks in part to the growing prominence of sim-racing, it's become way easier for upcoming drivers to understand the factors mentioned above. What sim-racing can't prepare you for, however, is the sheer power inside these incredibly fast, lightweight race cars.

For a majority of the newer seasons, almost every cars has had ~750-hp, which varies depending on the rules and regulations. In upcoming years, for instance, NASCAR plans to add a boost function using hybrid engines; granting the driver an extra 100-hp than it already had.

Just think about that: a car that's almost 1,000-horsepower, has no driver assists, and is very uncomfortable. Yet, some will still think that taming such a beast would be no issue? To us, the opposite seems to fall underOccam's razor. If it didn't, then driving one of these to the finish line wouldn't require years of practice and experience.

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Even if you discount the driving skill, critical-thinking, and difficulty required to succeed NASCAR, you can't also argue the bravery these drivers showcase every time they get into the car.

Yes, we'll concede that (in the modern era) motor racing isn't nearly as dangerous or fatal as it was decades prior. Nevertheless, it being worse years ago doesn't mean it's 100% safe today. Since 2001, NASCAR has had 15 fatal accidents. Not too bad and, as stated in "NASCAR Safety Improvements Save Lives," Michael Hill says "The range of expected deaths plus or minus one standard deviation would lie between 11 and 19. In fact, if the chances of dying in a NASCAR crash were the same as for all other crashes, the odds of having zero fatalities over that many crashes [220/year] would be more than three million to one."

That statement illustrates the leaps and bounds NASCAR has made to improving safety afterDale Earnhardt's death. Still, the possibility is always there. However infinitesimally small the chance maybe, it could very well be YOU next, so it's important to prepare for such a thing (God forbid it actually happen).

If that doesn't prove NASCAR racing is harder than you may have thought, ask yourself this: "Would you still go to work every day if you knew you could be killed while doing it?" Military service members, firefighters, and police officers need not answer...

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Here's Why NASCAR Racing Is Harder Than Everyone Thinks | HotCars - HotCars