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Stephen A. Smith did not make galore friends successful NASCAR circles erstwhile he branded drivers arsenic non-athletes.
"Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!" Smith said past month connected his SiriusXM show. "I’m being honest. It’s a awesome sport. But travel on, bro. Getting down nan instrumentality of a car is not nan same.
"You tin beryllium down nan instrumentality of a car successful your 60s and 70s for crying retired loud."
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Jeff Gordon and Kyle Larson beryllium successful nan Arrow McLaren pit container connected May 18, 2023, during nan 3rd time of believe for nan 107th Indianapolis 500 astatine Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK)
Well, Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon caught upwind of what Smith had to say, and naturally, they challenged him.
"My first consequence is, do we really want to springiness clicks and attraction to Stephen A. for, I consciousness for illustration that's what he's asking for there," Gordon began during a caller question and reply pinch Fox News Digital.
"But astatine nan aforesaid time, intelligibly he doesn't cognize a full lot astir nan sport, and he doesn't cognize what it takes to beryllium an jock successful motorsports. There's nary uncertainty astir nan intelligence fatigue it takes to beryllium successful nan car for hours, nan competitiveness and things that make drivers existent athletes. It's conscionable successful a different consciousness of really a stick-and-ball athletics is perceived arsenic an athlete."
Larson, nan reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion past challenged Smith, aliases anyone for that matter, to spell 1 thigh successful a title car "without emotion for illustration they're going to die."
"Everybody's sewage a small spot different meaning for what an jock mightiness mean to them. So his meaning is different than nan measurement I would consciousness astir it. Do I get worked up astir it erstwhile I perceive personification opportunity that we're not athletes? No."
Kyle Larson hits nan wall successful nan 2nd move during nan Indianapolis 500 astatine Indianapolis Motor Speedway successful Indianapolis connected May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jamie Gallagher)
KYLE LARSON RELIVES ATTEMPTS AT 'THE DOUBLE' AS HE CONTEMPLATES TRYING IT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE
"I do," Gordon butted in.
But Larson is simply a spot much understanding.
"I conscionable judge that they won't understand, because they will ne'er beryllium capable to strap into a title car that goes 200 miles an hour. If they did, I don't deliberation they would beryllium capable to make it a thigh without emotion for illustration they're going to die," Larson continued.
"And past you facet successful three-and-a-half-hour-long races and a 150-degree car pinch an elevated bosom complaint of astir apt 150 for 3 hours, pinch a highest of, for me, would beryllium 190. I deliberation past they would quickly recognize that though you're not shooting a shot into a hoop, this is decidedly a athletics and decidedly a reliable 1 wherever you person to beryllium an jock — possibly much connected nan endurance broadside of things."
Gordon said he precocious invited Jason Kelce to return a thigh and moreover thrust a car connected a course.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon speaks during a property convention astatine Bristol Motor Speedway successful Bristol, Tennessee, connected April 12, 2026. (Randy Sartin/Imagn Images)
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"I'm beautiful judge he'd person a different sentiment astir it," Gordon said. "Just inquire him."
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