Monster truck competition a "profession sporting event"?

[Keith B]

This is one where we need a better definition of 'professional sporting event' spelled out in the law.

Not really. Just removing the requirement in the law would be fine with me.

That would be best.

[WildBill]

most Monster truck races are under the USHRA and are PROFESSIONAL sporting events, they require a license from the USHRA to drive the trucks in a given class and are awarded cash and points same as nascar and NHRA events. do not carry there or go to jail if caught

That and I bet they are wanding people anyway. It ain't worth the hassle for me.

I agree that it's not worth the hassle.

I know that this will aggravate many people on the forum, but I am just expressing my opinion.

Please feel free to disagree - I know that most of you will.

I think the definition of "Sports" has been expanded to include too many activities.

IMO sports should be based in competition between individuals or teams based on athletic skill, physical strength, coordination, agility, speed and endurance.

Most activities that requires a ball to play are sports. Sports activities should not require gasoline, electricity or nuclear power to compete.

I realize that professional race car driver, motorcycle, truck drivers require physical and mental skills that most of us do not possess.

But sometimes I think that it is the machinery that is competing, more than the people, so it is not a sport in the traditional sense.

[WildBill]

Bill,
If it's an event of skill which pays people for outcomes, what else do you need for it to be a "professional sporting event"?

Under that definition, every job I've ever had is a sport, which would no doubt come as a surprise to my non-sporting employers.

I think that it's more that an event of skill. Under that definition professional poker tournaments would be professional sporting events.

Maybe even a stock broker who is using their skill to "pay people for outcomes".

I think that we need to go back to the definition of sport.

Historically, a sport has been a competition between athletes.

If you were to go along with Monster Trucks and NASCAR being a "Sporting Event", then you would have to agree that truck and racecar drivers are athletes.

I don't believe that they meet the definition of an athlete, so they are not involved in a "sporting event".

[Oldgringo]

Concealed is concealed.

[texanjoker]

IMO the TX policy and laws are way to confusing for anybody to understand.

[Texsquatch]

If they compete for money, I say professional. But I would guess some folks would question if it's a sport. But, then... We call shooting a sport. If I go to a professional match, can I carry? Hunting is a sport... Oh no, never mind, too much sugar in my system this late in the evening.

[03Lightningrocks]

Concealed is concealed.

I agree. We are at a hotel where some of the drivers and crews are staying. Found out they are going to be wanding for weapons, so concealed won't stay concealed this time.

[03Lightningrocks]

When I was drag racing I raced in a class that was certainly not a professional driver class, but was competing for monetary prizes. There were classes that ran before and after the class I ran in that would have been considered professional drivers. I ran all over the country and carried at every event. I am not sure if it was a problem or not but I just made sure to keep it a private matter.

[Oldgringo]

This thread brings up several questions about sporting events. I wonder if "Mud Wrasslin' is a professional sporting event?

How 'bout it, WildBill? Do you carry when you go to these events?

[03Lightningrocks]

This thread brings up several questions about sporting events. I wonder if "Mud Wrasslin' is a professional sporting event?

How 'bout it, WildBill? Do you carry when you go to these events?

Or how about jello wrestling?

[Oldgringo]

This thread brings up several questions about sporting events. I wonder if "Mud Wrasslin' is a professional sporting event?

How 'bout it, WildBill? Do you carry when you go to these events?

Or how about jello wrestling?

That too?

[talltex]

If you were to go along with Monster Trucks and NASCAR being a "Sporting Event", then you would have to agree that truck and racecar drivers are athletes.

I don't believe that they meet the definition of an athlete, so they are not involved in a "sporting event".

I used to feel the same way regarding the NASCAR or Indy car driver's status as "athletes"...I've always liked to drive fast, and watching the cars racing around the track, would think : "that doesn't look that hard...I could do that". About 10 years ago, I had the chance to drive a Winston Cup race car at Texas Motor Speedway for 20 laps "chasing" a pro driver (I was in a race car by myself, and my "job" was to stay right on the other guys bumper (actually a little less than two car lengths), and as long as I could maintain that approximate distance, the speed kept increasing each lap starting off at about 120 MPH. If the pro driver in front saw that you were losing ground, he'd slow down until you got back on him. It goes against every instinct that you've been taught all your life about leaving room to react. At those speeds you have to trust that the driver in front of you will not screw up, because if he just touches the brake at that speed, you will run into him. My fastest lap on the 1.5 mile track was 39.4 seconds at 178 MPH. There are 4 corners, so that means you are having to hit your line into a corner about every 8 seconds. You do not let up on the throttle at all...you just turn the nose down into the corner on the correct line, and the increased friction on the tires will scrub off 10-15 mph at the bottom of the turn, then as you let the wheel begin to straighten the speed picks back up and centrifugal force causes the car to rise back up the track toward the wall until you get a few feet from the wall and apply just enough pressure on the wheel to hold it straight there for about 4-5 seconds before its time to start turning the nose to set the line for the next turn. There just isn't any time to "relax"...it takes constant focus. By the end of the 20 laps, I was wore out...exhilarated, but exhausted...and I didn't have 20 other cars running right beside me...cutting in and out inches from me...intentionally bumping me...spinning out in front of me...at 20-25 mph faster. I gained a whole new appreciation for the unique mental and physical abilities required to be able to maintain that level of focus and concentration for hundreds of laps over a period of several hours without any break. It may be a different type of athleticism than the traditional sense, but after that I was convinced they are athletes of some variety, gifted with extraordinary mental toughness and lightning reaction times .

[mojo84]

After watching the F1 practice in person in Austin and the race on TV, my opinion of whether race car drivers are athletes our not has changed. I'll consider them athletes from now on.

I believe until legislature is passed to clarify the intent, I think monster truck races are professional sporting events. It's a competition and the competitor win money prizes. Some of the drivers are paid by the sponsors also. I wouldn't carry.

[WildBill]

If you were to go along with Monster Trucks and NASCAR being a "Sporting Event", then you would have to agree that truck and racecar drivers are athletes.

I don't believe that they meet the definition of an athlete, so they are not involved in a "sporting event".

I used to feel the same way regarding the NASCAR or Indy car driver's status as "athletes"... I gained a whole new appreciation for the unique mental and physical abilities required to be able to maintain that level of focus and concentration for hundreds of laps over a period of several hours without any break. It may be a different type of athleticism than the traditional sense, but after that I was convinced they are athletes of some variety, gifted with extraordinary mental toughness and lightning reaction times.

Thanks for your and the others thoughtful answers. I would equate this type of skill with a test pilot flying a jet. Since they don't usually race other planes, it wouldn't be a sporting event, but I the definition of athlete might apply. The same could be said about a surgeon who can maintain the same level of skill and concentration for hours while operating on a patient. Of course they don't sell tickets to the operating theater.

The purposes of my post was not to argue about Monster Truck, but to try to clarify the definition of a Professional Sporting Event. It's not as easy as some would think. I'll bet that they had similar discussions when they were writing the law and that is why they didn't define it more precisely.

[mojo84]

I think it has more to do with it being a competition and the participants being paid than whether the participants are considered "athletes".

Surgeons and test pilots aren't competing with each other. They are competing with death.