Unlike the majority of the drivers who will be competing in the Vegas Grand Prix this weekend, RSPORTS driver and Las Vegas resident Alex Tagliani has a unique advantage in preparation for the Champ Car Season Opener by taking his training to the streets.
Most people do not think of race car drivers as athletes. That by driving a fancy race car around for two hours on a Sunday is more of a joy ride then an actual test to the physical and mental endurance one might have.
However, that is not true; drivers are taking on unbelievable challenges every time they get behind the wheel. In each corner of a race track, Tagliani s body is exposed to three-times the force of gravity. A driver s steering effort is the big thing. Not only do they have to control the 1800 pound race car, but they also have to turn it. Imagine when a driver is turning left that off to the right of the steering wheel is a one-foot bar that has 35 pounds hanging off the end. That is the kind of force they are working against when turning the wheel. To get a feeling of what kind of speed these guys are running, on an average Champ Car street course, a Champ Car driver is negotiating a corner that average people would take at 20-30 mph at 70 mph.
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