Is Sim Driving/Racing a sport?

[eSEA One]

I ask this question as I got into a debate with a female colleague about what is a sport.
Now I did not even dare ask her the question "Is Sim Driving/Racing a sport?" since she doesn't even classify her recreational pastime "Skydiving" a sport (yeah! I jokingly agreed, you just jump out a plane and gravity does the rest) where as one of our other colleagues participates in competitions and that is a sport she says!
Now I ask you in sim racing with all the preparations, practice tuning etc. "Is Sim Driving/Racing a sport?"
Also posted this on the AC forums

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Absolutely. Of course this is heavy debateable as what is exactly sim racing (real) and what is gaming. Race gaming in my book is not a (motor)sport but taking a realistic simulator to race with: yes absolutely.

Nice thread!

 

[Jimlaad43]

If fishing can be classed as a sport, so can Sim Racing.

 

[Alberto Casado]

If chess is a sport because of the tension, so is sim racing just with that.

But on top you can count arm training from fighting the FFB of the wheel, and some leg training from the pedals (it may be my chair, but my left leg is done after an hour of hovering over the pedal)

 

[Joao Alves]

If StarCraft is a sport, this is also definitely a sport.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

It's an eSport.

 

[Mark Quigley]

If bog snorkelling is a sport then.......
Am I doing this right?

 

[Bryan O'Connor]

Well it makes me sweat. And the only other exercise i get is shagging the Mrs.

So yes.... It's a sport.