Are racers considered athletes?

Many people do not consider race car drivers real athletes. I have played baseball my whole life, year round. I have had first hand experiences of true athletes. I can honestly say there has been no 9 inning baseball game that has worn me out like 50 laps in a race car. The longest race of my career has been 125 laps. After the race I climbed out, drenched in sweat I took a seat inside the trailer. I remained seated there trying to catch my breath fully and regain control of my body. Inside a race car temperatures can reach up to 130 degrees. If the physical demand seams easy try being inside a car with  600 horsepower and only weighing 2,800 pounds. In the corner touching the gas takes your breath away. As you are traveling down the straightaway the pressure lessens, but you still hold your breath until you let off the gas. If this claim does not justify that racers are true athletes maybe considering the fact that instead of playing against another team, there are 25 or more drivers and teams all striving for the same goal. Combining all of these aspects together creates an incredibly challenging sport.