Davis Love III

Champions in all sports have special skills and abilities, but defining them is sometimes elusive. About a year ago Zoomster.com quizzed Tony Stewart about what makes a champion and after a brief puzzled moment Stewart responded with a good definition. Since then the same question has been posed to at least 50 top drivers, owners and crew chiefs. As expected the answers vary, but there are many common thoughts. Motorports champions and drivers aren't the only fierce competitors in sports.

Recently at Atlanta Motor Speedway racing and golf collided, so to speak, as 19-time PGA winner Davis Love III and rookie top 10 NASCAR 2006 finalist Denny Hamlin exchanged skills. Hamlin took Love for a high speed ride on the fast Atlanta track and Love instructed Hamlin on how to power hit golf balls on pit road. Love also drove the track solo in a Richard Petty Driving Experience car. Both were available for questions and Love III was quick to share his thoughts.

Dwight Drum asked Davis Love III:

Do you feel champions in all sports share common traits and abilities?

"They definitely do. Certainly the thing that ties every level of sports together is the mental aspect. The guys who do the best job mentally certainly in golf or racing you're getting top athletes. You're getting guys who are physically prepared. More and more athletes in every sport are in the gym physically training and in better shape. Mentally is the difference. The guys who think they are going to win, do the right things mentally are the ones going to come out on top. And certainly the pressure of racing and the pressure of trying to win a PGA tour event, it really comes down to the mental side.

"When I sit down with Kyle Petty or some of my friends in racing and talk about comparing sports, it's mostly on the mental side."