saying it takes no skill is dumb. those guys would drive circle (pun intended) around pretty much everybody on this site.

is it entertaining? not at all to me.

is it low-tech? yes and no. still using carbs, but pushing them to the max. this has the drawback that any technology gained will not going into modern cars (F1 is great for applications in the higher end autos)

the way they induce competition (restrictor plates) is also weak IMO. if there's a driver that is head and shoulders above the rest, he deserves to win every weekend (a la schumacher).

are they athletes? as much as any racer, but there was some NASCAR guy on espn when i was in the gym, and the dude was FAT. not chunky, but FAT. i found that a bit funny.