How did you become a Nascar fan?

My freshman year in high school I met some new friends that were really into it. I started watching it and got hooked! Now I'm finally starting to put together my own race team (I'm finally starting a new job that will allow me to afford it) and I will be racing late models at my local asphalt track hopefully later this year or for the full season next year. I'm 24 years old so I hope I still have a lot of good years left to race!

Go Dale Jr!

Much like yourself, I never paid any attention to Nascar or motorsports. Then two + years ago I found myself listening to the Nascar channel on Sirius Radio. Next thing I know I am watching an exciting Daytona 500 on the television. As my wife watched my interest in racing increase, she suggested that we go to a live race for my birthday, which we did last year. After flying halfway across the country and spending a birthday weekend at the Texas Speedway watching trucks, Nationwide and Sprint Cup races ... I was hooked.

Still a rookie fan ... but I am learning and loving it.

Many years ago, I became very ill, and spent a lot of time in the hospital. I was "surfing" the t.v. set for something to pass the time, and a NASCAR race came on. I got so intrigued watching and wondering how they could drive that fast-and it be legal-and get paid for it. I have been a fan ever since. I guess NASCAR and I have become sort of "friend's," after watching for so many years because you don't have to talk to them, or listen to their problems, or feed them, just sit back and watch and be entertained. That's a true friend, one that is there for ya, show ya a good time, keep you entertained for 4 or 5 hours, expect nothing from you, and leave when the fun is over! NASCAR-It's A Good Thing!

I think it's genetic for me. I've been a fan since I was four.

I've been modifying internal combustion engines since I was 12

Unfortunately by the time I was 17 I was building street racing cars.

I lived a life parallel, to what NASCAR racing is all about, even owning

some of the exact cars they used in NASCAR. I gained more knowledge and worked in the industry, always expecting to exceed what was from a spectators point of view. I ruined my chances of becoming a competitor in motorsports. So I ended up as just a spectator. Fortunately for me the knowledge I have gained, is something that can never be taken away, and gives me the true feeling for the love of all motorsports. Drag Racing is one of my "real time" favorites, but from a spectator point of view, NASCAR is the epitome of all motorsports.

I'm not totally sure. I was about 7 and I started getting interested in fast cars and planes and things like most boys eventually do, and I noticed NASCAR. Something just kind of clicked with me I guess. The first race I ever watched was the 1993 Daytona 500 which Dale Jarrett won. I was 8 at the time.

My father... if it wasn't for him being a diehard ANTI-EARNHARDT fan I would have never took an interest in NASCAR. I grew up w/ him at the local short track (Stateline Speedway in Texarkana, AR and Speedbowl in Texarkana, TX) so I was already a big racing fan, but more of the dirt track fan than asphault fan. When Jeff Gordon came on the scene he was a Gordon fan for the first couple of championships, and he took me to my first race @ Talladega and it was so awesome. So I was hooked on Gordo for life since I started liking him so much when I was younger seein' my Dad root him on. And then when Gordo started changing his image a little, not praising god like he use to in Victory Lane, and other things that my Dad didn't like apparently he jumped off that bandwagon and wound up a frickin' Dale JR fan... After hating Sr for all those years, he roots for his darn son.. I've never understood that. As for myself tho, I will be a Gordo fan until he retires. And I can't wait to see Ella Sophia in a go kart!

My neighbors dad worked the local race tracks on the weekends and would take me every weekend for cutting his grass back when the late model divisions were loaded with chevelles, cougars, galaxies, and roadrunners. Hobby stocks were 55-58 chevys , fairlanes and such. You could actually tell what kind of car it was at a glance. We went to Richmond when it was 1/2 mile, Southside Speedway, Langley, South Boston. Jimmy Scott had a bright orange 58 chevy with a bumble bee painted on the side #3va. The exhaust had a high pitch you could here over all the others cars. It was good times.

I have been watching Nascar since the 70's when they would show maybe 2 or 3 races on television a season. I just like racing.

I have been a Petty fan since 1977. Still root for the #43 no matter who drives it. I got to go to my first race in 1983 at Bristol. That's when DW was hot there and couldn't beat in that #11 car. It's all because of my dad. My grandpa (a huge Lee Petty fan) got him into it. My dad was a huge Richard Petty fan and of course I followed suit. We have got to meet the Petty several times over the years and you just can't find better people in my opinion. They talk to you like an old friend instead of a race fan. My eight year old son is getting into it more and more. He gets to go to his first ever CUP race this year in a few weeks at Martinsville. Can't wait to see his face when his favorite car (yes the #43) takes to the track. My favorite memories of childhood is sitting on the hood of my Dad's Chevy Nova eating a bologna sandwich, a bag of Fritos, and a can of Pepsi waiting to go into Bristol for the race. Hopefully my son can get memories he can lean onto this year as we plan to go to Martinsville, Darlington, and the night Bristol race. Don't know about the Fritos anymore (heartburn) but since the #43 is sponsored by McDonalds maybe HappyMeals for everyone before we go into the track! :-) It's gonna be a great year.

Just an opinion as always.

Well my dad used to watch NASCAR every Sunday and I used to HATE it! Then one day I was like well I think I am gonna turn on the race so I did and I just fell in love with it! I didn't watch it for about a year then I started watchin it again in 2005 and when Carl won his first race and did his backflip I just had to keep watchin it to see if he won any more!