30 Years ago today...

 ...was one of THE most important days of my life. It was the day I became a NASCAR fan, which permanently changed my entire life going forward. Since then, NASCAR has been what I've based my life around...that's not an exaggeration. My schedule is planned around the races, family vacations have been planned to fit into time slots that don't conflict with the race. At least a little portion of every day of my life- even when I was in the hospital-has been spent with NASCAR. (with the exception of the day where I was unconscious). In fact my brother even got me some NASCAR cards that I opened IN the hospital! I have spent countless hours collecting as many NASCAR items I can find- as well as collecting as many photos I can locate documenting the sport's history. 

I have dedicated my life to learning as much about the sport as humanly possible. And it all started 30 years ago today. 

To set the stage: it was the day after Christmas, 1992. I had already been a car nut my entire life, and I had been a motorsports fan since 1986, but I didn't really know what NASCAR was, probably never even heard the word before then. I had gotten two 1/64 Matchbox diecasts earlier in the summer of 1992, but I got that because it was green, my favorite color, and the other one probably just to go with it. Christmas Day 1992 I got the Racing Champions cars with the GI Joe figure knockoff of Richard Petty and Bill Elliott, but I figured that was for my GI Joe stuff, which had been a big part of my life since 1990.  (Those figures are still stored with my GI Joes) Then we went to Peekskill, to visit my uncle...and everything changed. He gave me a big box of Racing Champions cars, well, it seemed like a big box to me at the time but was probably around 20 cars. Seeing all the different cars, all the different colors...something just clicked in my 7 year old brain, and my love of NASCAR was born!  I would never be the same. 30 years later, and I love NASCAR as much as I ever have, if not more. 

I found out later that it was my mom's idea for my uncle to give me them...I'm not sure if she would have done that if she knew it would lead to a lifelong obsession, and collecting literally everything related to NASCAR, but I wouldn't change it for the world. 

Amazingly enough, Mom got this moment on film, and in the photo I happen to be holding Ernie Irvan's car...Ernie would be one of my favorite drivers, although at this point there was no way that could be known as it was literally the very first time I ever heard of him. 

30 years later, I'm still collecting 1/64 diecast, still collecting trading cards, and still collecting everything else NASCAR...and I don't plan to ever stop.