NASCAR

How many people know what NASCAR stands for? Don't be embarrassed if you don't.

Back on February 18, 2001, I didn't know either.

Unfortunately, sometimes tragedy teaches us things, and that day, when the sport lost its leader and its face, Dale Earnhardt, it taught me what NASCAR was and is about.

On that day, I decided to become a fan.

For the rest of that year and over the next few years, I became an avid fan. I watched the races, I kept up with my favorite drivers (Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin) and bonded more with my father, who also liked the sport.

Fast forward to the present, 2011.

I haven't watched a NASCAR race start to finish since I was in high school probably. I watch highlights on ESPN or nascar.com, but other than that, I've really lost interest.

Not that I'm the only one. Television ratings have been in serious decline over the past couple of years. Revenue is down as well.

Today, though, I saw footage of Earnhardt's wreck and the events that unfolded from that, and remembered to the birth of my fandom.

This year, I'm going to try and follow the sport again more closely, like I vowed I would back in Feb. 2001.

I owe it to Dale's memory.

P.S. NASCAR stands for National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.

Photo from NYDailyNews.com