Prior to this weekend, I thought I knew everything about NASCAR and its culture. For the past three years, I’ve diligently watched the sport and read up on every bit of information I can find. I thought nothing could amaze me.

But after making the 7-plus hour drive to North Carolina for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, I found out I was sadly mistaken. I now have a greater understanding and respect for the sport and its fans, thanks to one small North Carolina town – Mooresville.

At first glance, Mooresville is nothing but a small, backwards Southern town. Sure, about 35,000 people call Mooresville home, but the main portion of the town is not as developed as the outlying areas. The roads are barely wide enough for two lanes with potholes big enough to swallow small animals. It’s commonplace to see broken-down trucks parked in the front yards. Comedian Jeff Foxworthy would have a field day with Mooresville.

But take one of those two-lane roads – Highway 3 – out of town, and you’ll soon realize why Mooresville has earned the name “Race City USA.” About five miles out of town, in the middle of cow pastures and seemingly endless fields, sits the Dale Earnhardt, Inc., headquarters. The 200,000 square feet of building, which sits on 14 acres of land, is called the “Garage Mahal,” and it’s easy to see why.

Even more impressive than the building itself was the fans who came to visit it. When my uncle and I got to DEI, officials were already closing the gates and not allowing anyone into the building. That didn’t stop the diehards. Cars and trucks from as far away as Wyoming lined the side of the road. Men and women dressed in Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip shirts – both DEI drivers – walked up and down the lane just to get a glimpse of the place their heroes come to work.

In greater numbers were the fans of DEI’s founder and probably NASCAR’s most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Sr. Since Earnhardt Sr.’s death at the Daytona 500 in 2001, DEI’s facilities have been transformed into a living memorial of the seven-time Winston Cup champion. Saturday was no different as fans dressed in black with the famous No. 3 lined up and down the fences and spent their time talking with one another, no doubt reminiscing about their favorite “Intimidator” memories.

If DEI doesn’t satisfy your racing hunger, then Rolling Hills Road will. More than 35 NASCAR teams call the Mooresville area home, and a majority are found on this stretch of blacktop. When you first turn onto the road, you are greeted by a sign warning “Caution: Race Fans Ahead.” Teams like Robert Yates Racing, Penske South Racing and Ultra Motorsports all have their facilities clumped right next to each other. It’s a paradise for any race fan, and one could easily spend an entire day just walking into each race shop.

But it wasn’t until we stopped in a small memorabilia shop did I recognize Mooresville’s true greatness. In this small shop away from the multimillion dollar facilities, a man and his family sold used race equipment to eager fans. You could buy anything from used spark plugs to wheels to pit boxes.

Except this shop wasn’t just a way to make money for this family. Instead, after talking to the owner, we found out that he was using this money to realize his dream of owning and supporting a race car and team. He had already sponsored a Busch Series ride but had a greater vision of building his own car and finding his own driver.

It’s places like Mooresville and a dream in a small memorabilia shop which makes NASCAR a step above the rest. Who knows, maybe that small shop will one day turn into the next “Garage Mahal.”

Matt Duval is a junior in journalism and The Lantern sports editor. He can be reached at [email protected]. He admits Sunday was a pretty bad day for his drivers – Dale Jr., Jamie McMurray and Ryan Newman.