iNSIDE SCOOP: Where Did the Time Go?

Can you remember where you were in 2005?

Most of us can, since by historical standards it was fairly recent. Myself, I was living the dream in Concord, hard by what was then Lowe's Motor Speedway.

In February of that year, a bold new initiative was launched at Daytona International Speedway, seeking to encompass a huge and valuable resource known as NASCAR Nation.

Thus, the Official NASCAR Members Club was born.

The brainchild of Pat Brady and a core of people committed to making the NASCAR fan experience better and more attainable, the ONMC began its reign as a place that made things happen for NASCAR fans.

Any sport's fan base is tough to get a handle on. You have a large group of like-minded individuals who have an interest in a single activity (in this case, the all-American sport of NASCAR racing) but who celebrate, participate and activate in a thousand different ways.

This is especially true of NASCAR fans.

NASCAR fans like drivers. One driver, usually, and all the others are merely impediments to their man's success and rightful ascension to the throne occupied by the legends like Petty, Pearson and Earnhardt.Sure, there has to be competition, because otherwise it's pretty boring to see one car circle the track 500 times. But that competition exists merely to prove the mettle of the designated driver that fan has chosen to follow with his or her time, money and emotional investment.

They also like cars, and like drivers, it's usually one brand. Ford folk don't associate with the GM types, and vice versa. Dodge fans are pining at the loss of their Mopars, but there is some hope that they'll return to the fold once more. There is a growing base of Toyota fans too, which is good.

In short, the ONMC endeavored to put all those passionate, hard-core fans into one group and give them something to make their experience better.

After nine full years, it's safe to say we've done that and then some.

We still have many of the original Charter Members with us. That says something, in this day and age of instant gratification, unchecked mobility and fierce competition for the entertainment dollar.

So as we embark on the 10th season of the ONMC, there will be time to reflect on what has gone before. But we're going to be focusing on what's ahead, too.

Buckle up, y'all, because it's going to be a blast!