As someone who grew up in a family that worshiped NASCAR and spent every Sunday afternoon on the couch watching the race, it isn't hard for me to say that I love NASCAR. Not everyone can agree that this sport is all that exciting though. With the aggressiveness of the sport on a slight decline and the money leaving the organization, it seems difficult to argue against that dislike. Despite this, here are the top ten reasons why I love NASCAR and you should to.

1. The Technicality

No, it is not just left turns. The sport is developing its technology fast, both on and off the track. Each year, teams running in the back of the field are becoming able to keep up with the typical front-runners. The sport is advancing its diagnostics as well when it comes to driver's safety and the safety of the vehicles. Rumors of a plan to build a protective shield around the legs of a driver near the pedals have been stirring since Kyle Busch's 2015 wreck at Daytona that left him with a double compound fracture in his right leg.

2. The Drivers

There is someone for everyone. Whether you want to root for a rookie or veteran, there is a whole new generation of drivers coming through. Jimmie Johnson is still on track, along with new superstars like Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney. There is no shortage of talent ready for the call up either. With stars like Justin Allgaier leading JR Motorsports' Xfinity team and Christopher Bell dominating at Joe Gibbs Racing, there are old and new faces ready to make a name for themselves. The Monster Energy Cup Series Rookie of the Year, William Byron, made his name winning the 2017 Xfinity Championship for JR Motorsports in his rookie year there.

3. Man vs. Machine

It's a tale of the ages. People trying to conquer ever-developing technology. This sport is all about the combination of brain and brawn and man versus machine. These drivers are facing 3 or more G's of force throughout a three hour or longer race. This is weight pressing against a driver's entire body for the entire race! The physics behind the sport are phenomenal.

4. The Athleticism

What these drivers through is insane. Temperatures inside the car during a typical race can reach as high (or higher) as 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That's insane! They are also typically wearing a minimum of two layers of clothing: their firesuit and a compression shirt. Brad Keselowski, driver of the number 2 for Team Penske, reported that during the Coca-Cola 600, he sweated off 10 pounds!

There is a lot of strength required to handle these cars. Turning at two hundred miles per hour is not nearly as easy as it seems, especially if a driver loses their power steering. Drivers are working out nearly every day just like every other athlete. They'll mountain bike together for hours on end, bench press, and even run triathlons. NASCAR drivers are much more athletic than it seems.

5. One Big Family

NASCAR is like a huge family. Everyone knows each other and they care about their well being. Family is so important to this sport. At every race, you can see drivers bringing their children and wives to the track and they are the first ones to be seen in victory lane after the champagne bath.

We're also beginning to see more drivers' children coming up through the sport. Bill Elliott's son, Chase Elliott, is now a three-time Cup series winner. Jeff Burton's son, Harrison Burton, just landed a full-time ride with Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Ganger Outdoors Truck Series. David Gilliland's son, Todd, is going into his second year with KBM in the truck series. People from Indycar even have kids making their way through NASCAR's ranks. Tim Cindric, President of Penske Racing and Engineer for Josef Newgarden in Indycar, has a son, Austin, in the Xfinity series. There is no shortage of love running through the veins of this sport.

6. Diversity

NASCAR is as diverse as ever before. With drivers like Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez leading the headway, drivers of all races and ethnicities are coming through the sport. Daniel Suarez became the first foreign driver to win a NASCAR national series championship in 2016 when he captured his first Xfinity series Championship. Bubba Wallace became the first African-American drivers since 1963 to win in one of NASCAR's national series when he won for KBM at Martinsville in 2013 and is now racing for Richard Petty Motorsports in the Monster Energy Cup Series.

We are also beginning to see the gender gap being filled. With drivers like Danica Patrick opening doors for young girls to make their way through the ranks, there is no shortage of females. Natalie Decker, number 25 in the ARCA series, is one example of a great driver breaking barriers for women in NASCAR. Hailie Deegan, K&N West Series number 19, became the first female to win in that series after winning at Meridian Speedway by completing a bump and run on the leader. She was also the first woman to win the pole in that series. Hailie has even said she "doesn't want to be the best female driver. I want to be the best driver."

7. Rivalries

In NASCAR, there is no shortage of rivalries. Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott. Joey Logano and Kyle Busch. The fans and Kyle Busch. Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace. The most famous of all of them, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski. Rivalries like this lead to intense racing and nothing but excitement on and off the track for the fans.

Rivalries have been a vital part of NASCAR's success since the beginning. It may be a shock to you, but things get physical off the track occasionally. While most stick to verbal attacks, there are pushes and fists thrown when emotions get high. The most prime example of this was the 1979 Daytona 500 fight between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison. They were hitting each other with their helmets after Cale Yarborough made a bold move to win the race and took Donnie Allison out of the lead after spinning while door to door with Allison.

Moments like these are only part of the reason why NASCAR is so exhilarating for so many.

8. Playoffs

This is the most stressful part of the NASCAR season whether your driver is in the race for the championship or not; even more so if he or she is. The final ten races of NASCAR's season are dedicated to deciding the champion out of the top 16 drivers from the regular season, 12 in Xfinity, and the top 8 in the truck series.

Emotions are especially high at this time for everyone on track. Some non-playoff drivers are careful to stay out of the way of the championship contenders, while some are still going to fight just as hard as they would in the regular season, championship eligible or not.

When drivers are eliminated from NASCAR's playoffs, it does not mean that they will not race the rest of the season. All forty drivers will compete all season long, so if your driver didn't make it, you don't have to worry about not being able to root for your driver! He can still win races and compete, but will not be able to compete for the championship in Homestead.

Once the top 4 from the 10 playoff races make it to Homestead-Miami Speedway, they will compete in a white-knuckled race for the trophy and the title of NASCAR champion for the next year. Most of the time, it comes down to whether or not the driver wins the race. In the Xfinity and Truck series, though, we have seen people win the championship without winning the race because a non-playoff driver defeated them.

9. One Word: Competitive

NASCAR is as competitive as ever. Drivers grew up wanting to make this their career, so the simplest wreck means a lot to them. Overall, anyone can win the race at any time. We've begun to see drivers that typically run in the back of the pack make their way to the front and show the front runners what they have.

Pretty much any race car driver you ask will admit to being the most competitive person you'll ever meet. To be honest, they are probably almost always competing about who is the most competitive. Everyone wants to win every race, even though they know the odds of that happening are less than slim. It isn't just a job for them; it's a lifestyle. They bring their families to the track. They study every track with an intensity that could go unmatched by most athletes. Their whole life revolves around this sport, even after they retire. Most retired NASCAR drivers are still working in the sport as crew chiefs, analysts, or reporters.

This love for the sport does nothing but fuel the fire inside of them to win for their fans, car owners, and team.

10. Drivers Will Actually Interact With You

NASCAR does a lot to bring fans closer to the sport's stars. Richmond Raceway in Virginia spent $30 million on making their track more fan friendly by opening up the garage area to fans with a viewing walkway. There is an inspection overview area and two new suites also near the garage to bring fans closer to the teams and make their experience all the more memorable. The track also added 80 new RV parking spaces and new bleachers in turn four.

I was once at a race track with my family and our neighbor's daughter (who was like my older sister) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. stopped HER to take a picture. The fact that he and so many other drivers are so open to interacting with fans is fantastic. Drivers really want to make this experience the best for everyone who takes the time to come to the track.

As you can see, NASCAR is very exciting and is not all about left turns. The sport has become such a family and fan driven experience that goes unmatched by anything else. As the sport continues to grow and better itself, more fans will come along and fall in love as well.