One thing is certain about NASCAR fans -- unique

They all wear obscene amounts of fan gear, turn a one-day sporting event into a week-long celebration and buy sponsor-friendly products which they hope will support their favorite team's coffers.

These statements are true, however, contrary to popular belief, not all NASCAR fans are cut from the same cloth. They are varied and as colorful as the cars they follow on the racetrack every Sunday.

From track to track, state to state, they fly their own flags and sometimes freak in nature.

A percentage of Talladega fans like to get naked in the infield and exchange beads while a portion of fans in Fontana like to eat sushi with chopsticks in air-conditioned suites.

The fans in Indiana are racing snobs who believe open-wheel drivers will always remain superior to stock-car drivers and the wine-and-cheese crowd of Sonoma is much less hard core and not as rabid as the brawling fans of Bristol.

"I think the fans that stick out are the ones in Texas and Talladega and Michigan and Bristol ... those are the ones that stick out," said Kasey Kahne who has one of the sport's most distinct fan followings. His boyish good looks have earned the driver rock star status in the eyes of women all ages. "It's seems like the fans at those tracks are having more fun then anybody else.

"There are some of the same fans everywhere we go, but then there is a different group of fans that separate themselves from others. I think it depends on what state you're in because people are so different geographically. I grew up in Washington State and the fans there are much different than the fans in North Carolina."

Only certain guys can pull this off.

The sport's third largest market, Charlotte-area fans make up more than half the population; 54 percent of residents are NASCAR fans, according to NASCAR research, and 40 percent of that fan base is female.

It's also largely unique because the residents live and breathe NASCAR year-round. You can't say that for every regional fan following.

"You certainly do see different things in fans in different parts of the country, certainly accents changes," laughed two-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, who also said for the most part he has one type of fan base and it's one that emulates his personality.

Makes sense, Johnson is from California where the attitudes are laid back and chill.

Head across the country and find the Dallas-Fort Worth area, NASCAR's seventh largest market on television. The fans here tend to be affluent and heavy shoppers and one in every four people is a NASCAR fan. Interest has remained relatively stable since 2003.

And as the sport grows, the fan's ability or willingness to follow more than one driver at a time has grown as well. Johnson said he's seen Tony Stewart fans not so much convert to his side but support him no less.

You will not see this at Sonoma.

"Even Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans, which I would never see before -- a No. 8 getup with a No. 48 hat or a No. 48 shirt with a No. 8 hat when Junior was driving for DEI. Now I will see a mixed combination of a No. 88 shirt and a No. 48 hat, which I had never seen before. So it does change from time to time and I think as I put in more years in this sport, more fans will show an interest in supporting what we do," Johnson said.

Jeff Burton said the fan base is evolving and changing as each year passes.

"You know the thing that I've noticed is that, and I'm talking about from 15 years ago to today. There are a lot more families today, a lot more kid-friendly environments. Last week we went out to do hospitality on Sunday morning and there was a kid's playground area with inflatable toys and all kinds of slides and all kinds of things," he said. "There's been a huge effort to try to get children involved, which I think is a great thing."

No matter the age, where you hang your hat and rest your feet will determine what kind of NASCAR fan you are but one thing is certain: You're not all the same.