So let's start with the name. NASCAR stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR actually sponsors a few different race series, including ones for trucks, but the most commonly known and most popular is the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. It's one of the fastest growing sports in the US in terms of popularity. It might surprise you to know that the NASCAR fan base is not as testosterone loaded as you might think. Estimates put NASCAR fans as 60% male and 40% female. No one knows for sure, but it could have something to do with the fact that it's not just the cars that are hot. NASCAR drivers have more than their fair share of admiring female followers.

The ultimate gift, of course, would be tickets to a race. How much will those run you? For races at smaller, less popular venues, online prices can start at around $60 per person and go up to $200 per person. At a race mecca like Bristol, Tennessee, tickets can go upwards of $700 each for the really good seats, down to $175.

If you're looking for memorabilia for your NASCAR fan, team jackets or hats are a good pick. Like any other sport, fans are loyal to their team, or in this case more specifically, their driver. Unlike other sports, favorites are not dictated so much by hometown as personality, and with a jacket or hat, your fan can wear his pride. If she attends a lot of NASCAR races, you might want to look into getting a scanner. With this, you can listen to talk between drivers and their spotters and crew chiefs, as well as radio announcers covering the race should you lose track of the action.

Maybe something to hang on the wall would be more your speed. There are lots of posters, mini hoods, and prints available for purchase, as well as personalized and one-of-a-kind items like photos framed along with pieces of tire used during a race.

Readers will find lots of books out there, from driver biographies to books on how to throw the ultimate NASCAR tailgate. There are also several magazines dedicated to NASCAR racing and venues.