AP Photo

On race weekends in Talladega, campers, motor homes and tents stretch as far as the eye can see. Flags adorn most of them, and virtually every driver has at least one fan somewhere in the vast expanse of the Talladega campgrounds.

But one driver reigns supreme here. Look out over the rolling hillsides and you'll see more green 88s than all other drivers combined. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s fans call themselves Junior Nation, and Talladega is their undisputed capital. And even though their nation is on shaky footing – hey, whose isn't? – their faith in their faltering hero and idol remains as strong as ever.