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EDITORIAL Atta boy, David. Only the most die-hard of NASCAR fans are likely to know the name David Smith. That's alright. Smith's NASCAR career has been what you'd expect of a humble, unassuming man. In a quarter century, Smith served Richard Childress Racing--wearing many hats along the way. Jackman, crewchief, team manager. He once called the shots for none other than Dale Earnhardt and is regarded by many in the garage as one of the most gifted men ever to turn a wrench on a racecar. As of this writing, David Smith is unemployed. Why? Well, as a friend of mine, fellow writer Derek P. Gilbert said when he heard the story, it's easy to stick to your convictions when it costs nothing; for David Smith, even a high-profile job working for one of NASCAR's most prominent teams wasn't enough to overlook a commitment he had made to God years ago. In Smith's own words, "I trusted the Lord with my life, and He changed it around for me. I went to work for Richard in 1979 and told him when I went there that I'd work for him as long as he didn't have an alcohol or dirty magazine or gambling sponsorship on his car. And he was OK with that." So what happened? Long story short, NASCAR was having a problem attracting sponsors due to the ever-increasing costs of running a competitive race team. Many teams had petitioned NASCAR to allow hard liquor companies to sponsor their cars, but NASCAR continually refused to allow the sponsorships, citing image concerns. In July 2004, however, NASCAR's sister company, International Speedway Corporation, inked a deal with liquor company Crown Royal for a sponsorship deal at Daytona International Speedway. When the teams--particularly those who had petitioned for equivalent sponsorship--protested in outrage, NASCAR reversed its previous stand and allowed hard liquor sponsorship of teams and cars. Smith's boss, Richard Childress, was losing America Online as the primary sponsor of the #30 car. The company willing to pay the most to fill AOL's vacancy was Jack Daniels. The deal was inked and Smith walked. "The absolute hardest part of this deal was to tell Richard that I was leaving after 25 years," said Smith. "I had a great job, the best anybody could ask for. I may never have a job as great as that again, but I'll have peace of mind from knowing that what I did was the right thing to do. That's worth more than money." When the NASCAR season fires up in Daytona this February, odds are little will be made of Smith's departure. However, David Smith has set an example that many Christians would do well to follow. So the next time the world presents you with a difficult moral choice, remember David Smith. You may not be in a position to walk away from your job, but you can always be a witness for Christ no matter what your walk in life. Atta boy, David. |