During the annual ARCA Racing Series awards banquet in Indianapolis this past weekend, General Tire presented a very special Spirit Award to veteran driver Brad Smith.
The General Tire Spirit Award was established this year to recognize someone within the ARCA racing community who has demonstrated true sportsmanship both on and off the track, as well as perseverance when faced with major challenges. The award included a one-of-a kind helmet custom painted by Indocil Art and $5,000 which was split evenly between Smith and his designated charity, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit.
“Receiving the General Tire Spirit Award is a humbling and gratifying experience,” admitted Smith. “Humbling, because I know how many deserving recipients General Tire had to consider for the award. Gratifying, because this is ultimately a team sport and being recognized by General Tire is an accomplishment for the entire Hylton Motorsports team.”
Smith, driving for the legendary James Hylton, finished a career-high sixth in championship driver points. The 2016 season saw Smith return to the driver’s seat full-time after a devastating injury at Talladega sidelined him for most of the 2015 season. His previous career-high points finish was 11th in 2014. Away from the track, Smith took on the role of volunteer and mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit. He is excited to feature their logo on his car for the 2017 racing season.
“Brad’s story is a perfect example of what this award represents. Brad could have easily allowed his injury last year to end his driving career but he fought back and was able to experience a new level of achievement in his racing career,” said Travis Roffler, director of marketing for General Tire.
