David Smith, a teenager from Florida, is an avid fan of sports car racing.  He and his father, Steve, make it a custom to attend the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and David amassed a nifty collection of memorabilia that included a signed hat from a winning Continental Tire Series driver.

But last Christmas morning, a man entered the house of David’s mother and stepfather, robbed the home and then set it ablaze, destroying David’s collection of motorsport items.

Three months later, the racing community is doing its best to make David whole again.  According to a Racer.com article penned by Marshall Pruett, IMSA driver Jordan Taylor stepped up and was nice enough to offer David an array of hats that actually made podium appearances at Daytona over the years.  Additionally, hats and swag from other race teams and drivers have made their way to David.  And now, the Sports Car Club of America has joined in the effort to buoy the spirits of the racing fan.

On a recent afternoon at Daytona International Speedway, David got a chance to meet up with SCCA President & CEO Mike Cobb and SCCA Board of Directors Chairman Lee Hill.  During the visit, Cobb and Hill provided David with a SCCA Family Membership, a cap from the 2015 National Championship Runoffs® at Daytona, and an SCCA shirt.

“When I read the Racer.com story about David, my heart both ached and was filled with hope,” Cobb said. “For something so awful to happen to a family on Christmas morning is horrific.  But to see the entire racing community come together to do whatever we can to make things better, well, that doesn’t surprise me at all.  It does, however, bring joy to my heart.”

Hill added that “David is a great young man and has a real positive outlook on things.  I’m so happy we can now call him an SCCA member and believe we’ll be seeing him soon at different SCCA events in Florida.”

In the Racer.com article, David’s father said his son is working towards becoming a mechanic and dreams of either one day driving or working for a team.

“Soon we'll be joining the SCCA to be a little more involved,” Steve is quoted as saying in the Racer.com piece. “So, one day, you just might maybe hear his name again! He loves his greater racing community and is proud to be a part of it! And he is most thankful for everyone's kindness and generosity."

Photo: David Smith (left), SCCA President & CEO Mike Cobb (center) and SCCA Board of Directors Chairman Lee Hill (right)