Nearly a decade ago, a young boy with a lot of problems was flipping through television channels on a long Sunday afternoon. He was not out with the neighborhood kids on a skateboard or bicycle, playing tag or sharing news of video games, and that was fine with them. They did not know what to make of him with all of his strange body movements and verbalizations or his usually inappropriate attempts at socializing, so their human nature compelled them to avoid and ignore him as much as possible.

Television did become a consistent and gratifying companion to this person, never turning away from the tics or judging an infelicitous comment. So the boy clicked away at the remote, looking for something interesting. That is when he came upon a NASCAR race, and his life and the lives of his family members changed forever.

Now the boy had something to look forward to for many weekends in the year, and quickly learned the drivers’ names and stats, and the cars and companies associated with them. His infectious enthusiasm for the sport quickly ensnared his parents, and the weekends metamorphosed from long afternoons and evenings of concern and worry, to excited anticipation of the races to come.

The young man I refer to is my son, Joshua. I have witnessed the change in him from the time he became a NASCAR fan, and it is nothing short of amazing. While the tics from his Tourette Syndrome and his unique style of socializing from his form of Autism (Asperger’s Disorder) have isolated him from the community that surrounds him, the world of NASCAR welcomed him with open arms and he has blossomed in it.

Today marked his first meeting of the National Society of Leadership and Success, Sigma Alpha Pi chapter, at the college he is attending. One of the first orders of business was electing six chapter presidents, and those who felt they had qualities of leadership were asked to come forward and give a speech outlining the reasons they felt they were good prospects. Joshua raised his hand, gave his speech, and was elected one of the six presidents.

If you had asked me years ago if this would ever be a possibility, I most likely would have been very noncommittal or outright dubious. That Joshua had the confidence and a positive feeling of self-worth to believe he could lead a group of his peers in this endeavor is extraordinary.

I attribute much of his strength and character to having discovered NASCAR and the people that are associated with it. I make no apologies for such a statement, and believe it with all of my heart. The love of those racing warriors and their colorful super-charged chariots saved us all. I am confident that I will see many more successes in my son’s life, and will feel indebted to America’s greatest sport for filling up large voids of time with fun, excitement, and joy, and for giving a young man many heroes to look up to and emulate.

Thank you NASCAR. You helped make a president today. Who knows what you will bring tomorrow.