Faith on the Frontstretch: Hendrick Teammates Rally ‘Round Kahne After Atlanta Win

Kahne and teammates in Victory Lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Aug. 31, 2014.  

“ ... and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1b

Did it warm your heart to see Kasey Kahne’s teammates in Victory Lane at Atlanta? As they greeted him with hugs and handshakes, their broad smiles reflected pure joy in Kahne’s win. It was nice to see them band together for a few moments of shared reveling.

Earnhardt Jr. tweeted: “Smile @kaseykahne. YOU’RE in the chase.” And smile he did, along with a little rubber burning, fist pumping and champagne spraying.

Kahne talked about the winning moment in the post-race press conference.

“When I came off Turn 4 and I could see the checkered, right there is the first time I knew I was in The Chase and it's such a relief ... ” Kahne said. “I have the best teammates and Mr. H. gives us everything that we need and up until now we weren't going to be in The Chase and that hurt.”

Team owner Rick Hendrick shared his thoughts about seeing all of his drivers together.

“You know, that really was special to see them, all three of them, come to Victory Lane to celebrate and congratulate Kasey and Kenny,” he said. “I think that shows the kind of chemistry we have with our drivers, and they know they got to race each other, and they want to beat each other, but they were pulling for Kasey to get in.”

True friends — those who celebrate your successes without jealousy — are a blessing.

There’s another example of that kind of friendship: David and Jonathan in the Old Testament.

You probably know David as the teen who killed Goliath the giant with a sling and stone to save King Saul’s army from their enemies. Jonathan was King Saul’s son, heir to the throne.

David’s relationship with the king was a bit rocky. Even though David fought for him, King Saul became insanely jealous of the people’s praise of David’s successful military conquests. When God chose David to be the next king instead of Jonathan, King Saul went berserk and tried to kill David.

Jonathan could have hated David, too, for receiving what was his royal birthright. But instead, he stood by David and the two young men were lifelong best friends.

What makes a friendship so strong it survives that kind of turmoil? For David and Jonathan, their deep faith and shared love for God cemented their bond.

Do you have a few true friends? Real friends spend time doing activities together and talking about life. They’re honest with each other, sharing problems, offering understanding and confessing shortcomings. Friends encourage, appreciate and pray for each other and remain loyal even when life gets dicey. Being a friend and having friends takes work and commitment.

If you’re feeling lonely, ask God to guide you to a faith-filled friend or two. Then look for opportunities to meet friends with common interests through church or other organizations.

God designed us to have meaningful connections with one another. Having good friends who share our faith can be especially satisfying. Friends can help each other stay focused on God, while building a stronger friendship.

Whether you’re celebrating a victory or suffering a defeat, life’s big moments are richer when shared with good friends.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. ~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a (NIV)
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“Faith on the Frontstretch” appears every 1st & 3rd Wednesday and explores the role of faith in motorsports. Follow on twitter at @bbreinke.

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