Faith on the Frontstretch: Joe Gibbs Racing a Model of True Teamwork

Hamlin celebrates his win at Martinsville, March 29, 2015.
Credit: Alex Goodlett / Getty Images     

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

To the casual observer, it might seem like NASCAR drivers win or lose races all by themselves. But real fans know racing is a team sport. Drivers usually thank their teams when they win, but sometimes they delve deeper and get into the nitty gritty aspects of what it means to be a team player.

After his win in March at Martinsville, Denny Hamlin talked about being on both the giving and receiving end of shared information among his JGR teammates. Does he worry that sharing his Martinsville secrets will lead to a teammate beating him at the short track?

“That's something I think about all the time ... because it's so hard to win, do you withhold information to give yourself that edge, and I just never have. I've never withheld any information that I could give to my teammates... because I'm going to be the guy that's going to lean on help from them,” Hamlin said in post-race comments.

“... we know that that comes back to us tenfold when we need their help. I'll always be a total open book to those guys, and they've been awesome teammates to me this year. I'm really excited about what Joe (Gibbs) has put together, his driver lineup, and the way we've worked together so far. It's really been fun.”

I love that Hamlin is having fun with his team. Wouldn’t it be great if all of us could be so blessed at our jobs? But what’s even better is that the four Gibbs teams share information freely to help one another reach their full potential. Perhaps that’s a direct result of Joe and J.D. Gibbs modeling selfless teamwork. And when one of their teams is successful and ends up in Victory Lane, they don’t grab for the credit. Instead, they show humility and gratitude, giving God the glory.

Teamwork is everywhere. A team is simply a bunch of people who work together toward a common goal or cause. A family can be a team. So can a group of people in a workplace or church or volunteer organization. A bowling league or knitting group or EMS crew can all work as a team.

Even Jesus had a team. He carefully hand-picked his 12 disciples and spent three years working with them 24/7. Jesus had a clear goal for His little team: to show them how to share their faith, which he called making them “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19-20.) Now all Christians are part of Jesus’ team, with the same goal.

Are you part of a team or two? If not, think about what you care about. Is it feeding the hungry? Helping folks with cancer? Rescuing animals? Sharing your faith? Whatever it is, you can find a like-minded team to join.

When it’s done well, teamwork is a beautiful thing. It’s not about getting credit for every little thing we do for the group. Instead, it’s about building one another up as we work side by side, humbly doing our best for those we serve.

No matter what kind of team you’re on, keep your service people-focused and God-centered. Go team!

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” explores the role of faith in motorsports and runs every 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the NASCAR season. Follow Beth on twitter at @bbreinke.

Want more racing devotions? When you donate $25 to Skirts and Scuffs, we’ll send you a complimentary copy of Beth’s book, Race Fans’ Devotions to Go, a month-long, pocket-sized devotional book for NASCAR fans. Or you can purchase the book in paperback & ebook here.