What probably was the most emotionally received and special awards presented during the NASCAR Grand National West banquet at The Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas on Dec. 9, was the Spencer Clark Driven award presented to Mike Duncan.
Upon presentation of the award to Duncan, the following moving speech was presented.
“Spencer Clark was a young 19 year old who was driven by passion and desire. The Spencer Clark Driven Foundation, which is fueled by his family and friends, is dedicated in his memory to help young drivers with the same passion, achieve their goals in racing.
“Spencer loved this series and the people in it. He had a great respect for all his competitors. His passion for racing was like most of yours. He had raced for 14 of his 19 years. It was his life. With his drive and determination, we knew Spencer was headed for a successful racing career. But we know now that the Lord had bigger plans for him.
“If Spencer was here tonight, he would encourage each of you to continue to pursue your passion. He would tell you to continue to believe in yourself, stay focused and remain strong in your beliefs.
“In presenting this award, we wanted to honor someone who displays that passion and spirit. As the series champion, this individual has conducted the rookie driver’s meetings the past two years. But on a personal level, he served as a mentor to Spencer and gave him a great deal of encouragement.
“So tonight, we honor Mike Duncan with the Spencer Clark Driven Foundation Award.”
In the coming weeks there will be information on an auction and golf tournament and the Spencer Clark Driven program for youth.
