I genuinely hate that lately I have only been inspired to write in the wake of the death of someone within the sport. I realize that it's just part of growing older — people I have known for years will start to pass on. But that doesn’t make it any easier. Just last week we lost the great Evans, Ga., racer Ed Basey, and then a few days later my old buddy Jeff Walker of McMinnville, Tenn.

I remember the very first time I ever met Jeff Walker. In my earliest days working for the Southern All Stars Racing Series we ventured to Baxter, Tenn., to B.K. Luna’s Tennessee Motor Speedway for an event. This would have been somewhere around 1999 or 2000. Though I had grown up in racing and had spent the last several years as an official at my home track, I was still wet behind the ears when it came to being an official on a touring series. So I'm grateful to Earl Barker for taking me under his wing and showing me the ropes.

As a part of that education, Earl also introduced me around to racers and other officials. I remember being introduced to Jeff as we performed pre-race tech on his No. 49 GRT Race Car. Earl spotted a few things he asked Jeff to correct. Instead of the aggravated response we had received from previous competitors who met the same fate, Jeff was smiling and quickly assured us he would get the issue fixed immediately. From that day forward Jeff always called me by name. He remembered my name, just a lowly pit steward. That might not seem like that big of a deal. But it made a lasting impression on me.

Jeff was a fairly frequent entrant with the series over the next several years. Jeff always did a lot with a little. He was never a well-financed team. But he was always able to hold his own and most importantly he had fun racing. One of things I remember the most about him was how he always went out of his way to ask about me and my family. Later he made sure to travel down to my home track for a Southern All Stars event during which I planned a small party at my house a few miles away. Years later Jeff always talked about that day. He remembered my dad’s name and, if you know me, you know the importance of that.

I would unexpectedly see Jeff from time to time over the last few years at random tracks around the country. He always greeted me (and I am certain every other person he met) with the biggest smile and handshake. He made you feel like he genuinely was happy to see you, and I bet that he really was. There is a lesson we can all take from ol’ Jeff. Be happy to see people. Be kind to them. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Life is short and it is fleeting. Let us all learn how to be more like Jeff Walker: it doesn’t cost a dime to just be nice.