While he was growing up, Steven Schmidt would listen to story after story about how his grandfather, Gary Schmidt, raced back in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s.

And also while he was growing up, he would watch his dad, Tim Schmidt, race. So it was no surprise to his family when he decided that he, too, wanted to race when he turned sixteen years old.

He climbed into the cockpit of a dragster, headed to the Edelbrock Super Pro category at Summit Motorsports Park and hasn’t looked back. His family, including his grandfather and father, remained by his side every step of the way, and his grandfather would even build engines for him and his father, and crew for them.

Through that, they developed a beautiful bond. So when his grandfather died in March of 2017, Stevenwas devastated, but he was also determined.

Determined to do well, determined to drive to a championship in the category where the competition is consistently cutthroat and determined to dedicate it to his late grandfather.

He came close with a second-place finish in points in 2017, and then he came out swinging, with the same goal, in 2018.

Every time he took his place on the starting line, he would say to himself, “Alright, Grandpa. I know you’re with me, and I’m going to get it done.”

By the last race of the year, he had indeed gotten it done, as he earned the 2018 Edelbrock Super Pro Championship.

And with that, Steven, who is married to fellow racer Kristen Schmidt, smiled, looked to heaven and told his grandfather that he had done it in memory and in honor of him. 

Steven, who also won an award for Best Appearing in Super Pro, and his fellow champions were celebrated during the elaborate 45th Annual Edelbrock Banquet of Champions presented by Lincoln Electric on Jan. 19 at Kalarari Resorts and Conventions in Sandusky, Ohio. - Mary Lendzion