Published on March 16, 2023
At the crossroads of his passion and his profession, Maricopa resident and Deputy City Manager, Ben Bitter found his lane in NASCAR. “It’s an adrenaline sport," explained Bitter, "It brings that extra boost of adrenaline.” While thousands of fans cheered from the stands last weekend at the Phoenix Speedway, Bitter found himself down on the track as part of the pit crew for NASCAR driver and friend, Brad Smith. It's a role Bitter has been in before, but this race was extra special for him. Smith drives a Nissan and when he found out the car manufacturer's proofing grounds were in Maricopa, they came up with an idea to use Smith’s car as an engine to pay homage to the city. Sponsorships are a big deal in the racing community as companies pay big bucks to have their logo on a car. This was at no cost to the city, just out of the goodness of Smith’s heart. “We are moving fast. We are going places," said Bitter, "We’re not just going to pull aside for other people. We’re moving forward.”