Richard Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt each won seven of them. Jeff Gordon has four. Sunday, with a fourth place finish at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina, Matt Kenseth clinched his first Winston Cup Championship. He is a winner among winners, and known to many fans as a hero on the NASCAR circuit.

It was a typical low-key Kenseth race. Qualifying a bit better than the past few weeks, he still started way back in the pack. Though there were several cautions, the yellow and black Ford managed to elude the wrecks. There was one minor bump in the rear but Matt kept control of his car and continued on.

There has only been one win for the DeWalt #17 car this year. Consistency has been the key all season. Top fives and top tens piled up the points. And Sunday they paid off as Matt became the NASCAR Winston Cup Champion with one race still to go at Homestead.

"I don't know what to say," were the first words spoken to the pit reporter. Very characteristic for the quiet unassuming young man from the state of Wisconsin. However, the smiles on the faces and the sparkle in the eyes of the driver and crew spoke volumes. They were a happy flock!

It is never as easy as it looks to the crowd of fans watching intently from the stands or the comfort of their living rooms. Stress had become apparent to those who followed closely their passion of racing. But, now at long last they were the champions and no one could take that away from them.

It is the desire of every driver to cross the checkered flag first in the race that declares them the champion. And for one year Matt Kenseth, Robbie Reiser and all of the # 17 crew will enjoy that elite position.

All of us long to be champions.

Whatever direction our career has taken us, we want to succeed. Teachers, secretaries, salesman, and administrators know that longing to be the champion in their chosen field. Everyone desires to be exalted. On the journey to becoming winners there must be a willingness to fight the day-by-day battles that appear in our paths. Smaller week-by-week successes transform into gigantic, long-term triumphs. 

With God's help we are adequate to perform the necessary tasks to become winners. Accomplishments soon far exceed expectations when His Spirit flows through us. Choosing Jesus makes us indisputable champions in the race of life.