An ambassador is a person who represents, speaks for, or advertises a particular organization, group of people, activity, or brand. Many companies pay someone to be that person. However, the lucky ones already have someone so integrated into the fabric of the company culture that they become an ambassador by default. The Edelbrock family suddenly lost one of its “default ambassadors” this week, and we’re all in shock.
If you have ever called the Edelbrock tech line looking for help with an Edelbrock carburetor, cylinder heads, or intake manifolds, you may have spoken to “Smitty” Smith. One of the long-tenured Edelbrock employees, he started on June 29th, 1992. After 30 years, it’s safe to say he probably talked to more people during his tenure than almost any other employee. However, speaking to many people doesn’t give someone ambassador status; that must be earned. His larger-than-life personality and passion for helping people made Smitty an ambassador by default. Everyone became instant friends with and to him.
Very few people know his real name — even his coworkers — and those who do were sworn to secrecy. Smitty was “Smitty,” almost from day one, since being born in Culver City, California. His parents both raced jalopies at Gardenia Stadium. Being a car guy was in his blood; his passion never waned. Smitty owned hundreds of cars through the years and had several collector cars from which to choose. He worked at various speed shops and even had a stint as a restaurateur before his friend Mike Eddy opened the door to Edelbrock in ’92.
Smitty’s official title was Senior Technical Sales Advisor, but his fingerprints are all over everything Edelbrock. If you ever visited the Edelbrock trailer, chances are you met him. He was a staple at almost every race, show, or event where the trailer went. At the same time, there is also a good possibility you didn’t see him because of his penchant for helping people. It wasn’t uncommon for someone to come up to the trailer with a carburetor question, and the next thing you know, Smitty would be off to diagnose the car on the grounds.
We spoke with a few of his close coworker friends to get an idea of what makes Smitty “Smitty.” Freddy Cano, Eddie Loera, and Brent McCarthy worked with him for several years. All three attribute his popularity to his outright passion and outgoing personality.
“I think the one thing I can say about Smitty is passion,” Freddy says. “The man was very, very passionate about everything he did. In his cars, when he went to shows, he was very passionate about the company and passionate about representing it. The guy was just filled with passion. I think that is one of the main reasons he was so respected; he cared a lot about the customer.”
Though Eddie is no longer with the company, he spent a lot of time on the road with Smitty and remembers him fondly. “There were times when Smitty was on the phone with a customer on the weekend diagnosing something that might not even have anything to do with our parts.” There were countless times I had to tell him, ‘You’re on the clock over here working the show; we’re not even supposed to be doing that anymore.’ He never hesitated to go out and help people. His passion for helping a customer is something you don’t see these days anymore. He felt it was his duty as a worker for the company.”
Brent says he was the go-to guy at car shows and trade shows because he could answer any question a person had with an install. “And we called him ‘the walking catalog.’ He knew all the part numbers of all the little linkage and extension pieces or anything a person might need to get the install done.”
Smitty was such a wealth of knowledge about Edelbrock and its history. He was the guy you always wanted to give a tour of the Edelbrock facility. He had so much additional information that no one else had, such as anecdotes about founder Vic Edelbrock and many behind-the-scenes things that no one else knew. Smitty once recalled his unique relationship with his good friend, Vic Edelbrock Jr, “We have a passion for what we do. We work hard, and we have fun every day. It’s been a dream come true.”
When asked about his 30-year milestone with Edelbrock, Smitty saw it more as his lifelong journey. “I wouldn’t have thought that. I was a speed shop guy out of high school in the ’70s. People ask how long I’ve been in this industry, and I tell them 55 years! I’ve been blessed.”
“To Smitty, everyone was ‘bro.’ Whether you knew him or not, you were his bro,” Freddy says. He was a big loveable bear of a man who was always requested at trade shows by people he made friends with just by answering questions through the tech helpline. His ‘Rain-Man-esque’ memory of part numbers made him the perfect guy to review catalogs, advertising materials, and instruction sheets. He was often consulted to verify things because of his knowledge of the customer base.
Smitty was the quintessential expert on Edelbrock carburetor tuning, working closely with Curt Hooker when developing the platform. His car was even used as the test mule. With his boisterous personality, he was often the technical resource for media as the primary contributor to tech articles and videos.
Indeed, Smitty was a one-of-a-kind guy whom everyone in the aftermarket respected — not just because he was in the industry so long, but because of how he treated everyone. He was a car guy first, which is how he approached his job. His passion for car culture and the people in it was why he was such a valuable asset — not only to Edelbrock but to the aftermarket industry and the entire car culture.
As social media caught wind of his passing, there has been a vast outpouring of support with thousands of reactions. Smitty was a person who stood out amongst the crowd because of the type of person he was. Smitty WAS Edelbrock to so many he met.
After 30 years of passionate service to the company, we can’t help but feel robbed of not having more time with him. The automotive aftermarket mourns today over the loss of such an outstanding human. The Edelbrock Group sends our thoughts and prayers to his partner, Joan, family, and friends. Edelbrock couldn’t have asked for a better ambassador. His legacy will live on with all the people he touched. Godspeed, Smitty Smith!
