2012 issue #2

News from the Christian Motorsports International, Inc. Family of Ministries Vol. 2012, Issue #2

Ted Moncure’s TRD Baja TruckSee story on page 3

Gary Campbell’s Top Dragster See story on page 2

Randy Shipp’sGSX Drag Bike

See story on page 7

Seth Utz Pro BMX See story on page 6

http://www.facebook.com/RacersForChrist

@TeamRFC

Gary Campbell’s Beautiful Mid-Six Second Top DragsterMesa, Arizona resident Gary Campbell, a self-employed business owner of RCD Industries, started racing in 1986. On his first date with future wife Anna, Gary mentioned he liked drag racing and thought about buying a front engine dragster. He did, and they ran the car for several years.Gary didn’t know the Lord at that time and God put him through some real trials to get his attention, one was losing both mom and dad in 1994. One day while filling out a tech card in 1994, Gary had an eye opening experience. He realized his NHRA number ended in 666! The race day was a disaster, along with his relationship to Anna due to his addiction to drugs and alcohol. He was at the bottom of the barrel. That evening Gary locked himself in the bathroom and cried out to God. “If you are real I want to know now!” He remembers a gruesome face confronting him and he cried out “Devil you have no more hold on me!” Everything went bright white! WOW. I do believe God!With a new rear-engined dragster, Gary was rookie of the year in 1995 in the Arizona Super Eliminator series. In 1997 he was champion again, and runner up in 1998. He was runner up again in 2004, winning two Wallys and many successful finishes over the next few years. He raced, he won, he ministered, he was on local TV, and he simply enjoyed the combination of family, fun, and fellowship at the track. But in 2006, Gary felt the call to ministry and sold off his entire racing operation, started attending Bible school at a local Calvary Chapel in Tempe, AZ, and in 2007 was asked to step-out in plant-ing a new church, Calvary Chapel in Mesa, AZ as assistant pastor. As we all know, there are seasons in life, and his season of an assistant pastor ran its course through 2010. Gary decided to jump back into racing, buying a front engine car to compete in the Top Dragster class…a new mission field.Christian, husband, father, grandfather, business-

man, and racer is what makes Gary Campbell tick. He loves the Lord, loves his family, loves racing, and loves to demonstrate his love for the Lord to others. Gary is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ as evidenced in the pictures of the car below: Jesus the name above all names as seen: in the “flames of the eagle’s head”; the cross of salvation; and the proclamation of being prepared for the Lord’s eminent return is wonderfully depicted on the cars incredible paint job rightly named “Returning Thun-der”, but more importantly it’s also painted in Gary’s heart for eternity.

Gary’s life glows with a gleam in his eyes of Christ’s saving grace. “Teach believ-ers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity…that special gift of ministry you were given when the lead-ers of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use” (1 Timothy 4:12,14). To God be the Glory!

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Have you seen Team RFC’s® website recently? There are more pictures and more regional news available, as well as contact information for RFC staff across the country. Come take a look at www.teamrfc.org.

On the web site there is a link for devotionals. Each week one of the RFC staff authors a thought for your reflection. Check them out weekly and look through some that have been archived as well.

Connect To Team RFC®

Ted Moncure’s TRD BajaSeries Tacoma Stock Mini Off-Road TruckChampionship race teams aren’t born overnight—they re-quire commitment and dedication. Bill, Ted and Nick Mon-cure founded Long Beach Racers (LBR) in 2001. The Moncure family and their friends had supported Ivan “The Iron Man” Stewart’s Toyota-PPI Trophy Truck for years in the Mexican desert, and didn’t know what to do with all of their free time when Toyota pulled out of factory off-road racing after the Baja in 2000.

This group of family and friends started racing a Toyota Tacoma in SCORE in 2003, and in 2004 they won their class in the Baja 1000 and the 7S class championship that year. The team is known as the Toyota Tacoma experts, hav-ing raced several Tacoma’s in various classes over the last nine seasons.

In 2006, Ted Moncure and Dan Stump were looking for a way to put their passion for desert racing together with their love for the Lord, so they contacted Team RFC® and invited them to send someone to lead a chapel in their pit at the Baja 1000. RFC sent Steve Hanson, a young chaplain who was looking to minister to off-road racers. Steve jumped right in and volunteered to help prep the race truck, and got to know everyone on the team. “Chappy Steve” soon became an instrumental part of the race team as well as a fixture at off-road races throughout the Southwest US and Mexico.

In 2007 LBR gave Joe Bacal, a friend who had recently sur-vived cancer, a chance to co-drive in their truck at the Baja 1000. Joe talked the driver into letting him get into the left seat and set a blazing pace. In that race “Chappy Steve” donated the power steering lines off of his Toyota 4-Runner to the LBR Tacoma and then had to drive halfway down the Baja peninsula with manual steering, just another way that Steve shows love to racers in tangible ways.

In 2011 Toyota asked LBR to build a race truck to promote the launch of the new TRD Baja Series Tacoma. This truck debuted at SEMA and the LBR crew teamed up with celebrity action sports star Andy Bell to race in the Baja 1000. This season Andy and the LBR crew lead the points championship in the SCORE Stock Mini Class, having won

the Baja 500 and beating all of the Stock Full trucks, including their old friend Joe Bacal.

Long Beach Racers are an all-volunteer army made up of people with diverse beliefs. They meet at their shop on Tues-day nights to work on their race truck, and the Moncure’s believe that glorifies God by showing people what living life abundantly looks like.

Northwest Chaplain Mark James praying with Sarah Shaw mini-stock driver (left) and with Pete Trammell driver of an ASA modified car (below).

In June at the LODRS event at Lebanon Valley (NY), North-east Chaplain Claire Laterza

held a mini rodeo for the kids. From left to right: Bob Lang,

NHRA Northeast Division Director; Frank Aragona with

his son Frankie; Claire Laterza; Emma Aragona (horse race

grand winner);and Cassie Diamond.

Erica Enders re-writes history becoming the first woman in the NHRA to win in Pro Stock Eliminator at the O’Reilly Route 66 Nationals in Chicago, IL in July 2012, and backs up her first win with her second win at the O’Reilly Northwest Nationals in Seattle, WA, and third win in Brainerd, MN in August 2012. Chaplain and long time friend Jim Jack, who first started praying with Erica when she was a ten year old Jr. Dragster driver stops for a chat and a hug with EE.

Northeast Chaplain Mike Zullo per-forms a wedding for Jim and Diane Knights.

Dan & Claire Laterza (front row left), RFC Northeast Region Direc-tors held a training conference at Maple Grove Raceway (Reading, PA) with NHRA Division Director Bob Lang in attendance, along with Jay Blake (center), owner of the Permatex TAFC, and driver Todd Veney (on the left), and eleven chaplains from their region.

Drag Boat Series Chaplain, Craig Garland and South Central Chaplain Mike Griffith pray with driver Larry Kindley at the LODBRS Mid America Sum-

mer Nationals in Chouteau, OK. The boat Nuclear Fishin’ is in the Stock Eliminator Class.

Southeast Chaplain John Dunham assists at the Eastern Confer-ence Junior Finals at Bristol Dragway (TN) in July.

Praying a blessing over the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series event held in Lake

Elsinore, CA in April is Steve Hanson, Dirt Sports Director.

Bob Ream Jr poses with his sprint car at Canyon Speedway

Park (AZ).

Three members of the Rose family race and worship together. Brad Rose races in Super Street, Chuck Rose races in Super Gas, and Matt Rose races in Super Comp.

Southwest chaplain Jerry Chester prays for Richard Phillips in his 7.0 Pro supercharged ’32 bantam roadster at the NHRA Heritage Series “Rockabilly Rod Reunion” at LVMS over Memorial weekend 2012. Richard from Visalia, CA was the 2011 Heritage Series 7.0 Pro champion.

Texas drag racers Tommy Phillips (near side) and Jesse Serna do

their burnouts at the NHRA Win-ternationals in

Pomona, CA

RFC chaplains, Larry & Mary Fredrickson from Boise, ID

stand next to their 8 second altered. The picture was

taken for an “after church” show of RFC race cars to let

their church congregation know more about the

ministry of RFC.

RFC chaplain Joe Baggott takes a moment to pray at a riders

meeting at a flat track event, be-fore donning his leathers sport-

ing the Team RFC® logo and then twists the throttle wide-

open at the checkered flag.

Tutle & Tutle Trucking, Inc. (Gary and son Travis, Pro Mod drag boat racers from Texas) present Team RFC® with a check for $15,000; donated to RFC for years of dedication in the world of motorsports. The check was accepted by RFC chaplains Craig & Beverly Garland.

Tommy D’Aprile, RFC chaplain with the ADRL drag racing series, and driver of the Mel Bush Motorsports Pro Extreme Pro Mod pose with their car for a team photo.

Rich Trimmer, Southwest Region Director, performs Grant and

Danielle Walter’s wedding.

Northwest Chaplain David Cookman prays with A

fuel dragster driver Gregg Lawrence and his crew at

Woodburn Dragstrip (OR).

Heeding The CallTeam RFC® often receives requests for staff to cover local tracks, races, and car shows. Sometimes we don’t have staff available to meet these requests. If you, or someone you know, would like to explore a possible call to be volunteer field staff for Team RFC®, please contact a regional director, or call Jim Jack at work, 480-507-5323, or cell, 602-524-4691, or send us an e-mail at [email protected].

RFC chaplain Jim Jack prays with NHRA Heritage Series (nostalgia drag racer and owner / driver), Bobby Runyon from Nevada who is also an RFC chaplain. Bobby became a chaplain after having an RFC chaplain pray for him at a race at LVMS.

Seth Utz Leaves The Starting Gate In A Pro BMX Heat RaceSeth Utz is a pro BMX racer and an intern with his youth department at his local church. He’s been riding since he was four—sixteen years of riding—with racing in his blood. When he and his dad first watched a BMX race, a four year old kid, enamored by the racing, could have some fun…and it grew from there.

Seth recently started getting his feet wet in the mountain bike scene. He recently rode in the U.S. Open, getting a podium finish in his second race. Seth thanks John Kovachi for believ-ing he could be good at moun-tain bike racing—pushing him for the pro ranks.

Seth surrendered his life to Jesus at sixteen. He went to a church camp having just broken up with a girl he thought the world of. He was heartbroken, down and felt nothing could help. God had different plans, and spoke into his life like never before. Seth realized he didn’t need girlfriends, or BMX to be happy. He desperately needed Jesus, and knew in that moment if he didn’t surrender his life, he was in for a hard time, forever searching for stuff to make him happy but never finding it. The feeling after the decision for Christ was indescribable, leading him on an

incredible journey that’s given him happiness, fulfillment and growth.

Seth says, “BMX is a community I love, but it needs Jesus Christ just like every other community.” As a Christian, he’s been given the commission to impact people for Christ, using his gifts and passion for racing. He feels every prac-

tice session, every national, or local event is an opportunity to impact somebody for Christ. When he shows up at the track, he knows he’s there for something bigger than riding his bike.

BMX allows Seth to share Christ with others, knowing the influence a person can have on others in the BMX community by riding his bike well. Therein lies his opportunity. Adults recognize him, kid’s watch him, and he strives to be the church right in front of people. He will talk about his faith and spiritual life if given the op-portunity.

Seth recently found out his mom has cancer, and he says “That has helped to build up my faith.” He knows with-out God in complete control of his life,

nothing is ever good enough. Even the dream of becom-ing a professional rider will become empty and pointless, unless God is first in everything. He knows we’re all called to use our gifts and passions for glorifying our heavenly Father. Whatever challenges are in his future, Seth puts his whole heart into it, whether it’s to be a professional athlete, a church leader, or just be a good friend.

Randy Shipp LaunchesOff The Line In HisSuzuki GSX Drag BikeIn the amplified or expanded Bible, “happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous” is usually in parenthesis behind the word “blessed.” This pretty much sums up the ministry of Randy Shipp and Kevin Houseman, along with Randy’s wife and some friends, as they all feel blessed!

Randy belongs to the Christian Motorcyclists Associa-tion, which has a sub-group called “Fast Lane” that ca-ters more specifically to sport bike and ATV riders. Randy races a 1215cc Suzuki GSX with a 10” over swing arm, 7” slick, slider clutch, and wanted a way to tie the two together. After discussions with CMA officials, permis-sion was granted for the CMA / Fast Lane motorcycle drags to be held monthly during the summer at Ozark Raceway Park in Rogersville, MO (near Springfield). Special thanks to Mitch Chance for letting “Fast Lane” use their facility.

Randy didn’t realize it was going to turn into a blessings ministry. Randy felt he’d been a little weak in the prayer department, so God arranged for him to be kicked out of the nest and fly! He says “It’s fitting that our bike races are on test-and-tune Fridays, as God seems to be testing and tuning me.”

He tries to pray blessings over every rider that will let them. They hand out a blessing sticker to put on the bike, and a Bible. He now realizes how important these bless-ings are after doing so many in 2011. Each time a bike is cleaned, the owner sees that sticker and thinks of Jesus.

It didn’t stop there. A guy named Don, a regular competi-tor, has a blessing sticker on his fairing. He says “People ask him about that sticker all the time.” That means he gets to tell them about Jesus!

Their September race last year was scheduled on one of the days Ozark Raceway holds its biggest event: the “Street Machine Shootout.” In man’s eyes this was a mistake because there were so many cars, the bikes were relegated to running during the day on Friday, and resulted in a poor bike turnout.

Kevin wanted to pack it in, but then they decided to start blessing the cars and discovered God’s plan. They blessed

shootout cars and blown alky

cars, even putting a blessing sticker on a jet funny car that tours the U.S. Once you start doing blessings it’s hard to stop!

The Bible says, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” Randy talked with Stan Roche (RFC West Central Region Director) and now has RFC “Racer’s Prayer” stickers that will be given out with the blessings this year.

Randy says, “I don’t know if this will lead to some kind of ministry partnership with CMA and RFC. I am not going to second guess God’s plans. I just know that I enjoy both ministries and for me they both come together in drag racing a motorcycle. Serving the Lord while I am doing something I love…does it get any better?!

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Gifts-In-Kind UpdateTeam RFC® continues to be the recipient of Gifts-In-Kind from many wonderful supporters. Gifts-in-kind can include vehicles, computers, office equipment, frequent flier miles and buddy passes, and prizes for raffles and drawings. More examples are printing, securities, real estate, antiques, and collectibles. Recent gift-in-kind donors are:

GeicoFirebird Raceway (ID)Mark Steele

Steve Strobel (Strobel Motorsports)Matt Messer (Trail-Gear, Inc.)Lucas Oil Products

Cheryl EubanksRussell EubanksJim Golba

Larry Smiley .................. President Dan Allen ....................... ChairmanJim Jack .......................... Field Ministries DirectorLinda Jack ...................... Office ManagerJulie Thompson ........... Business ManagerShelley Boyer ................ Projects CoordinatorDan Laterza ................... Northeast Region Director ..........................717-870-0227Tom Ratliff ..................... Southeast Region Director ..........................352-267-1795Glenn Kreider ............... North Central Region Director ...................618-292-6048Craig Garland ............... South Central Region Director ...................972-849-2032Stan Roche .................... West Central Region Director .....................314-496-7806Scott Soper ................... Northwest Region Director ........................360-485-8703Rich Trimmer ................ Southwest Region Director .........................602-448-6995Steve Hanson ............... Dirt Sports Director ........................................949-705-7873

The Christian MotorsportsInternational, Inc. Family of Ministries

Team RFC® Racers For Christ® • Rodders For Christ® • Restorers For Christ® • Pullers For Christ

Rockcrawlers For Christ • RFC Garage • RFC kids • Iowa Speedway MinistriesP. O. Box 1208, Gilbert, AZ, 85299-1208

Ph: 480-507-5323 • Fx: 480-507-5393 • www.TeamRFC.org

RACERS FOR CHRIST® MISSION STATEMENT

“To serve people in the world of motorsports in the name of Jesus Christ through providing fel-lowship, pastoral care, evangelism, and service.”

RACERS FOR CHRIST® VISION STATEMENT

“To see the world of motorsports impacted for Jesus Christ by individuals entering into a personal relation-

ship with Him and growing in those relationships.”

President’s Perspectiveby Larry SmileySacrifice and Hope

I am deeply touched by the events that started at the Houston NHRA National Event. My dear friend Jim Christian gave me a very unique item. Saturday after-

noon Jim handed me a 1943 steel penny with a very defined cross stamped out of the middle. Jim told me that these steel pennies were symbolic of the sacrifice the people in America made for the World War II war effort because of the shortage of copper. He also explained that the cross stamped in these pennies were a symbol of the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for all of God’s creation and the hope that we have in Him. “In God We Trust” is also printed on these and every penny that is minted in America.

Jim instructed me to give this to the person that God wanted to have this penny.

I walked to the viewing area near the tower and saw John Medlen. God led me to give him the “special penny.” I ex-plained to John the significance of this gift and I told him God would lead him to the correct person that this penny would bless.

Fast forward to the next race in Atlanta. John Medlen is work-ing in the John Force Racing trailer when a crewman tells John that a lady at the security rope is asking for him. She is the

nurse / caretaker for a Marine veteran that is totally disabled. She tells John that this young man had talked with John’s late son Eric at a race years before. This Marine was unable to talk without the aid of his caretaker since his injuries.

John knew immediately that this Marine was the person to get the penny that represented Sacrifice and Hope. John explained very clearly to this young man that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for him and that his eternal hope could be assured by receiving the free gift of salvation. This young man was visibly moved and his caretaker was in tears as John put

the penny on a steel necklace around this brave man’s neck. John said that God’s Spirit stirred within him to confirm the life changing decision made by this noble Marine.

We have given away many of these steel crossed pennies to active duty military and veterans that have served faithfully. God has blessed our nation with liberty and freedom. I pray that we never forget that freedom is not free. Whether it is

freedom from tyranny and terrorism, or freedom from sin, Jesus made the sacrifice with His life. That is our hope!

1 Peter 1:3“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ac-cording to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

These pennies can be obtained at http://crosspennyministries.com. Rev. Steve Petty has produced and distributed over a million of these pennies.

2012 issue #2

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