Kingdom Racing

The main purpose behind why Kingdom Racing is in Indianapolis this month hit a couple of minor snags over the past two days and this is why we have not had any blog entries of which to speak. Monday and Tuesday were spent in reversion, tagging along with the Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports team as they practiced for the upcoming 96th running of the Indianapolis 500. The reason for this was that two of the groups we were scheduled to host fell apart at the last minute. Undeterred, we set out about Indianapolis Motor Speedway and shared the Kingdom Racing story of Christ in the various opportunities the Lord constructed and presented. They were many, momentary, and monumental. Click below to see photo albums from both days:

Come Wednesday however, it was back to the mission upon which God sent us here to do in the first place, to share His love with others. We brought in our second family in the Miles of Smiles program, much in the fashion of what we did on Saturday with the first group.

This group was smaller, a mother with her son and father, as well as a member of a local church that nominated them to attend as part of the Miles of Smiles program in the beginning. The program is certainly appropriately named. From the time the family arrived until the time they left, it would have been impossible to wipe the smiles from their faces as Kingdom Racing treated them to a day at IMS.

This particular family had been nominated due to an internal family tragedy. The devoted father had recently been sentenced to prison, leaving an amazing wife and two young children at home. The past couple of years have been incredibly tough for them, from the startling accusations, to the trial, the guilty verdict, the sentencing, and finally, incarceration of a man who loves his family very much, forced to leave those who love him as well.

What they needed more than anything else was time away to just be happy, spending a day among people who loved them and sought neither to judge nor pity. The ordeal they have endured over the past couple of years is unimaginable to most everyone and the story is incredibly painful to hear. These kids have to be away from their father for nearly six years. A wife and mother must make a home with an absence that was unexpectedly thrust upon the entire family.

The mother's dad joined them for the visit and himself told of the frightful ordeal. What was so amazing was the incredible testimony of them all as to the incredible support they have all received from family, friend, and stranger alike. What they initially felt was a sentence of doom and gloom has turned out to be but a minor glitch among life's odyssey.

It was enthralling to hear of the man's conversion and surrender to Christ upon being faced with time in prison. It was likewise inspirational to hear of the entire family's strength, faith, and fortitude when faced with an uncertain future. They had each put their faith in God that He knew the plan for them. They trusted in it and had never once waveredm bi natter how hard things got.

Up in the Davey Hamilton Racing suite, team founder George del Canto spent time with the family and shared the vision and mission of Kingdom Racing and how God was working through us in the INDYCAR Series. Emotions bubbled over. Tears flowed because the entire group could feel the presence of God as we shared His love with one another. This was a special instance. The family we were ministering with were already believers, but our afternoon served to fellowship with them and offer personal testimony that life in Christ can overcome all earthly adversity.

Later in the afternoon, we took the family down to the Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports garage and let them get up close and personal to the No. 77 car driven by Simon Pagenaud. The look on the young boy's face said it all. He was blown away by what he was able to see and do, standing there next to a real INDYCAR!

Following the visit, we got an email from the mother, proclaiming how thankful she was for the visit and how much fun she, her son, and dad had during it. We also got emails from her dad, thanking us for the opportunity to visit. It's odd. We should be the ones thanking them for the privilege, not the other way around.

All in all, it was an amazing day and certainly one of God's construct. He is doing amazing things in the INDYCAR Series this year, and not only through Kingdom Racing. Through the INDYCAR Ministry and other associated organizations, Christ is making waves in the series in 2012. It is a humbling honor to even be a small part of it. And to participate in events like we had on Wednesday show all involved that there is more to racing than showing up at the track and working on the setup of the car. There are many amazing stories to be had, and the ones we've been seeing glisten far more than any trophy ever could.

As Christ Leads,
Charles West
Team Director

Something miraculous happened on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Something didn’t go the way we’d planned! Rather, it went the way God directed. We see that a lot. And we’re always blown away when it happens. Today was certainly no exception.

Kingdom Racing had a scheduled meeting for 0900 hours, immediately following a wonderful morning INDYCAR Ministry chapel service led by Bob Hills and David Storvick and featuring the wonderful personal testimony of Indy Lights driver J.V. Horto, a young man rising through the ranks of the Mazda Road to Indy.

However, the meeting did not take place as planned. Instead, it was quite apparent that the people we were supposed to meet were already busy in their day’s labor and were not to be disturbed. To attend the meeting would have only delayed and distracted their activities.

Have you ever shown up for something only to find that there is no possibility of that thing you’ve planned out so perfectly happening at the moment you expected it to take place? The feeling manifested is certainly hopeless, like the cards are stacked against you no matter how hard you try.

But then God stepped in right at the moment we had nothing better to do. He sent someone before us who was familiar with Kingdom Racing and our mission, someone who had specifically been seeking us out since she arrived. She began to open up and ask for prayer regarding several recent tragedies in her life and even shared that she, too, was up here from Texas, working for an organization very close to us this season. As she shared her story, we knew immediately why our meeting had been cancelled. God freed us up to be able to openly fellowship with this young woman. Her story was tragic, but her faith in God was strong as evidenced in our discussion and prayer.

At lunchtime, we joined the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation for a guest hospitality event and were able to spend time with many people with limited physical abilities as they enjoyed a day at the Speedway. It never ceases to amaze to behold the incredible spirit of people with limited mobility. Each and every one of them offer inspiration and are true overcomers of adversity.

As you would know, today’s devotional (http://utmost.org/the-habit-of-enjoying-adversity/) centered around adversity and contained some great quotes.

“And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh.”

“No matter how difficult something may be, I must say, “Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this.” Instantly, the Son of God will move to the forefront of my life, and will manifest in my body that which glorifies Him.”

This thought was summed up by scripture: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:19

After sharing in prayer, we parted ways to face the rest of the day and go wherever God led us, and He led each of us to separate and surprising encounters with those He placed before us. We ran into assorted colleagues and other acquaintances in various scenarios that allowed us to share God’s love in our words and actions. Even in brief passing, we were able to fellowship and let others know the mission Kingdom Racing is on this season.

On the racetrack, the second day of practice continued for Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports and the Nos. 77 and 99 cars, and both turned great times and put in many laps in preparation for qualifications. The No. 99 car hit the track for the first time on Sunday and had no problem getting up to speed.

We acknowledge that it is the thrill and allure of racing that brings people to the Speedway. That is how God puts them before us. Once they are here, we pray for the right encounters to reveal themselves and for God to work through us in the Spirit of Christ. Amen. Amen. Amen!

As Christ Leads,

Team Director

It was an absolutely sensational day for Kingdom Racing on Opening Day for the 96^th Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway! God could not have graced everyone any better than He did today. The weather was perfect, the crowd was great, and our spirits were absolutely lifted high in His.

We started off the month of May schedule at Indianapolis by bolting right out of the gate on Saturday. There was no hesitation. Our main goal this month is to open our world to others and spread the love of Christ in a very personal and direct fashion. One of the many ways we have planned to do this is through a partnership with a group named Miles of Smiles, an organization formed to reach out into the community and bring people close to the Indianapolis 500 as well as openly share fellowship with them during their visit. We hosted our first Miles of Smiles family today and it was a rousing success.

Originally slated to be a family of seven, only five of them were able to join us, a lovely mother and her four children. The father and one daughter were suddenly met with other obligations. These wonderful people were nominated to the Miles of Smiles program as those who could greatly benefit from experiencing a day at the Speedway in true VIP fashion. Of them all, the mother was the only one who had visited the Speedway previously. For the rest, it was a fresh and exhilarating experience.

The cornerstone of the program is that the families get to spend the day alongside Kingdom Racing in Davey Hamilton’s Tower Terrace Suite, which offers sensational panoramic views of the track during practice. We brought the family immediately to the suite and became instant friends following an initial round of introductions. The young mother and her children made their way outdoors to the balcony seating to watch the action on track. The youngest daughter was immediately enamored with the racecars and watching them fly by down the front straightaway such that she whipped out her camera and cell phone and hardly ever quit filming and taking pictures during the entire visit. The rest of us sat and talked and we were more than happy to answer any questions that they had about the Indianapolis 500 and the Kingdom Racing mission.

We departed the suite and gave them a personal walking tour of the Speedway grounds, talking, answering questions, and generally becoming familiar with each other as we took in the amazing sights and sounds of Opening Day. Without fail, the young girl filmed every moment of the experience. We could all tell she was hooked on auto racing forever. A new INDYCAR fan was born! Her eyes stayed wide and bright all afternoon, as did those of her three brothers.

Later in the day, after returning to the suite for some refreshments, we asked the family to tell us what their favorite part of the day had been so far. The young girl responded immediately that the race cars were her favorite. The brothers agreed. But the response given by the mother told the entire story. She said her favorite part of the day was seeing her children all happy. It would seem that Miles of Smiles certainly delivered on its promise. Every single one of the kids wore an ear to ear smile all day long. And because of that, so did their mom. Mission: accomplished.

At the end of the day, when practice was over and it came time to say goodbye, the family gathered around and we closed the day in prayer. It was a beautiful moment and we knew that every life in the room was going away changed from our time shared with one another during the day. Promises were made to stay in touch with one another and it can be certain that the Miles of Smiles and Kingdom Racing families grew by at least 5 members on this Opening Day.

None of us can wait to see what tomorrow brings. It will be another day to share the love of Christ with others. This is our charge. God has something amazing planned, just as He did today. He brought smiles to the faces of kids and a mother that absolutely needed them. Praise God for that!

As Christ Leads,

Team Director

It is commonly said that the Indianapolis 500 is the Super Bowl of racing. This is untrue. Truthfully, the Super Bowl is the Indianapolis 500 of football. There have only been 46 Super Bowls. This year marks the 96^th running of the famed Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. The Race was cemented in American culture long before the invention of television brought the allure of football into homes. It is the one and only American Memorial Day Classic. It always has been and it always will be. The 500 cannot be compared to anything. Rather, other things can only be compared to it.

In the world of motorsports, there is no race more important, no day more spectacular than race day in Indianapolis. Its status goes beyond iconic.

Things have changed in incredible fashion for Kingdom Racing this season. For the past four years, the Indianapolis 500 has marked the beginning of our schedule and sometimes the end. Davey Hamilton has stepped out of the cockpit to become a team owner with Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports and, with Kingdom Racing alongside, we are all heading into Indianapolis having already competed in the first four races of the season. The No. 77 car driven by Simon Pagenaud enters the month of May fifth in the INDYCAR Championship points standings. At Long Beach, the team came very close to winning, showing the racing world they are definitely a contender to do so. The best is yet to come this season!

But that’s just the spectacle on the track. The Kingdom Racing mission happens off the track, away from the racing action. That is where we reach souls for Christ and fellowship with other Christians. Through our shared passion for motorsports, we have been called as witnesses for Him in the INDYCAR Series. And this season, we have seen God answer our prayers at every stop on the schedule, crossing our path with others in the name of Jesus Christ. Nobody has been more amazed than us at the incredible people He has put before us and the doors of opportunity He has opened to grow His ministry. When we come back around to the schedule in 2013, the Kingdom Racing ministry will certainly be an even more powerful testament to Christ’s love and devotion.

And so we come to Indianapolis. God has great things planned for us at Indy. For the first time we come into the magical month of May with a scheduled itinerary for reaching others with the Message. We have an absolutely incredible outreach program put together that we pray will deeply reach those in need of His love and compassion. We will be hosting many families and children at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, giving them VIP treatment, and spending time telling them the Kingdom Racing story of God’s love and the Salvation offered through the Good News of Jesus Christ. We will be reaching out into the Indianapolis community and taking the Message away from the track and into the hearts of those where God leads us. Indeed, it is an incredibly exciting time for Kingdom Racing and we cannot wait to get to Indianapolis to continue His work.

Please pray for us as we go through the month of May at Indy. Please ask God to place the right souls before us, for those hearts to be opened, and for the right words to come from our mouths as we share and fellowship with them. Check back here on a daily basis as we will be blogging the action and the mission work from the greatest race course in the world and the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the 96^th Indianapolis 500. And on May 27^th, tune in on ABC and cheer on the No. 77 of Simon Pagenaud and the No. 99 of Townsend Bell as they compete to write their names, along with those of Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports and Kingdom Racing into the record books of the famed Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. Finally, think not of the victory on that day, but in all the wonderful victories for God’s kingdom that happen the whole month throughout! Praise God!

Follow Kingdom Racing throughout the month of May at Indianapolis on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KingdomRacing, and Twitter: @KingdomRacing.

Charles West
Team Director