By LARRY [email protected]
Thanks to a Mooresville-based pulpit,Christians here and all across thenation now have the opportunity to
spread their ministry through the sportingworld’s fast lane.
Area-based Jesus Christ Racing Ministriesis presently in the process of gearing up itsvoice to be ever-so-present on the racetrack, getting its message prepared first tocompete in the ARCA Series before reachingwhat it hopes will be the ultimate congrega-tion when arriving full speed ahead atthe sport’s premiere NASCAR NextelCup Series level.
“We are a ministry first andforemost,’’ stressed LoydTeakell, sprint car driver andthe one steering the wheelon the team’s No. 7 FordFusion. “We want to makethat perfectly clear. We areusing racing and our race-car to help spread the wordof God to all Christians. Godhas called me to be an evan-gelist. He has given me avision of ministry that con-sists of an all-Christian rac-ing team.”
Teakell and wife Renee, who make up thebulk of the team, are also making it possiblefor all Christians to have a direct hand in onthe team. After working hard to secure spon-sorship for their Jesus Christ RacingMinistries to make the team’s presence onthe track a reality.
“We have worked hard to get a sponsor,”noted Teakell, “from Christian and non-Christian businesses. Their response hasbeen that Jesus is bad for business. We arecoming to Christians of America because weknow your business is all about Jesus andsaving souls to further the Kingdom of God.”
The Teakells, who have been making per-sonal appearances at churches and at othergatherings throughout the Mooresville and
surrounding area, have visions of makingtheir team known in the wide realm of rac-ing. It is a way, they believe, of helpingspread the word they represent.
Under the current plan, Jesus ChristRacing Ministries is asking for all Christiansto set aside $1 per week to help with theteam’s sponsorship cause.
“With this dollar,’’ Teakell revealed, “wewill take your heart with us to the NASCARracing world and reach the lost with the loveand saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
There are rewards aplenty for all aidingthe case.
The top 10 churches and businesses eachmonth will secure a spot on the team’s racecare for at least one of the races that are heldduring that month. The top 50 giving
churches or businesses of a given month willsecure a spot on the organization’s haulersthat transport the cars and show the vehiclesduring races and revivals.
Every church or other related outlet thatcontributes to the ministry each week willhave their name listed on the team’s officialInternet web site as a sponsor.
“We are a non-profit organization,’’stressed Teakell. “We are an advertising busi-ness, which allows all of the giving to be taxdeductible. God has called us to be mission-aries. We have given up our lives, sold every-thing and given to the needy to follow Jesus.This ministry is our life.”
In order for the team, which uses JackRoush chassis and Robert Yates engines, toqualify for the NASCAR premier level of
CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK
Sports FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2006 MOORESVILLE TRIBUNE
BCLASSIFIED ADVERTISINGinside
By LARRY [email protected]
Mooresville’s Justin Isaacs cameup just a tad bait shy of contendingfor top age division honors duringthe course of this fall’s annualNorth Carolina Bass AnglersSportsman Society’s Junior StateChampionship.
Held once again on LakeNorman, the weekend event drewtop level junior anglers from allacross the state competing in a pairof age brackets all looking to lockup just the one berth within each toearly next year’s BASS JuniorClassic. Only the top finisher ineach age class merited that honor.
Mooresville’s Isaacs cast his reelas a participant in the field’s 11-14age division. An older group, madeup of those 15-18 years of age, alsocrowned a class champion.
For Isaacs, he came up just shy,although he did garner some timein the spotlight. He fished the dayof the event and hooked 1.09
pounds of Lake Norman bass, atotal that was good enough for athird-place finish in his age brack-et.
In the younger of the twogroups, a catch of 2.14 poundshauled back to the official weigh-insite by Taylorsville’s Bubba Cribbearned him that group’s top brag-ging rights.
In the older division, Charlotte’sShane LeHew boated what turnedout to be the day’s largest bag, bassthat checked in at 8.5 pounds for atotal that landed him that class’ pre-mier billing.
As a result, it is Cribb and LeHewwho were able to use their show-ings in the state tournament to gar-ner the invite to the BASS JuniorClassic that will take place earlynext year in Alabama.
The field all gathered for fishingon Lake Norman, which has estab-lished itself as the near yearly hostof the N.C. BASS Junior StateChampionship event. All anglersbegan the day under take-off tem-
peratures below the freezing mark.Despite clear skies and a lightwind, the degree for the eventnever inched higher than 60.
The young anglers, with adultboat operators on board, took off at7:30 a.m. to start their day of com-petitive fishing. Weigh-ins startedat 3 p.m. sharp.
Once again, the Queens Landingaccess area off N.C. Highway 150west of Mooresville served as thestate attraction’s official headquar-ters. In addition to the host site, alsoserving as major sponsors of theaffair included Hendrick Auto-motive Group, Blythe Construction,and Concord Mills Bass Pro Shop.
LeHew used his keeper catch tosecure his age group’s top honors.That left Charlotte’s Courtney Doverto settle for second place with a totalweight of 5.3 pounds. Tyler Teer ofBurlington emerged as the oldergroup’s third-place finisher with atotal bag weighing 3.11 pounds.
In the younger age class, PHOTO COURTESY NC BASS
CLASSIC BOUND: Bubba Cribb (left), Shane LeHew to cast lines in national event
Mooresville angler just misses boat in state tourneyLAKE NORMAN FISHING
OFFICIALS CLINIC
MRD blowswhistle forall referees
By LARRY [email protected]
Mooresville Recreation Depart-ment Athletic Director DarrinHucks is downright serious aboutassuring that the fast-approachingyouth basketball season is full offun for everyone involved.
With the conclusion earlier thisweek – just yesterday in fact – of theregistration season for all players,the assigning of those signed-upplayers to the various team rosters,the designating of all youth coachesto their respective squads and thescheduling of all the league coachesmeetings combine to completely fillup Hucks’ hectic agenda.
However, he has made it a pointto take the time he deems neces-sary late this weekend to concen-trate on one area that is of particu-lar concern.
Sunday beginning at 4 p.m.sharp, Hucks will be the one coordi-nating a mandatory officials clinicthat will involve all those wishing toserve as game referees within any ofthe youth leagues being conductedthis season through the MRD.
“We are encouraging and expect-ing,’’ stressed Hucks, “all veteran andall new officials to attend. The mainthing we want to do is have them allon the same page as far as what wehere at the department will be tryingto do this season.”
The required gathering will beginat 4 p.m., taking place in the WarMemorial Building that houses theMRD offices. Use of the facility’sgymnasium will be available, as allofficials attending will be acquaint-ed with proper positioning andtechniques during the session.
While basic basketball rules gov-ern play in the various leagues thatcater to youth ranging in age from5-17, there are various and sundryspecific rules relating to each of theleagues that will also be coveredand discussed in detail during thesession. Seasoned basketball offi-cials with prior high school andlimited college level experiencewill be among those providing theinstruction throughout the affair.
“We will have officials on handto provide input,’’ noted Hucks.“That will prove vital to what wewant to accomplish. We’re notgoing to go into detail about everyrule and violation. We’re going to
See HUCKS on Page 2B
See JR ANGLERS on Page 2B
LNHS WRESTLING
Wins early, late pad Wildcats win streakBy LARRY SULLIVAN
Wins early in the match and,especially, late, allowed LakeNorman High’s wrestling team toextend one early-season streak andembark, hopefully, on another.
The Wildcats picked up favorableoutcomes in three of the first fourmatches of the night and then closedwith similar results in the final twomatches to outlast host Hopewell
High of Huntersville, 41-35.The decision stretched to three
straight the number of wins for theWildcats and also earned themtheir first triumph secured on theroad.
With the win, Lake Normanimproved its overall record to the 3-2 level, each of the three wins com-ing after the Wildcats opened theseason on a two-game losing skid.The verdict was also the first securedfor the ‘Cats on the road in three
outings so far this early season.In picking up the win, the
Wildcats prevailed in seven weightclass bouts overall, making themost of forfeits and wins by pin-falls to help reach their final win-ning point production.
For the guests, logging in withwins by pins worth six team pointsapiece included Tom Guerin at 285pounds and Jimmy Vogel at 125pounds. Handed wins by forfeitthat each also carried six-point
values featured Jacob McNeill at215 pounds, Colby Fischlein at 103pounds, Ben Cloninger at 130pounds, and Danny Jones at 171pounds.
Also for the guests, Jamie LaMachearned a decisive win by technicalfall in his 160-pound clash.
Lake Norman looks to continueits current winning ways when par-ticipating in the West Stokes Dualstabled to take place throughout theday tomorrow (Saturday).
RACING WITH A VISION
TEAM TO SPREAD WORD ON THE FAST TRACK
See TEAKELL on Page 2B
HAUL IT ALL: One of team’s tractor trailers at all sites
Provides local path for allChristians far, wide to contribute
Gathering designed to putrefs’ all on the same page
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LOYD TEAKELL/JESUSCHRISTRACINGMINISTRIES.COM
PREACHER’S SEAT: Driver/minister Loyd Teakell dons uniform beside powerful pulpit used to fuel team’s mission
