Racing legend Ned Jarrett shared his testimony Sunday at the Motor Racing Outreach (MRO) church service in the garage area at Martinsville Speedway. “Gentleman Ned” as he was known as a driver has an incredible on-track record (2 Championships, 50 wins, and membership cards to countless Halls of Fame) which pales in comparison to his life off the track.

 

                He shared of his early life in a Christian home and the reaction of his father when Ned decided he wanted to join the world of perceived “bootleggers or just a bunch of fools who didn’t have any better sense than to get out there and risk their necks.”

 

                His father presented a challenge to Ned: “he said, you can’t participate with that group of people and build respect with your fellow man. My dad always tried to teach his children to build respect. Whatever you do in life, do whatever you can to try to build respect.”

 

                “He made me work harder than I would have ever dreamed to try to prove to him that it doesn’t matter who you associate with, that you can build respect.”

 

                Jarrett talked about God’s presence even when he “went by the wayside” and how God has always been there for him: “he’s there every time you need him; everywhere you need him.”

               

                Racing stories were part of his talk, Jarrett shared about a violent Daytona beach accident that nearly claimed his life. He shared an amazing story where God took a broken back in a 1965 Greenville, S.C. racing injury and turned a six-week recovery taking a few days with good physical conditioning, a good attitude, a good doctor and prayer. 

 

                The doctor had explained the two weeks of therapy at the hospital and a few weeks at home needed before he would be able to get back to racing. Jarrett explained driver points, prize money and his employees and the importance of him being back behind the wheel of a race car.

 

                The doctor asked him what the latest he could stay in the hospital and not lose ground on the 1965 championship battle.

 

                “If I can walk out of here Wednesday afternoon by 4:00”, said Jarrett.

 

                The doctor said, “it is not humanly possible”.

 

                “At 4:00 that Wednesday afternoon I walked out of that hospital with a brace they made for me. I’ll boast here, we went on to win the championship that year and won the Southern 500 – by 14 laps.

 

                “God really works in great ways.”

 

                He went on to share how that 1965 injury had a positive impact later in life.

 

                “That fracture is still there, it never healed and I have to get up every morning to exercise to stay mobile. Funny how God worked in that way, to get me hurt.

 

“When I started having heart problems in 2002, the exercise program they put me on for my heart problem actually helped with the exercise program I was already doing as far as my back was concerned.

 

“He (God) just worked it around where it all worked for each other.

 

“It’s amazing how He can work in our lives if we will just let him.”

 

                He concluded his comments with some talk about sacrifice:

 

                “We all make sacrifices in our life, you are making sacrificed every weekend and it’s tough,” he told those in the audience, predominantly those who travel weekly in NASCAR.

 

                “I went through all of that for many, many years and sometimes felt sorry for myself for the sacrifices I had to make to do the job that we had to do.

 

                “One day, I realized those are not sacrifices. Yea, they are in a small way but they are nothing compared to the sacrifices that Jesus Christ made for all of us - when he gave his life on the cross so that we might be forgiven of our sins.”

 

                “That; is a sacrifice folks,” concluded Jarrett.