Shepherd, a born again Christian who serves as a lay minister to the racing community, is a former full-time Cup Series and Xfinity Series driver who won four Cup Series races in 517 starts over. Todey, Shepherd is a born again Christian who won't touch a drop of alcohol, but he still has strong feelings for Wilkes County: there were a lot of moonshiners and racers that came out of those.
![]() OBITUARY: John Andrew Andretti, 56, of Mooresville passed away January 30, 2020 surrounded by his wife and three children. John was born in Bethlehem, PA and raised in Brownsburg, IN. He attended Moravian College where he received a degree in Business Administration. John was a loving husband, father, and friend to all who crossed his path. He had a strong faith in God and was a devoted Catholic. He cared deeply for the children of Riley Hospital and raised nearly $4.5 million through his annual Race for Riley event, which he began in 1997. He was known for his profound work ethic, witty sense of humor, and love for his family. He never shied away from hard work, the opportunity to help someone else, or a fast car. As he always said: “you don’t have to be the smartest, the fastest, or the strongest – you just have to work the hardest.” John was one of the most versatile drivers of his era winning in go-karts, USAC Midgets, Sprint Cars, Prototypes, GT Cars, IndyCar, NASCAR and Drag Racing. He also set a land speed record in 1993. In a professional career that spanned from 1982-2012, he would never formally announce his retirement, as he always said he would drive again! His final race was in 2012 at the 50th Anniversary of the 24 Hours of Daytona with his son as his teammate. John used his Colon Cancer diagnosis to help others, starting the #Checkit4Andretti Campaign to encourage people to be screened earlier. Over the years, countless people have mentioned that they, or their family members, got screened due to his campaign. There have been more than a few that found pre-cancerous tumors or caught cancerous tumors before they were able to spread. John is survived by his wife of 32 years, Nancy Andretti; their children, Jarett, Olivia, and Amelia; his parents, Aldo and Carolyn Andretti; his siblings Mark Andretti (Diane), Carolyn Andretti Molander (Scott), Mary Jo Andretti Dial (Bobby), and Adam Andretti (Tabitha); as well as many loving family members, friends, and colleagues. He was especially close to his Uncle Mario and cousin, Michael, whom he lived with during his college years. The family will receive friends on Monday, February 3, 2020, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM followed by Eulogy and Prayer Service beginning at 7:00 PM at St. Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville, NC. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, February 6, 2020, at 1:00 PM, at Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM prior to the Mass at the church. Private burial will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to: Window World Cares Riley’s Children’s Foundation James Funeral Home of Huntersville is serving the family. www.jamesfuneralhomeLKN.com ORIGINAL INFO: John Andretti has passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 56 years old. Andretti ran 393 Cup races from 1993-2010. He had two wins, 13 top fives, and 37 top 10s. Andretti revealed a diagnosis with Stage 4 colon cancer in April 2017. He described the peaks and valleys of treatment as a “chemocoaster” and disclosed that the disease had returned and spread last May. Even in the face of adversity, Andretti made a point to raise awareness for routine check-ups during his updates, using the hashtag #CheckIt4Andretti to spread the message. (NASCAR.com) Statement on the passing of John Andretti #CheckItForAndrettipic.twitter.com/ku3gX2neOq — Andretti Autosport (@FollowAndretti) January 30, 2020 NASCAR statement on the passing of John Andretti. pic.twitter.com/ye1yDbfmLo — NASCAR (@NASCAR) January 30, 2020 Posted by Richard Petty Motorsports on Thursday, January 30, 2020
Although many applaud the prayer meetings in NASCAR circles, not everyone is willing to tolerate Christian values on the race track.
Indeed, NASCAR driver Blake Koch is being persecuted for his faith.
Following California’s Royal Purple 300, Koch sat just 28 points out of the top 10 driver standings—but he was forced to race with a blank car after losing his primary sponsor because of a controversy over his Christianity.
Koch had partnered with The Rise Up and Register Campaign, which works to educate people on the importance of voting in the 2012 elections. But ESPN would not allow the ad to air because of its so-called political and religious overtones.
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“I didn’t think that my faith in Christ would have an impact on whether or not a sponsor could air a commercial or not,” Koch told Fox & Friends on March 29. “The one thing I will not do is deny my faith just because a particular sponsor might not like the way I express my faith, which I do on my own time.”
Going into the race last weekend in Dallas, Koch would have been forced to park his car without a primary sponsor. As soon as ChristianCinema.com heard about Koch’s dilemma, the company stepped up to sponsor him. Koch was then able to race at the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at the Texas Motor Speedway last week.
“It shows me how much God has His hand on the situation that He would bring along ChristianCinema.com at just the right time,” says Koch. “I’m excited about how they encourage families in their faith, which is extremely important to me. God is always faithful!”
But the battle is not over. Koch still needs a primary sponsor for the remainder of the season and ChristianCinema.com has started the #KeepBlakeRacing campaign to bring awareness.
“We’re excited to support Blake and his stand for his faith,” says Bobby Downes, CEO of ChristianCinema.com. “This is a great opportunity to keep him racing and at the same time bring awareness about Christian movies that reflect family values.”
ESPN could not immediately be reached for comment.
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Great Resources to help you excel in 2019! #1 John Eckhardt's 'Prayers That...' 6-Book Bundle. Prayer helps you overcome anything life throws at you. Get a FREE Bonus with this bundle. #2 Learn to walk in the fullness of your purpose and destiny by living each day with Holy Spirit. Buy a set of Life in the Spirit, get a second set FREE.
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