MRO: Providing a family feel with racing ministry

When most racing fans think of Motor Racing Outreach, they think only of invocations and church services. But MRO, founded by pastor Max Helton in 1988 after a chance meeting with Darrell and Stevie Waltrip, serves the racing community in a variety of ways.

In addition to the religious aspect of the organization, the MRO compound acts as a central community center for the drivers, crew members, wives and families at the track each weekend. There are scheduled activities for children and adults. In addition, the chaplains and staff members act as counselors and liaisons.

It's all about building relationships within the racing community.

So what does MRO do during a typical race weekend? I traveled to Darlington Raceway to meet up with the MRO staff and learn a little more about what goes on behind the scenes. Sprint Cup lead chaplain Tim Griffin had the weekend off, but Nationwide Series lead chaplain Lonnie Clouse was gracious enough to allow me to follow him around the entire weekend.

Clouse is only one of a handful of hard-working MRO employees at the track every weekend. Husband and wife team Monty and Melanie Self are anywhere and everywhere around the motorhome lot at any given time, as Melanie is in charge of the women's and children's ministry -- with loads of help from Connie Champion -- and Monty handles operations for the touring series. Jacob Meetze is the chaplain for the student ministry.

In addition, MRO president and CEO Billy Mauldin Jr. keeps an active hand in the weekly operations of the non-denominational, non-profit organization, and there are a number of other staffers stationed in North Carolina who handle office duties and help out on the road. Plus, the organization couldn't function without the help of volunteers at the track.

Not suprisingly, MRO's weekend mirrors that of the race teams. It begins from the time the haulers enter the facility and doesn't end until they are ready to depart after the race.

WEDNESDAY
MRO's three recreational vehicles -- a main community center/classroom facility and two motorhomes used to house the staff -- are driven down from North Carolina and parked in one corner of Darlington Raceway's Sprint Cup motorhome lot, around the permanent playground on site. They'll be a hub of activity for the extended NASCAR family for the next 72 hours. In addition, there's a golf cart for MRO use, which will rarely sit idle.

THURSDAY
Noon: While the crews are getting cars and equipment from the haulers in the garage area, the MRO team is just as busy. Melanie and Connie are setting up the play area outside of the community center, while Monty and Jacob are putting away the provisions for the weekend in the refrigerators and cabinets of the sleeping quarters.

Because of dust from traveling, every toy -- from the large playsets to each piece of doll furniture -- has to be wiped with a cloth before it can be set up. That tedious task falls to Melanie and Connie, as the children's program starts in less than five hours.

"If we could find a way to keep the dust from getting inside the trailer, we'd be rich women," Melanie says.

For the most part, only babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers are in the family area on Thursdays, as all but one of the families does home schooling. The other children attend public or private schools, and don't usually travel to the track until the weekend.

"We don't see the bigger kids until Friday," Melanie says. "This is going to be a busy weekend because it's Mother's Day and we're close enough to Charlotte to where most of the families will come down for the weekend."

The dolls and toys are all donations or purchased by MRO through its fundraising efforts. While most are new, the team has a great eye for garage sale bargains in order to maximize their fundraising efforts. There's a dollhouse and pretend kitchen, stuffed animals, dress-up clothes and more die-cast cars than you can count. This week, there's a new play rug with a race track motif that's sure to get a workout before the weekend is over.

"Moms love it because they can bring fewer toys with them on the road," Melanie says.

12:30 p.m.: Lonnie returns from his first trip through the Nationwide garage and helps the other two men put away the last of the groceries and supplies. It's the first race since Kevin Grubb's suicide in a Virginia hotel, and Lonnie wanted to make sure he was available first-thing, in case any crew members or fellow drivers who knew Kevin wanted to speak about it.

With Sprint Cup lead chaplain Tim Griffin taking the weekend off, Lonnie is pulling double duty at Darlington. He'll handle both chapel services -- with a Mother's Day theme, the services will center around two Bible verses dealing with love and marriage -- and shuttle back and forth between the two garage areas in case he's needed.

Jacob Meetze

Lonnie and Jacob discuss sleeping arrangements in the one motorhome. Jacob decides to take the bedroom in back, leaving Lonnie the front bunk over the cab. But there's a tradeoff. The back of the motorhome is separated by a chain-link fence from the infield RV lot, meaning Jacob will be sleeping only a few feet away from a bus full of fans that blares loud music from a stereo system all night long. It's a good weekend for earplugs, although Jacob will later claim that the noise wasn't all that bad.

1 p.m.: Jacob's busy setting up the television, DVD and stereo. All three units are outfitted with satellite television dishes, and this particular motorhome will serve as the hangout for tweens and teens throughout the weekend. While Melanie and Connie are busy with the younger kids during the race Saturday night, it's Jacob's job to interact with the older ones, which means board games, video games, card games and sometimes even a trip off-site to go-kart tracks and the like.

"I keep up with a lot of kids when we aren't on the road," Jacob says. "We have a Bible study group one night a month in Concord and one at the Nemecheks' in Mooresville."

Monty Self

In addition, Jacob handles a media chapel, mainly for the television crew, and Melanie hosts a women's Bible study group.

"It's all about the highs and lows with family members and everything in between," Lonnie says. "It's every facet of life here."

Lonnie's other passion is road cycling. His bike is parked next to the motorhome, and if he can break away for a few hours, he'd like to get in a good practice session out on the highways around Darlington. He's planning on taking part in a 100-mile ride -- the "Assault on Mount Mitchell" -- with Bobby Labonte and crew chief Doug Randolph, and wants to make sure he's in proper shape.

2 p.m.: Lonnie grabs the golf cart and heads back to the Nationwide garage while Monty makes sure everything's where it needs to be.

"We're basically self-contained all weekend," Monty says. "It's pretty well organized. We get things straightened up and it pretty much flows like clockwork after that."

5 p.m.: With Darlington less than three hours from Charlotte and no on-track activity planned, most of the drivers and their families will remain at home, so Melanie and Connie find themselves with a fairly quiet evening. That's OK, because the next two days will more than make up for it.

FRIDAY
9 a.m.: With the exception of Melanie, who's fighting back spasms, the rest of the MRO team has been up for several hours. Lonnie's back from a 36-mile, two-hour solo bike ride in the country. His trip was temporarily interrupted by a short thunderstorm, during which he took refuge under an oak tree. He grabs a bowl of cereal and checks his BlackBerry for messages. There's a constant flow of text messages and e-mails, so Lonnie uses every spare moment to keep updated. Thanks to advances in communication, the entire MRO team seems to be in constant contact with people in the garage, back in Charlotte and with each other through Facebook and other social networking tools.

In addition, he's working out the "talking points" to his sermon.

"Because we're non-denominational, we hit on the basic tenets of the faith," Lonnie says. "We stick to the major theological points."

A graduate of Appalachian Bible College in West Virginia, Lonnie met his future wife -- a daughter of one of the professors -- there. He's two classes shy of getting his master's in religion from Liberty University's distance learning program.

His first job out of college was as a residential counselor and house parent for the Youth For Tomorrow youth home founded by Joe Gibbs.

"Bobby Labonte would come on campus, hang out and give talks," Lonnie says. "So we started following him."

When MRO was looking for someone to head up its student ministries program, Gibbs gave Lonnie a glowing reference. Now lead chaplain for the Nationwide Series, Lonnie's been with MRO for 10 years. But his first exposure to what would become MRO came many years earlier.

"[MRO founder] Max Helton was a pastor in Hawaii about the time my father started churches there," Lonnie says. "They were good friends. I was born in Hawaii, and Max held me after I was born. So there's a common thread."

The real success to MRO, in Lonnie's opinion, is that everyone on the staff loves and respects each other. And even though the program has a religious foundation, it's primary focus is to support drivers, crew members and their families during a grueling schedule that runs all but a few weeks of the year.

"We're just like a race team," Lonnie says. "There's trust and commitment. None of us can take all of the credit for the success of the program. You're only as good as your weakest link.

"We're here to assist and minister those who want and need support. But for those who don't, we're here to love them."

Lonnie Clouse

9:45 a.m.: It's Bobby Labonte's birthday, so Lonnie takes a moment to text message him a note.

9:55 a.m.: We're careening through the infield on the golf cart, as one of Lonnie's stops is the infield care center, where he stops for a few minutes to chat with the NASCAR and track medical personnel. He's the liaison to the families in case of a medical emergency, something he hopes won't be necessary this weekend.

10:05 a.m.: While waiting for cross traffic to clear, Lonnie whips out the BlackBerry and finds out he needs to meet someone at the No. 5 hauler in the Nationwide garage.

10:10 a.m.: All of the golf cart spaces next to the Nationwide garage are full, so Lonnie tries to park next to an equipment truck. No dice, as a track security guard comes over and says the truck needs room to pull out. Instead, we head to the other side of the road and find a space in between two RVs.

10:15 a.m.: The garage is a busy place, but as Lonnie passes through, crew members and NASCAR officials stop him to shake his hand and chat. He checks with the people at the hauler and they say they didn't ask for him. He checks the message again. Right number, wrong garage. We dash back across the busy thoroughfare, packed with RVs, golf carts and fans, and head back to the Cup garage.

10:25 a.m.: Lonnie meets with a woman who has survived hundreds of surgeries stemming from being run over by the family car as a child. She's written a book about her experiences and positive outlook, and will be speaking to the women's study group.

It's only mid-morning in May, but the temperature has climbed into the 80s and the humidity is quickly rising. "It's going to be a scorcher," Lonnie says.

10:40 a.m.: The guest speaker needs to pick up some medical supplies at her car, so everybody hops on the golf cart and we head out to the general parking lot outside the track. On the way back, we stop at the row of merchandise haulers so her husband can pick up a few souvenirs for the boss back home.

11:05 a.m.: It's back to the infield care center to drop off the medical supplies, and Lonnie checks his messages again. Then it's back to the MRO compound, where Melanie's feeling much better and has everything in place for Mother's Day art activities. She chats with the guest speaker while the rest of the group breaks for lunch.

1:30 p.m.: Just like the crews in the garage, MRO has a team meeting, a weekly devotional time/pep talk. President and CEO Billy Mauldin is on hand for this one. It's a chance for the group to discuss any logistical issues, make sure all their plans are in place and voice any concerns. In addition, the team takes turns at reading motivational books and presenting each chapter to the group as an oral report. Billy says he'll read the next chapter for the All-Star Race weekend at Charlotte. The meeting concludes with a prayer.

1:55 p.m.: One little girl is busy making a Mother's Day gift, a hand-painted trivet. There is a small playground next to the MRO compound, and as clouds build up to the west, children are beginning to play on the swings.

2:30 p.m.: While Melanie heads out with devotionals to deliver to the haulers and motorhomes, Connie's busy printing flyers for upcoming events, including the Coca-Cola 600 and a cookbook filled with recipes from wives and mothers. When it comes to MRO, multi-tasking is the norm rather than the exception. With laptops and portable printers, the tables in the sleeping quarters double as office space.

2:45 p.m.: The art center area is a big hit, as children stream in to make trivets, button refrigerator magnets and hand-painted wooden jewelry boxes.

2:55 p.m.: The wind is picking up and the rain is imminent, so Melanie and Connie rush to pull as many toys inside the community center as they can. It's a good thing, because the skies open up no more than 15 minutes later.

3:10 p.m.: While Melanie and Connie stay dry inside with one precocious young boy who insists on using an entire palette of markers to draw his latest masterpiece on the whiteboard, the rain peppers the roof of the community center and fills the canopies.

4 p.m.: The rain finally lets up, and Monty and Jacob return in the golf cart. They were setting up equipment at the Nationwide meeting tent when the storm hit and had to ride it out there. They grab a few more mic stands and get ready to drive back while Melanie and Connie begin to dry off the toys and art tables.

4:15 p.m.: The storm has taken its toll on the Darlington infield, as huge lakes now cover what once was asphalt roadways. One puddle comes nearly all the way up to the floorboard of the golf cart, which is now able to leave a wake as it rolls slowly through the water on its way back to the Nationwide garage.

4:20 p.m.: While water streams underneath the rows of chairs in the tent, Monty is up front, helping a local Christian praise band with its mic check. They'll perform during the chapel service, which will be held immediately following the Nationwide drivers meeting in 25 minutes.

4:45 p.m.: The water is receding nearly as quickly as it rose, and drivers and crew chiefs are tiptoeing through the remaining wet areas to take their places. Lonnie stands to the side of the tent with NASCAR president Mike Helton and NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton. Nationwide Series director Joe Balash motions to Monty to turn on his microphone, and the meeting begins.

4:53 p.m.: Lonnie gives the invocation and mentions for the assembled group to keep the Grubb family in its prayers.

4:55 p.m.: The drivers meeting is over. Monty goes through the remaining crowd with chapel bulletins. This week's quote is from Lawrence Housman: "If nature had arranged that husbands and wives should have children alternatively, there would never be more than three in a family."

4:58 p.m.: It's about as quiet as an open-air tent in the middle of a racing garage can be -- the noise from the jet dryers on the track, not withstanding -- as the chapel service begins with an opening prayer, followed by the song Mighty to Save from the praise band. Lonnie sits to one side, singing along.

5:07 p.m.: Lonnie begins by thanking the mothers in attendance, then starts his talk by asking the question, "What does love mean to you?" The theme of the sermon is about wanting what's best for the object of your affection. He'll repeat the same theme in a slightly different fashion during the Cup chapel service the next afternoon.

5:23 p.m.: The praise band finishes the final song, ending the service. While crews go back to work in the garage, the MRO crew heads back to the compound, where Jacob's busy, grilling hamburgers on a portable gas grill in between the motorhomes. Lonnie snacks on boiled peanuts and talks about how he prepares for the chapel services.

"Sometimes the two chapels are totally different," Lonnie says. "I jot some notes down, but I feel I make better eye contact when I don't go word-for-word. [Sprint Cup chaplain Tim Griffin] and I have similar styles. We both like to tell stories. It helps people to relate to the teachings in a practical and relevant way.

"But we know everyone's here first and foremost to race. That's the priority."

6:20 p.m.: While Lonnie goes to the Nationwide grid to chat with each driver before the race, the MRO compound begins to fill up with families enjoying a warm but still sticky spring evening.

7:15 p.m.: While driver introductions are under way no more than 50 yards away, Melanie pulls out a large pail of vanilla ice cream and kids quickly form a single line in front of her. Before they can eat, they have to wipe their hands with a moist towelette, which in some cases loses the battle with playground sand. The majority of the children choose a cone and multi-colored sprinkles, and it's not long before they're more sticky than when they started, forcing the women to begin a second round of hand-wiping.

7:48 p.m.: The noise level increases exponentially as the Nationwide race gets under way.

8 p.m.: Lonnie sticks in a radio earpiece and heads for the Nationwide garage to be available in case a crew member needs to chat. He switches back and forth between the radio broadcast, NASCAR race control and in-car communications between several of the drivers.

8:15 p.m.: A handful of teens pile into the motorhome to play Monopoly with Jacob. Before the game starts, Tyler predicts he'll win. After a couple of hours of trading properties, building hotels and landing in jail, Tyler winds up the winner.

Outside, parents talk while their children continue to play. But as dusk turns into night, the compound begins to empty out, signifying the end of a very busy day.

With a few additional volunteers on hand, there are now 10 MRO staff present, which will make for even more crowded sleeping arrangements.

SATURDAY
8 a.m.: It's another hot and humid day in South Carolina. Lonnie starts his morning by meeting a group of riders at a bike shop in Florence and completes a 30-mile ride.

11:45 a.m.: Lonnie stops by the media center to talk with some of the writers already on site. Back at the compound, Connie's fixing lunch.

Noon: Jacob heads out for the media Bible study.

1:30 p.m.: Cup wives meet at the community center for the women's Bible study and their guest speaker. It's a smaller group than normal, Melanie says, because at least four of the regulars are busy cooking meals for husbands and/or crew.

In Melanie's case, working for MRO for the past 10 years has been like "running off and joining the circus." When Monty retired from the Air Force after 23 years, the two weren't sure what to do with their lives.

For Melanie, the women's and children's ministry is almost a perfect fit, because she understands the lifestyle NASCAR wives face with their husbands on the road every weekend, especially young ones with children at home.

"I don't know how to do anything but move every three years, so I can relate to these women," Melanie says. "We lived out of a suitcase, so it was a natural transition to go to this. I have a real heart for women who have husbands with careers like this."

She says her primary goal is to be supportive and perhaps act as a role model.

"It's all about being creative and how to be a family under these circumstances," Melanie says. "I try to encourage them to think of it as having the luxury of going to work with their husbands. There will be bumps in the road, so I try to remind them to don't ever quit."

Following the Sprint Cup circuit on a weekly basis may sound like some people's dream job, and Melanie admits there's a lot of fun to it, but it's hard work.

"It's not quite as glamorous as you would think," Melanie said. "This is harder work than anything I've ever done in my life. But about the time you wonder if it really matters, something happens to reassure you."

3:15 p.m.: The compound is a hub of activity, as parents and children are relaxing before the day gets to be busy.

"This is just like the community center in a neighborhood," Melanie explains. "It's a place for everyone to hang out. Just without the tennis courts and pool."

A swimming pool would have been a capital idea today.

Inside the relative coolness of the motorhome, the youth group is busy playing video games and Uno with Jacob.

3:35 p.m.: Four members of the South Carolina National Guard's 169th Fighter Wing stop by the community center with a plastic crate full of toys and games, a donation from the squadron. Melanie and Connie welcome them with open arms and many thanks.

4 p.m.: Lonnie returns from the garage area as preparations for the race are proceeding normally.

5:20 p.m.: While children are outside painting gifts for their moms, the Cup drivers meeting begins in a large tent on the other side of the chain-link fence.

5:40 p.m.: A prayer leads off the shorter Cup chapel service.

6:35 p.m.: Connie hears that Jeremy Mayfield has been suspended by NASCAR. Apparently it's "big trouble."

6:45 p.m.: As pre-race ceremonies commence, Jacob and Lonnie head out to pit road. They'll try to stop and talk with as many drivers and crewmen on the grid as they possibly can. In some instances, it's nothing more than a handshake and wishes of good luck. In others, it's a quick moment of prayer.

6:50 p.m.: The crowd of more than 60,000 lets loose with a torrent of boos. It must be Kyle Busch's turn to be introduced.

7:10 p.m.: Lonnie stops to chat with Dale Earnhardt Jr. before he climbs into his No. 88 Chevrolet.

7:15 p.m.: Tony Stewart and members of his team gather around Lonnie, heads bowed for a moment of prayer.

7:20 p.m.: The signal is given for drivers to start their engines, and Lonnie scrambles in front of the final couple of cars in line to give a hand signal to each driver inside, just seconds before the pace car pulls away.

7:40 p.m.: With the race set to begin, MRO's children's ministry gets into full swing. Jacob's back at the motorhome with the older kids. They're playing Guitar Hero. The younger kids are in the community center with Melanie and Connie for the MRO Bible Club. They'll keep busy until their parents come looking for them at the conclusion of the race.

8:30 p.m.: Lonnie hears on his radio that Michael Waltrip has spun, and heads for the golf cart in case he's needed at the infield care center. But Waltrip is able to continue.

10:05 p.m.: Another caution. It's Clint Bowyer, who crashes hard on the backstretch. His car is trashed and he's taking the mandatory trip to be checked out by doctors, so Lonnie leaps onto the golf cart and gets to the infield care center almost as quickly as the ambulance. Ten minutes later, Bowyer exits the care center, more angry than hurt, since his streak of consecutive races completed has come to an end.

There are a few more incidents, but no other drivers need treatment, so Lonnie returns to the garage area in case anybody needs to talk after the race.

11 p.m.: With 70 laps to go, Mark Martin is on his way to victory. And things are wrapping up at the MRO compound as well. Monty, Melanie and Connie are already gathering up the toys and are in the process of packing the community center for the drive back to Charlotte early the next morning.

And by next Thursday, the Motor Racing Outreach compound will be ready to go in a different location. Same people, same problems, different venue. Thirteen weekends down, only 26 more to go.

In the month of April, Motor Racing Outreach's income dropped from an average of $125,000 a month for the first quarter to $40,000. That's not uncommon, especially during tax season, but this was more drastic than expected. Unfortunately, because MRO is strictly a non-profit organization, it can only operate at a level where expenses do not exceed income.

If you'd like to make a donation to MRO, contact them at www.go2mro.com or call 704-455-3828.