6/20/2018
Thunderbird Speedway
Thunderbird Speedway Driver of the Week!
Luke Leatherman
17L GRT B-Mod
Home: Muskogee, Ok
Sponsors: Fast Wrecker, Hailey and Lloyd Jewelry, Tonto Environmental, Cedarville Garage, Reaction Wraps, Victory Motorsports.
Leatherman is a name that most fans and other drivers are used to hearing around a racetrack. With such a large impact on the racing community its odd to hear the Grandson of the 50+ year veteran of the sport Danny Leatherman, just started racing four years ago. It was His last year in high school when a major change in the young man’s life steered him in a new direction. A new B-mod had just been built and that’s when he was offered the chance at driving for the first time. “They bought a race car, and they were like, Hey! Do you want to race it?”. Luke laughed about the exchange. “I was like…Well Yeah!”.
During his early years it was his Grandfather Danny that was one of biggest influences in his life. Luke remembers when Danny would come pick him up and take him where ever he was going, the two were inseparable. He taught him to run heavy equipment at a young age, even though his parents didn’t totally condone it. “Whenever you were with grandpa you could break whatever rule there was”, Luke said. This led to hard work at age 13 hauling hay, and learning the respect only your grandpa can teach you. The two now share pit spots side by side along with Dustin Leatherman and Heath Weston, both Luke’s cousins. You can find the whole family at the track on Friday nights looking for the fellowship and fun that is only found at a dirt track.
During the same time Luke started racing, he started attending school at Oklahoma Baptist University in the Pastoral Ministry program, “I felt the call to ministry”, “I still talk to my friends from high school, they’re still shocked about what I’m doing today”. He is currently finishing his last year and already has acquired the position of Associate Pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Harrah, Oklahoma. “Its been the biggest blessing in my life”. “I don’t even want to know where I’d be without Christ and what he did in my life”. Luke said.
Now with his new found love for church and helping others find their way, Luke blended racing and church to create his organization Victory Motorsports. He quotes First Corinthians 15;57, “But thanks be to God, he gives us victory through our lord Jesus Christ”. “I might not ever win a race, but I got a victory through Jesus Christ, that’s the biggest race Ill ever have to win”. Between racing and working at church, there’s church camp, mission trips, and anything else he can do to help spread the word of God.
Being a third generation racer, Luke is looking forward to the reopening and success of Thunderbird Speedway, and being able to do both racing and serving the Lord. Friday night racing gives the 21 year old time to do both, and he has fun in the process. “Winning is also fun, we will eventually experience that.” Luke laughed.
If you ever get to tour the pits, make sure to stop by the 17L pit and say Hello. You’ll be sure to laugh as this pit seems to have a lot more fun than some of the others. It was smiles all around during this interview, mostly about the stats that Luke has put up over that last several years. “Oh about 50 a-arms, plenty of sheet metal”. Luke said. The new driver has a lot of experience to learn from, and could possibly be one to watch as the seasons pass by.
Your Driver of the week, Luke Leatherman.
Article Credit: Jesse Webb
Submitted By: Thunderbird Speedway
