Lucas Perruquon - Drive For Jesus

Ever since I was little, I have been passionate about cars thanks to the movie Cars. At the age of 7, I said without hesitation, that I wanted to become a “NASCAR* driver” as an adult.

Later on, my grandparents took me every summer to do rental karting. Thanks to them, I discovered the thrilling sensation of speed and a taste for competition. These experiences strengthened my passion for motorsport and shaped the evolution of my dream.

*NASCAR: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing

However I was always told that this dream was not for me, that it was impossible to achieve because I didn’t have the means or the right background.

So throughout my youth, I kept this sport as a simple hobby, which I practiced at my grandparents’ place, while turning to much more accessible disciplines such as football, where I was a goalkeeper, tennis, and basketball.

Then, at the age of 19, I changed course to prepare to join the 8th RPIMa*, in the French Army. Serious and determined, I was focused on this new goal until I attended, without any real conviction, a weekend of worship and prayer organized by “Vision 1.”

*RPIMa: 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

At that time, I wasn’t interested in following God. I always put it off, telling myself I would think about it “one day.” Yet I had grown up in a Christian family. I knew He existed, because I had seen Him at work in:

• The miraculous healing of my aunt who suffered from multiple sclerosis

• The profound transformations in the lives of my brother and my father.

Until the day God touched me personally, changing the course of my life forever.

During this time of prayer, as I sat apart, a man I did not know, named Darius, asked me what my dream was—which you must know now. He then said to me: “Don’t stop yourself from dreaming.”

It was this sentence that introduced me to God. I understood at that moment, that He was speaking to me through Darius, and his words instantly brought back the dream I had buried.

However, there was something different. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t going to try to control what might happen, because I chose to follow God blindly and move forward in faith in the destiny He had for me. So I dared to live this dream, because nothing is impossible for Jesus.

A few moments later, I told my mother that I wanted to become a pilot. Unsurprisingly, she began to panic inside. At that moment, Darius arrived and said to her: "Don’t worry, the Father is taking care of everything."

From then on, my mother and the rest of my family supported me. For my part, I began to read the Bible and give up my addictions.

The path has not been easy: swearing, for example, is still a struggle. But I began to pray, go to church, and above all, let my heart be transformed step by step. Above all, I declared with my mouth that Jesus was my Savior, and that He died on the cross for my sins, and I received the Holy Spirit within me. Today, I am learning day after day to have a relationship with HIM.

During the summer, everything accelerated. I participated in several rental karting races, then an unexpected opportunity arose: a test day with a competitive karting team. This team quickly became my own—Team Raceberry.

By the grace of God, they are located only twenty minutes from my home. They store my kart and take it to the circuits during my race weekends. This is an invaluable help, unimaginable just a few months earlier.

At the end of the year, I competed in my first three races with my own kart. I gained immense experience: learning to compete on the track, to handle pressure andmistakes, and to improve. Each race was an other step towards what Jesus had planned for me.

On this journey of faith, God surrounds me with precious support.

My parents are an invaluable support in this project. They support me morally and spiritually at every stage. They also share this adventure with me fully. They regularly accompany me to races and are always by my side. offering strong and constant support. They also provide me with individual help with administrative procedures, particularly with putting together the sponsorship file and setting up an association. Without their commitment and support, this adventure simply would not exist.

I have also met wonderful people who had a profound impact on my journey:

Renaud was the very first person—and moreover a non-Christian—to reach out to me in this environment. Along with my family, he was among the first to help me, give me valuable advice, and train me himself in karting. He provided me with a full set of equipment, including an excellent helmet, and even gave me a steering wheel and pedals for my simulator. He has supported me from day one and will continue to do so.

Marie quickly became indispensable to the project, facilitating connections, opportunities, and encounters from the very beginning.

Finally, I had my helmet painted. It’s a powerful symbol. On the sides, in clearly visible letters, it says:

Because today, I no longer ride just to win. I ride by faith. I ride with gratitude, and above all, I ride with the conviction that with Jesus, NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE.

* Carl Lewis: an American track and field athlete, specializing in sprinting and the long jump (nine-time Olympic champion and eight-time world champion).