Drag boat fans let’s turn the calendar back a little. It’s Saturday afternoon and the “Beautiful Noise” Top Fuel Hydro thunders to a 5.20 second run at a speed of 241.96 mph. The first Top Fuel Hydro to ever run over two hundred and forty miles per hour in the history of the sport. What a beautiful run. What a way to cap off Saturday’s qualifying at the first IHBA race of the 1997 season.
A beautiful noise can be described in various ways. To some it’s the crack of a baseball leaving a bat on its way to a home run. To others it may be the swish of a basketball as it only touches the net. And to millions of motorsports fans, it’s the sound of an internal combustion engine that makes lots of horsepower. And to those who remember the owner and driver of the “Beautiful Noise” TFH, Tom Cantrell; his life was a beautiful noise to all that knew him.
In 1991 when I attended my first IHBA race in Castaic, CA, the excitement of the ear piercing noise at the races was greatly anticipated. I had not been to a drag boat race in many years and was very much looking forward to my first drag boat race as the new IHBA chaplain.
I was instructed to meet several key people upon arrival. These people would welcome me and help get me started at this race. The likes of Kyle Walker, Freddie Bray, Johnny Moto, Alan Reinhart, Jeff Wolf, Lois Flint, Jack Podesto, and Tom and Laurie Cantrell would be the initial people to get me jump-started, open some doors, and begin some new relationships within the drag boat community.
My thoughts, goals, and prayers were simple: Keep my eyes totally focused on the Lord, not just the beautiful boats, not the beautiful bodies (in those days skimpy bikinis were the in thing), not the beautiful noise that would emanate from the powerful Top Fuel Hydro’s, and not on the announcers who would be mentioning my first RFC chapel service at the boat races.
The boats were wild. The people were wonderful. And the noise was music to my ears. As humans, we’re blessed with keen senses, but we’re limited compared to God’s senses … especially His infinite wisdom and supernatural understanding of the world and what goes on in it at all times.
God knew everything that was going to happen at my first race: Who I would meet, how the boats would run, what my message would be about and how it would be received by those attending chapel, and the lasting relationships that would develop from that first race.
If you know the Bible, Jesus spent plenty of time around boats during His ministry (boats powered by man and wind). He called a few fishermen from the Sea of Galilee to be His first disciples. He spoke and ministered from their boats. He rode in their boats with them. He even walked on the water during a storm to a boat filled with His disciples (who were at first scared at His amazing appearance), but were glad when they heard His beautiful words calm the wind and the seas.
God was at the first drag boat race that ever took place. He was definitely at the first one I attended, and He’s been at everyone since, and He’ll be there every time you or I show up at another one. So when you race, He’s there. He’s in your pit with you. He’s even in the seat with you … unless you have chosen not to trust the Creator of the universe as your Savior.
Why trust Him? Your life is a gift from Him. He has blessed you to race and drive your boat. He’s brought you people and finances to support your racing effort, so you might as well acknowledge Him as part of your life and racing team.
One of my favorite pieces of Scripture (especially pertaining to racing) is Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. And in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” Straight paths is what we all desire in life, and especially when racing a drag boat.
During the past seventeen years at the drag boat races, God has brought plenty of beautiful people and breathtaking circumstances into my life. Each of you reading this column fit into that category and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
God not only has complete authority over the universe (yes, I know at times terrible things happen that may make you wonder where He is), He has complete authority over every driver, every crewperson, every race, every association, every race course, and even over every artist that paints these beautiful boats we love. God allows many things to happen that are not in His perfect will, but you still have to trust that His portrait of your life will be a beautiful (and eternal) one from the starting line to the finish line.
The dictionary says beauty means “The quality of an object of sense or thought that arouses admiration, approval, or pleasure; a particular trait, grace or charm that pleases; an object possessing beauty, especially a woman.” A drag boat can be called beautiful in many ways, because of its beautiful paint, beautiful design, beautiful appearance on the water, and the beautiful noise emitted from the exhaust headers.
To God, a drag boat is also a thing of beauty, since He is the Author of all things. He’s the One that gives mankind the skills to build, assemble, drive, and paint the finishing touches on a craft that is to be enjoyed by so many people.
Each of us enjoys the beauty of an object in various ways. That is why there are so many different types of racing and sporting activities. We all have different likes and dislikes, and what is appealing to one may be appalling to another.
With that in mind, a beautiful noise to a racer is: The sound of a normally aspirated engine purring like a kitten. The sound of a supercharged engine overflowing with horsepower, or the sound of a nitro fueled engine that makes such an incredible amount of power it literally shakes the ground. How about when the announcer speaks about you as you prepare to make a run? One of the best and most relieving sounds is when Rescue says over the radio “He’s okay!”
What then is a beautiful noise to God? It’s the footsteps heard walking with the Lord. It’s the beating of a humble heart. It’s the tender voice of a gentle spirited believer. It’s the confident prayer of a mature Christian. It’s the Word of the Lord being shared with a friend. It’s your pastor giving a sermon that touches home. It’s hearing about someone receiving Christ as Savior. And it could be the Lord speaking about you, “Well done good and faithful servant.”
The revelation of the revealing of God’s salvation is music to the ear of a person who has been searching for real meaning in life. Even after winning a world championship in drag boat racing, some are heard to say, “Is this all there is in life?”
Everything “beautiful” that man creates will eventually fade away and be out of date or out of style. But, there are billions of Bibles and many beautiful (and accurate) translations of the Word of God that proclaim the two thousand year old gospel of Christ. It’s still relevant today and will never be out dated or go out of style.
Can you hear a beautiful noise in your own life? The gospel really is the most “beautiful noise” your ears have ever heard. Christ came as a beautiful baby, lived a beautiful life (sin free, but not pain free), gave up His life on a not-so-beautiful cross, buried in a borrowed tomb of a beautiful believer, and was wonderfully and beautifully raised on that beautiful resurrection day we celebrate as Easter Sunday.
In the days of Jesus, a sacrifice was made with a beautiful lamb … not a pitiful lamb. To make a beautiful noise for the Lord means to always give Him your very best, by wholeheartedly committing one hundred percent of who you are to Him.
Sounds play a very important role in our day-to-day life. Our ears are an incredible tuning devise, and as such, many crew chiefs tune their engines by the sound it composes. The noise of an engine evokes a special sound. The noise of a human voice evokes a special sound. And the voice of God evokes a beautiful message of timeless love and encouragement to everyone within ear-shot of His voice.
“Your beauty and splendor have everyone talking …” (Psalm 145:5 MSG). My friend that drove the “Beautiful Noise” TFH is no longer with us on earth, but what he is hearing in heaven makes all the earthly sounds of no value. Therefore, value is in hearing God speak to you, and then it’s your turn to speak those beautiful and valuable words to someone else.