Josh McDowell and NASCAR Team Partner to Promote Inspiring, True Movie 'UNDAUNTED'

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Oct 31, 2012, 02:25 ET

DALLAS, Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Supporters are literally racing to help promote the inspiring faith film UNDAUNTED: THE EARLY LIFE OF JOSH McDOWELL, which launched on DVD this month. NASCAR team MacDonald Motorsports; author and film producer Jeff Elliott; and film distributor EchoLight Studios team with Josh McDowell Ministry to highlight the film at Saturday's O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at the Texas Motor Speedway with on-car promotion, DVD giveaways and special appearances by McDowell with drivers and race fans.

"The opportunity to reach NASCAR's vast audience with UNDAUNTED's message of hope and the power of forgiveness is truly awesome," said McDowell, a world-renown Christian apologist, author and humanitarian. "I know this story of finding faith and God's love through the most challenging circumstances will resonate and spread word of the film to many who need to hear about it."

UNDAUNTED: THE EARLY LIFE OF JOSH McDOWELL is an award-winning, "pull no punches" docudrama. A dysfunctional family life, an alcoholic and violent father, and a sexually abusive worker on the family farm contributed to deep scars in McDowell's life, causing him to deny God's existence. UNDAUNTED unfolds the dramatic spiritual transformation that occurs when Josh faces his past head-on and puts everything in God's hands. Produced by Moonlit Pictures, UNDAUNTED is distributed by EchoLight Studios.

The NASCAR opportunity for UNDAUNTED weaves a fascinating story in itself. Many members of the MacDonald Motorsports team have long supported Motor Racing Outreach (MRO), which offers chapel services for NASCAR drivers and teams. Inspired by the UNDAUNTED story, MacDonald Motorsports truly stepped up by making the car available through a sponsorship package to gain awareness for the film, and Josh's story of God's love.

Enter Jeff Elliott, a retired Illinois firefighter telling an overcoming faith story of his own. Elliott wrote a book and has now connected to SOUL SURFER producer Dutch Hoffstetter to make HOOVEY, a film about his son miraculously recovering from brain tumor surgery and eventually achieving his dream to play college basketball. Working with EchoLight Studios, which has green lit HOOVEY based on the true story, Elliott learned of UNDAUNTED and the NASCAR opportunity. He immediately felt compelled to help underwrite the cost of the sponsorship.

"A story like Josh's—of faith winning out over adversity—just touched my heart because in my family we needed that same faith as our son faced brain surgery," Elliott said. "I'm proud to be a part of bringing Josh and UNDAUNTED to 'NASCAR nation.'"

With the sponsorship, McDowell gains a rare opportunity to encourage NASCAR teams at the Motor Racing Outreach services this Saturday before the O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge, part of NASCAR's Nationwide Series. And in addition to other exposure, McDowell will also lead Sunday's MRO services before NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500, and be on hand for the race, meeting drivers, teams and fans and encouraging them with his story.

"Being able to take advantage of this NASCAR opportunity—people coming together to inspire and uplift—is exactly the kind of story EchoLight Studios was created to share," EchoLight Chief Global Strategist Christopher Morrow said. "What a privilege it is to partner in bringing the vital message of UNDAUNTED to NASCAR's millions of fans."

UNDAUNTED is available now through such leading online and retail providers as ChristianCinema.com, Amazon.com, CBD, Family Christian Stores and Walmart among many others.

About Josh McDowell
Since 1961, Josh McDowell has crisscrossed the world sharing the Good News about Jesus with the Josh McDowell Ministry under the umbrella of Cru (the U.S. division of Campus Crusade for Christ International). He has spoken to more than 25 million people, through 26,000 talks, in 125 countries. Josh has written or co-written more than 138 books including New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, named by Christianity Today as among the most influential Christian books of the past 60 years. In addition, Josh's humanitarian relief efforts have sent more than $46 million worth of aid to help children in the former Soviet Union. Learn more at Josh.org.

About MacDonald Motorsports
MacDonald Motorsports owner Randy MacDonald has been around NASCAR circles since 1985, when he began his own racing career with the loving support of his father "Doc" and his mother, Pat MacDonald. As a NASCAR driver, Randy was successful in making it all the way to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The MacDonald family became NASCAR team owners in 1986 and have fielded cars in all three of NASCAR's elite series following faith-based principles.

About EchoLight Studios
EchoLight Studios is the first vertically integrated Christian movie studio to offer production financing, marketing and distribution across all releasing platforms. Based in Dallas, EchoLight produces and distributes high-quality faith and family-friendly entertainment through a full film distribution platform servicing theatrical, home video, digital/VOD and broadcast in both U.S. domestic and international markets.

For interviews, contact: Michael Conrad [email protected] 214-616-0320

For more information about:
UNDAUNTED                             EchoLight.com/undaunted
EchoLight Studios                    EchoLight.com
MacDonald Motorsports          MMS81.com

For film clips and trailer, visit: http://www.ChristianCinema.com/undaunted http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/undaunted

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