2009 News Reports are below - starting with Dec 2009 and running in descending order through Jan 2009 at the bottom.

December 2009

Dec 4-6        HSR Final Race of 2009 - Sebring

I want to give Ken Fengler, Race Director for HSR, and John Hursch, HSR Series Chaplain a huge thank you for inviting me out to take part in the final race of the 2009 season for HSR.  Although the weather was not very cooperative the first couple of days, there was still a large field of race cars present for the event.  Friday, John and I spent a lot of time getting aquainted with each other and walking around and talking with many of the drivers, crew, and car owners. John's heart for serving the Lord, his experience with Campus Crusade for Christ, his passion for motorsports, and his outgoing personality are a perfect match for Raceway ministry work. I certainly look forward to working with him more in the future.

November 2009

Happy Thanksgiving !!!

Nov 15       SCCA Fl Region at Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR)

Due to scheduling conflicts I could only get down to this event on Sunday, but it was certainly worth the effort.  There wasn't enough time to hold the Chapel service, however there was plenty of time for evangelism.  It was a very productive day spending time catching up with the great folks in the SCCA Florida Region.  God continually reminds me how this ministry is about so much more than a Chapel service, and He once again reminded me of it today.  God is good !!! (all the time....)

Nov  7-8      NASCAR Texas Motor Speedway

Most of you who read these updates already know that God works in fantastic ways.  This weekend was no exception.  All year I had been wanting to attend one of the Nascar events and get a first hand look at how raceway ministry work is performed at larger venues....after all there is quite a difference from a 2,000 person road racing event and a 250,000 person Nascar event....Because of funding and scheduling conflicts, it just didn't look like it was going to happen this year and I all but gave up on attending. 

Well, God once again reminded me of His awesome power.  About a week before this weekend I was asked to fly out to Texas on a last minute business trip.  It just so happened that the meeting was in Wichita Falls, TX and my flight landed at Dallas Fort Worth - only 20 minutes from the Texas Motor Speedway.  The meeting wrapped up on Friday and the races were Saturday and Sunday.  How about that for a "coincidence" !!!  .....but of course with God, there are no coincidences :o)

I contacted Dr. Roger Marsh, executive director of the National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries, who also happens to be the Chaplain for Texas Motorspeedway, and he was more than willing to offer me the opportunity to come out and work with his team; the fine folks at Texas Alliance Raceway Ministries.

This weekend can best be described as "sensory overload". The were so many great things about this weekend that I don't know where to start.  The ministry efforts and the subsequent relationship between the speedway and the ministry was amazing.  There were ministry (service) efforts planned for nearly everyone.  There were pinewood derby races, clowns, slides, coloring and other craft activities held for the kids.  There were horseshoe tournaments, a fish fry, and other activities for adults.  Coffee and danishes were delivered around to all of the security people on the night shift.  There were rides in golf carts for handicapped personnel, rides for those needing help at care centers, and of course several chapel services, concerts, and other activities as well.

Some of you may be saying what does all that have to do with serving God....well, every activity was centered around serving the community, and nearly all conversations led to introducing people to a relationship with Christ.  There is NO way I could ever put into words how God worked during that entire weekend and how many lives were touched, but I will say that every penny and every minute spent towards the ministry efforts this weekend was well worth it.  If you ever have the opportunity to work one of these events as a ministry volunteer, I highly recommend it.  

I want to saythank you to Dr. Roger Marsh and his entire team for their hospitality, their prayers, their support, and for their willingness to allow me to take part of it.......but most of all I want to thank them for their hard work and dedication to bringing God's word to the Nascar fans there at Texas Motor Speedway. They are a real inspiration. Keep up the great work !!!

October 2009

Oct 24-25         PBOC Daytona International Speedway

It was great to see a nearly sold out event once again.  If you are a regular visitor to this site, you often see my references to low turnouts, small fields, but this event was the first one in a while that showed a recovery to the awesome sport of motor car racing.  This event was also special in that the Viper club attended and put on a great show of driving skills and awesome equipment.  It was definitely a joy just to be there.....it's hard to have a bad day at what most call the "World Center of Racing".

We had a great service on Sunday.  Our newest Associate Chaplain, Wendy Packard attended and was a big help leading prayer during the service and helping to evangelize amongst all the drivers and crew.  She is really doing an awesome job and it is great to see her growing in the faith and following God's will for her life.

Two other potential "new recruits", Bob and Lisa McCann, also showed up on Sunday to take a first hand look at raceway ministry as it is performed on the roadracing circuit.  We are really excited about their upcoming involvement in raceway ministry.  Is God calling YOU to do more?

We all had a great time in fellowship....enjoyed an awesome time at the track....and most importantly - enjoyed serving God !!!

Oct 20             Stephen Zoeller Surgery

As some of you know, Chaplain Stephen Zoeller, was diagnosed with prostate cancer shortly before the Kids Racing for Life event. Today, Stephen underwent the knife today to have some major surgery performed.  Please put Stephen on your church's prayer list, on your personal prayer list, and lets all ask God for a speedy and thorough recovery.  Stephen and his "awesome" wife Stephanie are tremendous people of God, pioneers in Raceway Ministry, and we just pray for God's hand to protect them, keep them, and comfort them during this time.  

Oct 10       IRL Race - Homestead

It has been a while since I have had the opportunity to attend an IRL race.  I want to thank Chaplain Bob Hills of the IRL Ministry for inviting me down for this exciting event.  As you can tell from my website, I drive an open wheel race car, and attending IRL races is such a real blessing from so many perspectives.  The IRL races are the one event where I have to perform that self check and remind myself I am in it for the ministry, not for the racing.

Bob Hills is a great raceway ministry leader.  He is also a great counselor and a good person to bump ideas off of.  Although he probably doesn't realize it, he has really helped me quite a bit over the past 5 years serving in raceway ministry and I always appreciate the opportunity to be able to work with him and the rest of the great folks within the IRL ministry.   

September 2009

Sept 29           Raceway Ministry Volunteer and Chaplain Orientation Class

We held our first of hopefully many Raceway Ministry volunteer training classes at Christian Development Center here in Palm Bay, FL.  While the quantity of attendees was less than I had expected, the quality of the people God delivered was outstanding.  All of the people who attended have a great heart for serving the Lord and were definitely interested in learning more about raceway ministry and getting involved.   There will be other classes offered as well...so please stay tuned to the website to find out more about the dates, times, and locations.

I want to thank Pastor Stuart Rowan of CDC, for making the church available to us for the class.  I also want to thank my good friend and mentor Chaplain Stephen Zoeller and his son in law Trent for making the journey all the way from Ft. Myers to video tape and take part in the class.

We had a great session and I am excited about what the future holds for raceway ministry work !!!

Sept 19-20     SCCA Florida Region at Homestead

Action on the highbanks at Homestead.......We awoke Saturday morning on the infield of Homestead to rain, thunder and lightning.  Enough that the morning session was postponed for a little while.  Action resumed about 10:30am, and it was time to get to work.   We spent most of Saturday posting our chapel signs, inviting people to service on Sunday, and just catching up with a lot of friends we hadn't seen in a while.  The handout was on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and how it is a time of reflection on their actions and deeds from the prvious year, accompanied by a celebration of a time when God draws closest to them and blesses them for the following year.  It is quite an exciting time period in the Jewish calendar over the next week, ending with Yom Kippur.... and I encourage you to read about it.

Turnout for Chapel service on Sunday was poor, so whilst I was a little disappointed, God quickly reminded me that we aren't there just for chapel.  We are there to maintain God's presence throughout the entire weekend and we had such a successful weekend otherwise, that when we left late Sunday afternoon, we had a sense of peace that we were in the right place, obediently following God's will.  It was quite a weekend actually

Sept 13  Raceway Ministry Chaplain Dick Shank ascends to be with the Lord

Chaplain Dick Shank was the first associate Chaplain with Zoeller Ministries.  He led quite a life and was definitely one that gave more than he received.  He spent more than 20 years in public service as a House Representative and a Senator for the State of Indiana.  He later became a pastor, and spent a lot of time working with Hospice, introducing people to the importance of a relationship with Christ just before their passing.  Tune in to www.RaceRev.com to learn more about Dick and how great of a guy he was.  We pray that God comfort his family in this time of need and that we all can take a chapter from Dick's playbook - giving more than we receive.

Sept 11-13   Kids Racing for Life Event

The 11th annual Kids Racing for Life event was held this past weekend at Sebring International Raceway.  For the third consecutive year, it was co-sponsored by PBOC (Porsche/BMW Owner's Club) www.pboc-florida.com

A great time was had by all.  Despite the economy and inclement weather, we still hosted 150 people for this awesome event.  We had rain most of the day Saturday, but special thanks goes out to the fine folks at Sebring Int'l Raceway for working with us on leasing the Gallery of Legends building to keep all of the children and family members out of the weather.  The rain actually helped to keep things cool and the great thing about road racing is we run whether it is rain or shine....(not like my fair weathered Nascar friends... :o).   The kids had a lot of opportunity to take rides around the track on Saturday in the rain, and then experience it again at a little faster in the dry on Sunday.  They were treated to a variety of Porsche GT3 cup cars, Ferrari's, BMW's, Corvette's, Mustangs, and many other awesome racing and high performance street vehicles.

We had a great chapel service, God's presence was everywhere, and we just really celebrated a great event.  For those that have participated in the past, you know how difficult it is to put thoughts and feelings into words about this event....suffice it to say that many of the kids, families, drivers, volunteers, and everyone else involved were definitely touched and moved, and a great time was had by all.  I will post some photos later on this month.

Thank you to all of those who donated time and/or money to help put this event on.  May God bless you and reward you for your works.

Now it is time to get ready for next years event !!!

August 2009

Aug 21       Kids Racing for Life Event

The economy is hurting us all.  This years 11th annual Kids Racing for Life event is no exception.  We are definitely way short of our goals and have had to make some cutbacks to the program this year.  We are asking all who can give financially to send the money in as soon as possible (event is Sept 12-13 at Sebring).  We are also asking all who read this to pray for the event.  Each year God delivers what we need and we are trusting in Him always.

Aug 20        Preparations for upcoming Volunteer/Chaplain Orientation Session

I am really starting to get excited about the upcoming raceway ministry volunteer and chaplain orientation session. I spent most of the week preparing posters, public service announcements, contacting the newspapers, radios, etc....

I am trying to plant as many seeds as possible before the event, trusting in God to provide the increase. Please help us to pray that those whom God has called will hear and attend the event.

Aug 03          Palm Beach International Raceway - Kevin Malloy Celebration of Life service

A friend and talented racecar driver Kevin Malloy passed away from cancer this past weekend. He was only 38 and left behind a wife, 3 small children, and a lot of friends and family.  Palm Beach International Raceway hosted a celebration of life ceremony and there were more than 100 people present.  It was a wake-up call for many as the cancer moved and claimed Kevin's life very quickly. God tells us through his Word that we aren't promised tomorrow and to treat every day as a gift.  Being that today was my birthday, it was most definitely a wake up call to me.  As I watched the photo presentation of Kevin and his wife and kids through the years, I couldn't help but think of my wife and kids and all of the blessings God has bestowed upon me and my family.  Our days are precious gifts from God and it is easy to take them for granted, 

If you haven't declared your faith in Jesus Christ...there is no time like the present. You must do it NOW.....not sure how to do it.....click on "A PLAN 4 YOU" button on the left of your screen.

July 2009

God has laid it on my heart to set up a Chaplain training program to help gather more "laborers" to bring in "God's harvest".  We will be offering a free orientation class in August and have already begun preparations for this exciting event.  Click on the TRAINING button to your left to learn more about the training class.

Jul 28-29   NFRM Board Meeting in Nashville

Many of the Board members of the National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries (NFRM) gathered in Nashville for our mid-year board meeting.  This was my first face to face board meeting and to be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect.  Any time you get that many pastors in one room, you never know what will happen (LOL).   Actually the meeting went exceptionally well.  There was great input from everyone, many different raceway ministry groups were represented, and we laid out a pretty good plan for the remainder of the year.   One of the biggest focal points is the need for additional trained chaplains and volunteers.  There are hundreds of raceways and sanctioning bodies that would like full time, trained chaplains at their events and there just isn't enough of us to go around.  Is God calling you?

I had already started a template for the Chaplain training program we plan on using to support road racing here in Florida - so we made some modifications to it and incorporated the NFRM requirements. We will start the orientation and training sessions in September here in Melbourne, FL.  Please keep checking on this website for more information.  There is a "training" button on the top left of your screen - click there for more information.

Jul 17-19  PBOC at Sebring

It was great to be amongst the PBOC family again.  I hadn't seen many of them since February.  This was a weekend without scheduling conflicts, so Stephen Zoeller and Stephanie Zoeller were both there, and I tagged along to help and catch up with many of the PBOC folks.  Also we had our newest "Chaplain in Training" Wendy Packard and her family there to support as well.   As has been the case with many of the events this year, turnout was low - but a great time was had by all.  We were there in ministry "force" and did our best to maintain God's presence throughout the weekend.

One of the drivers was hurt in an on track accident on Saturday.  We visited him in the hospital, helped to contact his folks, and gave him a return ride back to the track.  It was a great time of fellowship in a difficult situation and he was thankful we were there to help him.  It's hard to do much when strapped down to a backboard.  Thankfully all of the MRI's came back negative and he was allowed to walk out of the hospital later that evening.  To God be the glory.

God continually reminds us the importance of this ministry effort.  It is not all about the chapel service, it is all about being "ministers" or servants of God and just being present there with a willingness to do whatever He asks us to do.

June 2009

June has continued to be a relatively quiet month from our raceway ministry perspective.  Stephen and Stephanie Zoeller (www.RaceRev.com) have supported the back to back weekends in Homestead with SCCA and PBOC, and my family and I enjoyed our time spent up in Myrtle Beach, SC visiting some old friends.  The next few months are shaping up to be pretty busy, so we are jsut about to wrap up the "calm before the storm". 

May 2009

May has been a much need time of rest and relaxation.  We have spent most of this month in prayer and just spending time getting closer to God.  You would think that doing ministry work, we would always be close to God, but without even realizing it, we can become so busy and preoccupied with our "works", that we end up not having time or we just don't take the time to get into our "prayer closet" and just focus on our personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. 

April 2009

April 24-26   SCCA Double SARRC at Roebling Road in Savannah, GA

Amanda and I headed up to Savannah this weekend for the Jim Stark Memorial Double SARRC (South Atlantic Road Racing Championship Series). When we left, we weren't really sure of what to expect.  We didn't have enough money, we were both worn out physically and mentally, and to be perfectly honest, we just lacked the motivation and energy to make the long journey up to Savannah.  Any of you ever felt that way when God sent you on a mission?   Well Amanda and I decided to practice what we preach....so we ate a little P-Soup.  We went to the Lord in Prayer.....we then applied some Patience...and waited on His timing......we then Persevered through our own issues and desires, setting them aside....and decided to follow God's Plan for our lives.  Whenever you are in doubt, just do what's best for the Kingom of God and He will take care of the rest.  He will never call you to do something he hasn't already prepared you for.

God confirmed we had made the right decision.  One of our friends from the racing community, Max of  Formula Cars East had passed away the week before and many people were appreciative that we were there to pray , provide counsel, and just be there as a representative of the Lord.  She had touched many of our lives - directly and indirectly, especially those of us that race open wheel cars.  We had an excellent turn out for services and we saw quite a few new faces in the chapel service as well.  We are definitely thanking God for the "increase".  I also had some time to speak with some fellow racers and share my testimony.  I was able to explain why I know that I know that God exists and the path to Him is through Jesus Christ.  Some "seeds" were definitely planted this weekend, and now God will provide the increase !!! 

After a full day of ministry work on Saturday, the Lord rewarded our commitment and He provided a "late night" sponsor who stepped in and paid the entry fee for Sunday's race.  We had not planned on racing at all that weekend but towed the car up to use as a display - ministry marketing tool. As I said above, my wife and I were both physically and financially "tired" so racing just was not in our plans.  God renewed our spirits, enthusiasm, and energy with a great day of ministry work on Saturday so Sunday morning we accepted God's blessing and I registered for the race.  I ended up spinning on the 3rd lap of qualifying and buried the car in the sand trap.  Fortunately nothing was broken on me or the car. The race was late Sunday afternoon, after Chapel service.  I had a decent start for a change and finished 2nd in the race. Once again, to God be the glory !!!

April 3-5        SCCA Double SARRC at PBIR (Palm Beach Int'l Raceway)

I initially started to write that I had a weekend off from my Chaplain duties this weekend, however as the words started flowing on to the page, I was quickly reminded that Chaplain duties....or more maybe better said...my work as a Christian.....never takes time off.  We should always remember that our actions, words, and lives are constantly touching and affecting others.  Our lives should always serve as a beacon of light that glorifies our relationship with Jesus Christ so strongly, that others near us desire some of what we have.  It should never take time off.

This weekend, Chaplain Stephen Zoeller and his lovely wife Stephanie handled all of the Chapel service arrangements.  My family and I were there and I finally had a chance to spend some time behind the wheel of the race car.  I finished 2nd in both races and I was really happy with the overall performance.  I qualified in the top spot both days, made some rookie mistakes (OK sophomore mistakes since I am now in my second year)  during both races and ended up finishing second each day.  I spoke with the first place finisher and it turns out he has been racing for quite a few years and has run 6 years at a professional level, so I don't feel too bad at all.  To be honest, just being out there racing alongside many of the same people that attend our chapel services is the real blessing.  Whether I finish last, first, or any where in between, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ is where the real reward is. 

March 2009

Mar 27          Palm Bay Christian Academy

I was honored to set up the Kids Racing for Life, Formula 2000 car on display for the Palm Bay Christian Academy's Trike-a-thon, supporting the St. Jude Childrens Research hospital.  I was able to spend a lot of time with kids of all ages telling them about being a Chaplain on the racing circuit, being a race car driver, and sharing the love of Christ with them.  They all had a chance to sit in the race car and "dream" a little of becoming a race car driver themselves.  It was an honor sharing the blessings of God with all of those kids, parents, and teachers and I look forward to being invited back again next year.

Mar 21-22     Strategy Planning Meeting in Tampa, FL

As many of you know, SERRMON is a ministry outreach of Zoeller Ministries, a 501c(3) non profit organization.  Each year, Chaplain Stephen Zoeller and I meet to discuss the overall goals and objectives for the ministry.  We refine our schedules, brainstorm ideas, identify our biggest needs, but more importantly we spend a lot of time in prayer -  asking God for direction, wisdom, guidance, energy, and a continued passion for doing His work on the roadracing circuit.  This year we were even more blessed as our wives were able to go with us.  We had an incredible time of prayer and planning and we are all really excited about what the Lord has in store for us this year.  

Mar 19     NFRM Board Meeting

Tonight was the Board meeting for the National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries (NFRM).  It is amazing to see how so many different raceway ministry groups serving so many different types of racing, can all pull together in one accord for God's kingdom.  The NFRM provides Chaplains and volunteers that minister to the needs of nearly all types of motorsports organizations.  They minister to the major racing organizations such as Nascar and the Indy Racing League. They also minister to the weekly dirt tracks, road racing, karting, and just about everything in between.  To learn more about the NFRM, please go to www.racewayministries.com

The primary goal of NFRM, SERRMON, and ZMM (Zoeller Motorsports Ministries) this year is to recruit, train, and certify ministry volunteers and Chaplains to support the thousands of racing venues across the United States.   Is God calling you to do more for His kingdom?  Do you have a passion for serving the Lord?  Do you have a passion for working with children?  Do you have a passion for motorsports?  If you answered Yes to any of these questions, please contact us NOW and see how you can become involved in the exciting ministry outreach.

Mar 5-8    HSR Sebring Endurace Challenge

This was a bittersweet weekend to say the least.  The sweet part is that the chapel service was standing room only, we met a ton of new Christians who enjoy motorsports, the weather was perfect, the car counts were close to last years numbers, and God was definitely present every where we went !!!  It truly was one of the best "ministry" weekends we have had. Stephen Zoeller was able to join us for part of the event and our friend Mark Steven of the Mark Steven band was there playing some of his original Christian music as well.  Again, it was just great to see God at work every where we went.

 The bitter part is that this event was the last regularly scheduled ministry event that we will be providing to HSR for quite some time.  Due to the struggling economy and the inability to raise sufficient funds, the ministry is having to cancel all events that require us to fly out of the area.  We are still supporting the "local" tracks such as Daytona, Sebring, Homestead, Palm Beach International, and Roebling Road....but for the events such as Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta, Miller Motorsports Park, etc.... these are all having to be cancelled until further funding can be achieved.

Because we are unable to support 100% of the HSR events, they had to find a new ministry that can be there for them full time.  As you can imagine, the relationship between the Chaplain and the people who attend the service is a very important one, and therefore consistency is the key.  It is important that the same Chaplain be at each and every event to build those relationships.  We pray that the new ministry will continue to meet or exceed all of the HSR racing famlilies needs, placing God first in all that they do.

We know that God's hand is on this situation and we ask you to pray with us.  We believe that God wants to continue growing this ministry and support our racing families across the USA.   If God has put it on your heart to contribute, please click on the "Our Needs" button or on the "Contact Us" button to your left.  Your donations are fully tax deductible and all amounts are equally appreciated.  God Bless.    

February 2009

Feb 13-15   PBOC at Palm Beach International Raceway

The economy is taking it's toll on the amateur racing community.  The weather was great, the facilities are great, the track is virtually brand new (only 6 months old), yet the car counts were down probably 35%.  Although the turnout was lower than expected, we did have a successful ministry event.  It was good to have Stephan and Stephanie Zoeller back out at the race track handling the services.  I opened up Sunday's service with prayer and fellowship, and then Stephen presented me with the National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries official paperwork in front of the "congregation".  That was a really nice way to do it and I appreciated it.  Being Valentine's weekend, Stephen prepared a message about God's Love for us and spoke about how God is consistently using this ministry to accomplish His tasks.  We do this work to follow and serve the will of our Lord and Savior, and not for our own glory...but sometimes it is nice to be reminded of the "victories" achieved by God through this ministry as it helps to keep us persevering through, reaching those that are "lost", and helping others find their way.

Stephen's eyes are starting to really bother him again, so please help me lift him up in prayer for a complete healing.  Through our relationship with Jesus Christ, all things are possible.

Feb 5-8  Porsche Club of America (PCA) 48 hours of Sebring

This was our second year providing services for this huge PCA event.  I am told it is the largest gathering of Porsche race cars in the United States and second in the world only to the one held in Germany each year.  This race is attended by pro, semi-pro, and amatuer drivers from all over the world and they really put on a great show.   As a kid growing up, I was in love with Porsche, so to be able to bring God's Word to that racing community really is a huge blessing to me.

PCA selected our Kids Racing for Life program as their charity of choice this year and we had a very successful event raising much needed funds for this years upcoming KRFL event in September.  We were also blessed with a near full house at service on Sunday, and once again my friend Mark Steven of the Mark Steven band came down to play some live music before the service.  He and my wife Amanda again performed beautifully the praise and worship songs during service...and God was most certainly present.  We had an AWESOME service !!!....Praise be to God.  Click on the "Sermon of the month" button to your left to read the outline of the message preached "ARE YOU READY?".  

Feb 1     National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries (NFRM)

I was formally elected to the Board of Directors to the National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries.  What an opportunity.  The NFRM consists of raceway ministries from all sorts of motorsports - including Nascar, Indy Racing League, NHRA, and virtually all other forms of professional, amateur, and club racing.   It is our goal to place a Chaplain at every race track in the country and with every racing organization in the country.  A big task, but with God, all things are possible.

January 2009

Jan 24-25   Rolex 24 hours of Daytona

This was the first Rolex we have missed in 10 years.  I have to admit that it was really disappointing to me to not be there.  That is where Stephen Zoeller and I met about 5 or 6 years ago and started the relationship that now has us bringing God's Word to the racing community all over the Southeast United States.

The real estate became so valuable inside the track that we no longer had any space donated for the chapel service.  Two years ago we moved the chapel service just outside of Nascar turn 1 at the entrance to the new tunnel just to maintain a presence there and we actually had quite a few people who would leave the infield to come out there to attend service.  This year, funding was so tight that we could not obtain credentials, we could not have any space, so we ended up not attending.   As I said above, it was really disappointing.  I would ask you hold us up in prayer for the funding and for God to reopen the doors for us in Daytona for that event.  

Jan 15-18  PBOC Winterfest at Sebring

This was the 15th anniversary of PBOC's Winterfest and there were absolutely no signs of a tough economy.  While car counts may be down at some other events, nearly every group was full and they actually had to turn some people away due to the high car counts.  Needless to say, it was a great weekend.  The weather was cold... OK, cold for Florida... with night time lows in the 30's and highs in the 50's but it made for perfect weather conditions for the race car drivers.   One of the highlights was the 6 hour endurance race that went into the night.  There is just something special about being at the racetrack during a night race.

The chapel service on Sunday went very well.  My good friend, Mark Steven of the Mark Steven band came out and played about 1/2 hour set of all original Christian music before the service, and then he and my wife Amanda played a couple of praise and worship songs before the service.  There was a great move of God in that service and I would have enjoyed just sitting back and hearing them play.  The live music really added a lot to the service and is something we will have to hold up in prayer for 2009.   The message preached during the service is available on this website...click on the Sermon of the Month button to your left, then on January 2009.

January 3-5  SCCA Double National at PBIR (formerly Moroso)

Stepen and Stephanie Zoeller (www.RaceRev.com) were the chaplains on hand for that event, however I did manage to drive down on Sunday morning to attend the chapel service and help out any way that I could.  Attendance at the service was excellent and we started laying the groundwork for some exciting things that are about to happen in 2009.  You will have to stay tuned to find out more as they progress.....