Jan 29-30                 Rolex 24 hrs of Daytona

As most of you who regularly check in to this site know, this is a very special event for Amanda and I as this is where it all started for us.  We had attended the Rolex 24 hour race for a quite some time as spectators and then about 9 years ago we saw the "sign" from God.  It was posted above the restroom urinal.  Yes folks, God can speak to you anywhere....even in a public bathroom in the infield of Daytona Int'l Speedway.....you just have to listen to Him......  That sign told us about a chapel service to be held on that Sunday morning in the infield and we just knew we had to be there.  My great friend Chaplain Stephen Zoeller with Zoeller Motorsports Ministries was holding a chapel for the spectators and Amanda and I attended.  From that fateful day 9 years ago - our relationship with raceway ministry work began.    Click HERE to learn more about our history and how we started.

This year we were once again invited back by our friends at Central Florida Raceway Ministries to hold the chapel service for the fans.  Grey Scofield and his team of volunteers have done an awesome job of providing ministry support and guest services to the fans at Daytona for a long time now, and this year was no exception.  This year the Rolex 24 chapel for the fans was not only back in the infield, the speedway allowed us to use the media room right outside the entrance to the fan zone.  It was in a perfect location - central for the fans - it provided a quiet place of refuge from the "noise" of the racing and gave us an awesome place to worship the Lord and hear His word.  We are very thankful to the speedway for making the facilities available, and to Central Florida Raceway Ministries for allowing us to be a part of the service.

Another blessing this year was that Chaplain Steve Kearney from Motorsports Ministries (series Chaplain to Grand-Am racing series) took some time from his busy schedule to open our services with a word of prayer.   It was really special in that there were 3 different Raceway ministry groups, each from different backgrounds, all in one service, and most importantly.....all focused on the same thing.....honoring God, following God's plan, and not that of our own.  It really was an awesome service. 

If you plan on attending next year's Rolex 24 hours race - PLEASE look us up.  We will be back in the media room, located just next to the entrance of the FanZone - 9:30 am Sunday morning.  We hope to see you there.

Jan 15                   Winterfest             PBOC             Sebring, FL

Winterfest is PBOC's largest event of the year and we are always excited to be a part of this event.  Most of you may recall that PBOC is the largest sponsor of the Kids Racing for Life program, and they have also been the hosts for the event for the past 4 consecutive years.   Without their support, the hardwork of the team, and the generosity of the organization and all of it's members, the Kids Racing for Life program would not exist...at least not in it's current form.

Wendy Packard, the newest Chaplain addition to Zoeller Ministries was on hand to provide all of the chapel services, assist with registration, raise much needed funds for the KRFL program, plus just about anything else she was asked to do.  I was honored that she asked me to come over to perform the "Celebration of Life" memorial service for a long time cornerworker/sound person - Berta Sanger.  Berta touched a lot of lives in her time at the track and her impact was readily apparent based on the number of people that attended the service on Saturday.  

We may not always understand what God's plan is...but one thing is for certain...God is in control, He loves you and I, He sacrificed His one and only Son for us, and He made a way through His love, mercy, and grace for all of us to meet Him in heaven.

Thank you Wendy and please keep up the great work - following God's plan for your life - and working in raceway ministry.

Dec 25th                   Christmas Day

May God's blessing to mankind, His son Jesus Christ, have an everlasting and positive effect on you this coming year.  May His love, mercy, and grace be completely evident in your life and in your heart.  May the gift of the Holy Spirit touch you and guide you throughout 2011.

Thank you so much for supporting this ministry, praying for us, and checking out our website !!!

Dec 10-11, 2010       PRI SHOW                             Orlando, FL

The PRI show (Performance Racing Industry Trade Show) is one of my favorite events of the year, and this year was no exception.  The highlight of the show for me this year was spending some time with the awesome people at RAD racing (Racers against Drugs) and helping them out at their display booth.  

For those of you that follow this site and SERRMON in general, you know that we have been a spokesperson with RAD racing for about two years now.  By partnering with RAD, we have been able to incorporate the values of the RAD program into the ministry, allowing us to reach out to our youth on another level.  Just one more extremely valuable tool in God's big "Tool Box of Life" to serve others. Please log on to www.ncprs.org to learn more about the RAD program and how YOU can get involved.

Sharon and the rest of the team really do an exceptional job and I just want to thank them for allowing me to be a part of the team and work with them at the PRI show this year.  If you have never attended the PRI show, it is a racing event you don't want to miss !!!  

November 2010

Sept 2010

Sept 10-12      PBOC     Kids Racing for Life Weekend    Sebring Int'l Raceway

This was the 12th year for the Kids Racing for Life event and our 7th year of being directly involved with it.  All I can say is that it just keeps getting better and better every year.   God blessed us with enough financial support that more than 160 people were able to attend and take advantage of this all expense paid weekend racing "experience".  He also blessed us with plenty of sunshine for the entire weekend which led to some really great racing, some great rides for the kids, some great pool parties, and just an all around great time for all of those who participated.   Please click on the Kids Racing for Life button to the left of the screen or click HERE to find out more about this years event and to find out how you can get involved with next years event.

I would like to give thanks to God for allowing us to be a part of this great mission outreach program.  I would also like to give thanks to Stephen and Stephanie Zoeller (www.RaceRev.com) for all of the hard work they put in to pull this event off.   I would like to thank the Thunder Band for driving all the way down from Benton, Illinois to play for the families during Friday night's registration/pizza party/pool party.....the McGruff organization for catering a delicious barbecue dinner Sat night, DJ Rooter for keeping the kids on the dance floor, and Brad Zoeller - 9 time world go carting champion for sharing the secrets to his success on and off the track. I would also like to thank all of the fine folks at PBOC for hosting this awesome event again this year and for cutting the race short on Sunday so that the kids could have the full 1 hour of track time to enjoy the race car rides.  Last but not least, I want to thank all of the volunteers, prayer partners, and financial contributors who made this event possible.  If you want to learn more about how to be a part of this awesome community outreach program, please contact me at mark@serrmon.com or by phone at (321)368-3398.

July - Aug 2010

 It has been a relatively quiet summer from an event attendance perspective, however it has given us plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming 12th annual Kids Racing for Life event being hosted by PBOC at Sebring International Raceway on Sept 10-12.   We sincerely appreciate all of those who contribute their prayers, time, and financial support to help with the KRFL program.    For those of you unfamiliar with KRFL, it is a community outreach program where we treat children with cancer or other terminal illnesses adn their families to an all expense paid weekend racing experience.   They get to meet the drivers, go for rides in the race cars around the track, and have some time away from the doctors, nurses, needles, and hospitals - and just relax and enjoy themselves with others who are going through similar difficult times.   Click on the Kids Racing for Life button to the left of your screen or click HERE for more information on this great program.

June 2010

June 26-27    FL Region SCCA     Palm Beach International Raceway

 Three things to say about this weekend....it was Hot, it was Hot, it was Hot.  I think this is the first time I was ever at the racetrack that I was glad I wasn't driving the racecar.  It was 114 degrees under the EZ-up.  Wendy Packard, the newest Chaplain with Zoeller Motorsports Ministries (www.RaceRev.com) came down and between the two of us, we managed to not only survive the weekend, but have what I would consider to be an extremely successful ministry weekend.   Throughout the weekend, we stayed hydrated - both by water and by the Holy Spirit. 

Wendy delivered the message during Chapel service and did an outstanding job of reminding us of the two most important commandments - 1) Love God with all of your heart, strength, and mind and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself.  When you break Christianity down into it's simplest form - those 2 commandments are all that there is.  Love God and take care of one another.  This was the first time I had seen Wendy deliver the sermon for the event, and she really did a nice job.  It is great to see another person with a passion for serving God and a passion for motorsports answer God's calling and minister to the needs of those in our motorsports family.  This was the second event in a row where all the seats were taken and there was standing room only.  It was awesome to see God working in that place.  We are thankful to have this opportunity to serve God and our motorsports family.

June 12      Central Florida Raceway Ministries and NFRM Chaplain Training

We had a great time up in Daytona at the Chaplain training class that was being hosted by Central Florida Raceway Ministries (an outreach of the Halifax Baptist Association) and the National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries.  There were 4 instructors - myself, Dr. Roger Marsh - Executive Director of NFRM, David Martin - Director of Indianapolis Raceway Ministries (Indy 500 and Brickyard 400), and Ron Pegram who has an extensive background in Motorsports Ministries within MRO, NASCAR, and a whole host of other motorsports events.  There were about 15 people who attended the class, and everyone who attended not only learned alot, but they actually really enjoyed it.  The class was full of great information for anyone wanting to be involved with raceway ministry, and there were so many stories that it kept the class fun and interesting.  It was also great to spend some time with Grey and DawnMarie Scofield - director of Central Florida Raceway Ministries who serve Daytona for Speedweeks and all Nascar events held there at Daytona.  They have really done an outstanding job with that ministry group and I am proud to work with those guys any chance I get.  I encourage you to attend the next training session which will be in January up in Dover, Delaware.  Stay tuned for more information.

May 2010

SERRMON is back at the track !!!   We headed down to Palm Beach International Raceway to provide Chaplain services to the Florida Region SCCA.  It was certainly great to be back at the track and continue building the relationships and spending time with so many of our friends and fellow racing family members.  Much of the time this weekend was spent counseling with other folks.  It was a great "feeling" to see God's presence down there and to use us to help others in need.  We also had a great Chapel Service on Sunday morning.  Rather than our typical Chapel service of an opening statement, praise/worship, then a mesage - this service was different.  God had put on my heart the whole idea of "rememberance".  To remember Him, to remember how blessed we are, to remember why I am there at the track.  As a result we did a communion service to remember all that Christ has done for us.

We had a full house, with every seat taken - we served communion a couple of times throughout the morning, and we had some great discussions about how great our God is.  It really was great to be back at the track, but it was even greater to see God's presence there and be a part of it.

Thank you to all who support this ministry and continually pray for us.  Without you this would not be possible.

April 2010

April has been a relatively quiet month for us here at SERRMON.  A few financial setbacks prevented us from attending the events planned for this month.  We did not allow these "setbacks" to deter us from our goal and we took advantage of the downtime - relaxed, and refocused our direction back to God.  It is so easy to become so involved in the "work for the Lord" that we forget all about who we are trying to serve.  Maintaining that close personal relationship with our savior Jesus Christ is by far the most important thing that any individual can do, and as with any realtionship - it takes time, effort, focus, dedication, and commitment.

We appreciate all of the support and prayers received this month and we are looking forward to reporting back to you next month on all the wonderful things that God is doing on the road racing circuits around the South Eastern United States.

March 2010

March 7         Christian Development Center - Sunday Morning Services

The pastor of our local church, Rev. Stuart Rowan, took some much needed time off this Sunday to spend time at parents weekend with his daughter.  This was her first year in college, first time away from home for any length of time, and it was important that he and his wife Teri, supported her - encouraged her - and were there for her.  That is one thing I have learned in the past 7 years in Raceway Ministry - it is so easy to get caught up in all of God's work - that your life becomes unbalanced and your family is the first to feel the repercussions.  Maintaining a balance in your life is essential to success and to maintaining your relationship with God.  As a pastor of a church, tending to the "flock" on a 24-7 basis, it is even harder to maintain the proper balance. 

I was very honored to be asked to fill in as the speaker for services this morning.  We had a great turnout, not too many people left once they found out I was preaching (just kidding), and God really annointed the message, the praise and worship team, and made His presence known.   I really appreciated the opportunity to share a bit about raceway ministry work, and how God is calling on us as Christians to start Restoring our Nations values.   Click on the Sermons-NEW Feb2010 link to your left to read the message preached this morning.

Christian Development Center is a great church located here in Palm Bay, FL.  Located just a mile or so off of I-95.  Click on the SPONSORS link to the left of your screen to find out more about this awesome church and its pastor, Rev. Stuart Rowan.

February 2010

Feb 13-14      NASCAR - DAYTONA 500

This was our first time as volunteers with the Central Florida Raceway Ministries supporting the Daytona 500.  Dr. Roger Marsh, Executive director of NFRM flew in from Texas and did a great job providing the message during chapel service.  We were able to hand out a lot of tracts, spend a lot of time talking to people about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and provide golf cart rides for handicapped personnel.  All in all, it was a great weekend of ministry work and I was proud to be a part of it.....not prideful, but proud and happy that God would take someone like myself, mold me, shape me, work me...until he ended up with a person that can help lead others to Christ.  If He can do it with me, He can certainly do it with you !!!  Just give Him a chance.   The time to act is NOW !!! Once again, to God be the glory.

I also want to thank our friends, Grey and DawnMarie Scofield of the Central Florida Raceway Ministries and the rest of their team for letting us take part in their event.   For those of you who don't know....they man that ministry tent for 3 solid weeks during speedweek.  They braved the elements - cold, very cold, rain, wind, etc... but they remained steadfast - manning their post - and reaching hundreds if not thousands of people with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Feb 9             THEME FOR 2010 - RESTORING VALUES

Throughout 2010, the primary theme of many of our chapel services will be "Restoring Values".  This is a "divinely inspired" topic that Zoeller Ministries (www.RaceRev.com) developed and one that we at SERRMON will be speaking about on a regular basis.  I preached on this during the Rolex 24 hours and PCA's 48 hours of Sebring and have added my notes to the "sermons" section of this website.  Click on the button "Sermons-New Feb2010" to your left to read the message.

The short version is that our priorities should be God, Country, Family, and then ourselves. As a nation, we need to put God first in our lives.  We need to place a priority on the importance of the soverienty of the United States as our country, for without it - we would not be able to enjoy all of the freedoms that we have today.  Our families need to be a much higher priority than our own self interests.  Too many kids are being raised by television, teachers, or troublemakers - too many marriages are ending in divorce.  We need to reclaim the importance of our families and our communities - following God's will for our lives. 

It starts with anyone who considers themselves a Christian - after all, we are His people...... 

2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, pray and seek my face, turn from their wicked ways - then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.

Feb 3-7          PCA 48 hours of Sebring

This was our third year being invited by the Porsche Club of America to take part in their 48 hours of Sebring event.  For those of you unfamiliar with the event - it is not a 48 hour continuous race - however it is about 48 hours of racing in a 5 day event.  It is also the largest gathering of Porsche Factory Cup cars in the United States and I believe it is the second largest in the world - being only slightly smaller than the event held in Germany.  There were more than 320 entries for this event - so it was a really good turnout.  There were cars and drivers from all over the world.  More than 75% of the entries were from people outside of the state of Florida. 

This is another very special event for me for when I was a teenager - I had Porsche stuff posted all over my room - I had Porsche hats, jackets, shirts, and just about anything with Porsche on it.  To some it could have been considered excessive idolatry....but at that point in my life, I didn't know who God was.  For God to put me in a position to minister to the needs of this group for the past 3 years - being the first Chaplain at any of their events -is nothing short of awesome !!!  God is sooooooo good !!!! 

PCA once again chose the Kids Racing for Life program as one of their "charities of choice".  The final numbers are stil being tallied but I believe we raised more than $3,000 for KRFL this weekend.  A tremendous victory in this economy and with current world situations.  We are very thankful and appreciative to the PCA for their generous contributions and continued support of the KRFL program.

From the ministry perspective, we had a great booth set up and were able to speak to a lot of people about raceway ministry work.  We also had a full crew - with my friend and mentor -Chaplain Stephen Zoeller and our newest Chaplain in Training - Wendy Packard in attendance.  Mark Steven of the Mark Stevens Band also came out and blessed us with a concert prior to Sunday morning chapel, and led the praise and worship part of the service with my wife Amanda.  Throughout the weekend we had many successful ministry related planning sessions, spent some much needed time in prayer, and met the needs of the great racers, fans, crews, and the rest of those involved with the Porsche Club of America.  We are already looking forward to next years event !!!

Jan 30-31      Rolex 24 hours of Daytona

Wow....what a great event we had in Daytona !!!  First of all, I want to send a special thank you to Grey Scofield, his wife - DawnMarie, and all of the other fine folks at Central Florida Raceway Ministries for their invitation to come out and assist them with chapel services for this Road Racing event.  It was a very special event for my wife and I. As many of you know, the Rolex 24 hours race was where we first learned of raceway ministry work about 6 years ago.  To be able to return there and lead Chapel services was special enough - but to add to it all - the chapel tent was full on Sunday morning, God's presence was definitely felt by all - my wife Amanda did an awesome job with leading the praise and worship, and the message was annointed by God - reaching many of those in service that morning.

It was a great opportunity to minister to others, to spend some time with the folks at Central Florida Raceway Ministries, and to return to the place where it all started for us.  To God be the glory !!!

 Jan 24          First Pentecostal Church Palm Bay Ministry Fair

I want to thank my good friend, Pastor David Myers of the First Pentecostal Church of Palm Bay, for inviting my wife and I out to attend their ministry fair.  FPC has a membership of more than 1,500 people with more than 1,000 attending services every Sunday morning.  What a great opportunity it was to speak to a wide audience about all of the exciting things God is doing with raceway ministry work.  We had about 10-12 people sign up for more information and look forward to holding the next Raceway Ministry Chaplain Training/Orientation session very soon.  Stay tuned to this website for dates and important information.

If you are in the Palm Bay/Melbourne area and are looking for a true spirit filled - worship experience, please consider visiting this church.  The praise and worship time is excellent and Pastor Myers does an outstanding job of delivering God's word each Sunday.  Log on to www.fpcpalmbay.com to watch live webcasts and to learn more about this exciting and dynamic church.  

Jan 18           SERRMON announces partnership with RAD Racing

During the PRI show back in Dec of last year, I ran into a group of people from RAD racing (Racers Against Drugs).  We began to talk about the work they do teaching youth of all ages about the importance of staying away from drugs and making good choices in their life. As "they" say - it was a match made in heaven. From that meeting I agreed to sign on as one of their partners/spokesmen and I am very excited about the upcoming opportunities associated with this new partnership.

To find out more about RAD racing team and their mission - log on to www.ncprs.org

Jan 12-16      National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries General Conference - Nashville

This was my third NFRM conference and let me tell you that each one just keeps getting better and better.  Nearly 200 Raceway Ministry Chaplains and volunteers gathered at Gladeville Baptist Church just outside of Nashville, TN for 4 days of fun, fellowship, encouragement, and inspiration.  It was absolutely amazing to see how God is using people from all walks of life and all regions of the country to minister to people in the motorsports community.

Darryl Waltrip was our guest speaker at the closing banquet. He spoke for about an hour and a half about his relationship with God, filled us in on some great racing stories, and to tell you the truth, I could have listened to him for another couple of hours.  To use his line, at one point I was "crying like a rat eatin' an onion".  He had some really touching stories about himself and the late Dale Earnhardt that were absolutely priceless. 

As a member of the NFRM Board of Directors, it wasn't all playtime this year.  I was extremely busy throughout all of the sessions, taught several portions of the Chaplain Training class, and was able to meet quite a few inspirational people performing raceway ministry work throughout the US and Canada. If you are not currently a member of the NFRM, I encourage you to become a MEMBER.  The minimal $25.00 annual fee is nothing in compared to all of the benfits you will receive.  To become a member, log on to www.racewayministries.com and click on the membership button.  Please list SERRMON as your primary raceway ministry.

Jan 1       HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !!!

As a reminder, SERRMON is a 501c3 non profit organization, so as you begin to budget your "giving" for 2010, we encourage you to consider us as your charity of choice.  We have an annual operating budget of about $20,000 per year - most of which has come right out of our own pockets for the past 5 years.  I am terrible at fundraising, hate asking anyone for money, and the results speak for themselves - raising $200 total in 5 years of trying. 

This year God reminded me that "I have not because I ask not".....so I am appealing to our friends, prayer partners, motorsport family members, churches, and all others to consider donating to our ministry efforts throughout the Southeastern United States.  While many overseas missions are worthwhile efforts, there are so many lost souls right here in North America that also need God in their lives........and that is what this ministry does....ministers to those that are lost.  It is not our mission to replace the local church but to plant the seeds within the "lost", have God provide the "increase", and then have these same folks attending local churches and accepting Jesus Christ into their lives...amen.

We have also started a new SPONSORSHIP program. Please click on the NEEDS link and the the FInancial Partners link to learn more about this exciting new program and the benefits you will receive. 

As a friendly reminder - 100% of the donations goes towards ministry expenses and community outreach programs.  No money is used to support our racing efforts.

Amanda and I are really excited about what God has in store for the ministry this year.  The year starts off with the NFRM General Conference in Nashville - an excellent source of motivation, energy,and inspiration.....then is followed immediately by a huge ministry fair (pray that we will receive volunteers and donations), the Rolex 24 hours at Daytona, PCA 48 hours of Sebring, and then the NASCAR Daytona 500....a fully action packed 4 straight weeks !!!  

I would like to thank Fred Jones, coach driver for Marco Andretti - and Marco Andretti himself (yes, that Andretti) for electing to store his motorcoach at my house for the winter.  The donation to the ministry for the coach storage will help considerably as we enter this hectic and fully packed first two months of the year.

Thank you for your continued prayers, encouragement, and support. May God bless you and your families throughout 2010 and beyond.

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.....

December 2008

Dec 31      New Year's Eve

May God bless you and your family as we prepare to enter 2009.  I would ask you to help this great country return to it's priorities of God first, country second, family third, and self fourth.......in the past 20 years or more, we have somehow gotten it backwards......putting ourselves first, our families second, our country a distant third, and God way, way last.  We need to return to our roots.  The Bible tells us that if we humble ourselves before our Lord and pray for our nation, that God will hear our words and heal our land, and that is just what we need.  2009 will be a difficult year with thousands out of work, the stock market down nearly 50%, major companies nearing bankruptcy, a depression in sight, and a new President coming on board that definitely needs our prayers.  Please keep God first.......Happy New Year !!!

Dec 28       WKA - World Karting Association - Daytona International Speedway

This was the first WKA event we have attended as Chaplains and what an honor it was.  There were over 1,000 entries for this prestigious karting event.  Steve Zoeller and I provided two services on Sunday, and although the attendance was a little lower than we liked, we were very appreciative of the opportunity to bring God's word to that racing community.  As it turns out, Stephen Zoeller's brother, Brad Zoeller, is a 10 time world go-karting championship winner and won both of his races at Daytona with one being a photo finish.  God was certainly shining on him that weekend and we were proud to be a part of it.  We are excited about the opportunity to brings God's word to this racing series as well as we enter 2009. 

Dec 25        Merry Christmas !!!  Don't forget that Jesus is the "reason for the season"

Dec 12         Performance Racing Industry Trade Show (PRI) - Orlando, FL

This is the single largest trade show dedicated to the racing industry.  It was my third year attending and I must say that it is easy to get lost in all of the "things" that show has to offer.  They have all types of racing cars, racing equipment, trailers, motorhomes, etc.... on display.  Virtually anything you would ever need for any form of auto racing at the show.  It sure would be great to be able to put up a ministry display at that show for next season, so I would ask you to join me in prayer that God would provide the funding for us to be there next year.  Stephen Zoeller and I both attended the event, and made some great contacts.  We are believing in the Lord to continue to grow the ministry in 2009 through some of the contacts made at the show.  Please keep us in prayer.

Dec 4-7        HSR - Sebring International Raceway - Race Finale and Season Banquet

What a great weekend at Sebring.  The weather was perfect, we held two great church services, handled the invocations, and God was present throughout the event.  The banquet was well attended and overall we had a very successful weekend.  The car count was down just a little due to the economy, but for those who did attend, it was a real treat.  I had the pleasure of spending some time with Road Racing Champion Derek Bell and talking with him about the ministry and the Kids Racing for Life program.  For those of you who follow our "In the News" segment, you will recall that Justin Bell, Derek's son, was our guest of honor at the 10th annual Kids Racing for Life program in September of this year.   This weekend wraps up our first full season with HSR and we sincerely appreciate the invitation to come back next year as their series Chaplains.   

November 2008

Nov 22            SCCA Awards Banquest aboard the fabulous SS Catalina in Ft. Lauderdale. 

What a great location for a banquet.  Cruising the intercoastal waterway on board the ship while having dinner and socializing with fellow racers was a lot of fun.  My wife and I were there once again, representing our Lord by performing the invocation for the banquet, and later I was awarded the 1st place championship trophy for Formula Continental, 2nd place championship for P2 driving a BMW 325, and as a great surprise to me, my fellow racers and SCCA family members awarded me the "2008 Rookie of the Year" award.  It truly was a great night and I appreciate all of the prayers and support received during this past years rookie racing season.   I know I've said it many times before, but all the glory be to God.  With the economy the way it is, my "behind the wheel" racing endeavours for 2009 will be significantly less, however we will definitely be present at all events continuing to bring God's Word to the racing community. 

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Nov 14/15       Opening weekend for the brand new Palm Beach International Raceway (formerly Moroso).  Although there is some work needed to provide places for spectators to see, the track was really nice and I enjoyed the new layout.   The chapel service was standing room only, Chaplain Steve Zoeller was back in full force and delivered an awesome message about the need for our nation to return to it's Christian roots, and I won both of my races......again, to God be the glory.    There were so many highlights from the weekend, it's hard to focus on just one.

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Nov 7/8        2 weekends in a row at Daytona International Speedway.  What a blessing!!!  The Historical Sports Car Racing (HSR) guys had perfect weather, a great facility, and a lot of fun.  We held two church services that weekend, 1 Saturday night, and 1 Sunday at lunch with a good turnout for each, especially considering this is our first year as Chaplains for that series.  I delivered the message "P-Soup, the Recipe for Success" which was well received and in our country's current state, we all need to find ways to be more successful.  We also set up a display out front in the fan zone and raised some much needed money for the Kids Racing for Life program.  You should have seen all of the young kids faces light up when I told them they could sit in the race car....priceless. 

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Nov 1/2        The PBOC event in Daytona was a huge success,  We had 15 people in service, despite the pouring rain. listening to a timely message on Voting - a Biblical principle instituted by God.   God only not instructs us to vote, he instructs us who to vote for.   For a transcript of the sermon, please send me an e-mail request.

One of the members donated to the ministry the drivers suit that Camel Lights GT championship driver, Chip Robinson wore when he won the 1987 Rolex 24 hours of Daytona driving with Al Holbert, Derek Bell, and Al Unser Jr.   What a blessing that was....too bad it doesn't fit me....(just kidding).   All proceeds from this one of a kind item will go towards our Kids Racing for Life program.  Go to www.kidsracingforlife.com and www.racerev.com for more details. 

October 2008

Moroso Motorports Park, now renamed Palm Beach International Raceway, is still undergoing renovations. We are excited about the grand opening of this facility in November.

October has really been a quiet month, but it is only the “calm before the storm”. November and December are shaping up to be really, really busy months, with 8 events scheduled in a 9 week period.

Stephen Zoeller is still having issues with his eyes. Please keep him in your prayers so that he can return in time for November’s events. God is a healer !!!


September 2008

Sep 4/6       10th Anniversary of Kids Racing for Life (KRFL) held with PBOC in Sebring. What a spectacular event. We had over 200 children and family members attend the 3 day event. They were all able to spend some time riding around the track in fully prepared race cars and high performance sports cars as well as meet all the drivers, crew, and track officials. We had a Christian magician, Allen Nye, entertain the families and held an awesome banquet at the track catered by the McGruff Organization in Sebring. There was also a special guest speaker, professional race car driver Justin Bell. Needless to say, a great time was held by all. For more information on this program, head on over to www.RaceRev.com or www.KidsRacingforLife.com. Contributions are desperately needed for the 2009 event.

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Sep 19/20      SARRC Invitational Championship race is held at Roebling Road in Savannah. Medical issues continue to plague Stephen Zoeller and forced him to miss this event for the first time in 15 years. He was truly missed and keeping him high on the prayer list is still a priority. In the championship race, I finished third in the race (which clenched second in the overall points championship) after being run off the track at nearly 115 mph. Not bad for only my second time on that track. The service held on Sunday afternoon was well attended and much appreciated by everyone who came. I love it when God fills the seats, anoints the message, and the glory of His work shows through. It reminds me of why we are here on this earth.



August 2008

Medical issues continue to plague Stephen Zoeller. Please keep him in prayer. We are forced to cancel our duties at the HSR race in Illinois due to medical issues and work conflicts.

August marks the first time I was able to race the infamous Daytona International Speedway. This section is normally reserved for ministry updates, but driving up on that banking at speed for first time, having spent so many years there as a spectator, really was a blessing from God and is worth highlighting. To God be the glory !!! What an incredible experience. I look forward to returning there as a racer someday soon.


July 2008

July was a bit slower than the previous months. With Moroso temporarily closed for renovations, we are able to get a little bit of a break from being on the road so much. God used this “idle” time to allow me to give my home church pastor a much needed break by filling in for him on Sunday services while he took a little vacation to spend time with his family.

Stephen Zoeller begins having problems with “dry eye” and is in need of prayer for some medical needs. God is a healer, even today….and as it says in the book of James: “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective”

June 2008

Another really busy month for the ministry covering four motorsports events.

Stephen Zoeller travels up to Watkins Glen to support the HSR series while Mark Miller heads south to Homestead to support SCCA and PBOC events for two consecutive weekends, followed by a trip to Richmond, VA to support Indy Racing League Ministry and their Chaplain, Bob Hills. God is great !!! and by His guidance, we are reaching out to fans all over the East Coast.


May 2008

May was a busy month for the ministry. We were on the road 3 out of 4 weekends this month supporting racing events all over the South East.

Mark and Steve both attend their first Historic Sports Car Race (HSR) in Road Atlanta as the new official chaplains for that series. It was the first time Mark had been there since road racing motorcycles there back in the early 1990’s and the first time for Stephen Zoeller in quite a few years. We were well received as Chaplains and we look forward to continuing to build relationships and do God’s work within that racing community.

Derrick Orberg, communications worker for Racing Radios, is married on beautiful Daytona Beach by Chaplain Mark Miller.


April 2008

Victory over Vandalism campaign started - Some vandals broke into the storage area where ministry trailer and equipment was stored.  They broke into the trailer, senselessly destroyed nearly everything inside of it, destroyed the trailer, and a faster-pastor racecar that was also stored at the site.  Less than 2 weeks later, vandals broke into the area again and stole the ministry golf cart.  Estimated damages exceeded $25,000.  A significant setback to our 10th anniversary Kids Racing for Life event.

God always turns these bad events into good, especially when it glorifies His kingdom.   Less than a month after this tragey occurred, the ministry was on local news, radio stations, and in the newspapers.  The charity of those who saw and heard about the vandalism was incredible.  Through the generosity of many, we were able to replace the trailer, all of the contents inside, and even received a Porsche 944 racecar donated by the fine folks at PBOC as a replacement for the Faster-Pastor car that was destroyed.  

 March 2008

SERRMON travels up to Kershaw, South Carolina to Carolina Motorsports Park for the first time. What a beautiful facility and the new track changes really make the course more enjoyable to drive.

February 2008

Porsche Club of America (PCA) provides Christian religious services to their members at the 48 hours of Sebring event for the first time in the history of the organization. ZMM / SERRMON was blessed and honored to be the raceway ministry organization chosen to represent the Lord for this momentous occasion.

As a result of our ministry presence at the PCA 48 hours of Sebring event, Historic Sports Car Racing (HSR), asks for ZMM to come on board as their full time race series chaplains.

January 2008

Chaplain Stephen Zoeller becomes a board member of the National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries and is elected to the position of Director - Roadracing Ministries at the annual conference that was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.