August 16, 2011
WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
- Marcos Ambrose won the rain delayed Watkins Glen race for Richard Petty Motorsports. The win is the first for Marcos who was a road racer champion in Australia before moving to America. He has won on road courses in the Nationwide series, and he had the Infineon race won last year in the Cup series before not being able to re-start his car under caution while leading the race with two laps to go. He won this race on the restart with three laps to go. Kyle Busch, who won the pole, restarted on the inside; however, he went wide in Turn 1 when he took too much speed into the turn. Ambrose restarted on the outside of Kyle, but he spun his tires and fell to 3rd as Brad Keselowski started 3rd but reached the inside of Turn 1 before Marcos. Marcos leaned on Kyle and caught Brad as they exited the turn. Marcos pulled to inside of Brad as they exited the ‘inner loop’ and Marcos was not challenged again.
- Chase Field is about set. The Top 6 in points are a minimum of 78 points ahead of Bowyer in 11th. With only four races left before the Chase, they each only need to average a 24th place finish to guarantee they are in the Chase. Earnhardt (9th) and Stewart (10th) are at least 25 points ahead of Bowyer and are almost assured of making it. That leaves the ‘Wild Cards’ which Keselowski is assured of one of the spots unless Hamlin, Menard, Ambrose or Ragan wins a second race. If they do, they will still have to have more points than Brad. Of the three outside the Top 12, assuming none wins a second race, only Menard is in the Top 20 at this time. He is 27 points behind Hamlin and would have to average finishing seven positions ahead of Hamlin in each of the last four races to take the second Wild Card spot. Ambrose (22nd) and Ragan (23rd) are one and five points out of the Top 20 respectively, but are 50 and 54 points behind Hamlin. Smith is 25th in points and can only hope to win a 2nd race while no one else does and pick up 131 points and move into the Top 20. Of course, Hamlin is also concerned that Bowyer (11th) and Biffle (13th) do not win one of the last four races. That could doom him.
- 2011 has had 15 different winners, 5 of them are first time winners!
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
PIT NOTE
I always hated rain delayed races. Having to stay over an extra night messed up the schedule for the whole next week. At least, I had an RV to stay in and did not have to scramble to get rooms for a whole team for an extra night and/or re-book airline flights. One time, we could not race on Monday when the race in Talladega was cancelled because of rain; we had to return on an ‘off weekend’ later in the year to just line up and race. Monday races seemed ‘weird’ because there were never as many fans, there was not the pre-race activity, there was just the race and everyone trying to get it over as soon as possible to return to the schedule they had planned for the week.
In general, people hate to have their plans interrupted. Psychologically we are told people resist even change that will improve and enhance their lives, because fundamentally people behave as if “familiar pain is better than any change.”
Jesus’ three year public ministry primarily dealt with this. The Pharisees were the ruling religious authorities of that day. They had taken the 616 laws under the Mosaic Covenant of the Old Testament and expanded it to control the lives of the Jewish people. An example of this is found in how they expanded the command to “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work…” (Ex. 20:8-10a) The Pharisees had layered their own interpretation on this. They made it ‘law’ that no Jew could travel more than 1.5 miles from their homes on the Sabbath (notice this is not in the verses). However, if someone needed to travel further, they could go out on Friday and place a little food and water at the end of 1.5 miles; therefore, creating another ‘home.’ This allowed one to travel a total of 3 miles as the ‘law’ was ‘reset’ from the new ‘home.’ In fact, it was within the ‘law’ to do this 1.5 mile ‘exception’ as many times as you like.
Jesus came and revealed the true use of the Law. It had not been given through Moses as a means of human performance that would justify you before God. It was given as a curse upon men to drive them to God. The righteousness of God is revealed in the Law, and the unrighteousness of man is revealed also as it is impossible for man to perfectly keep every law in action and intent. Man was ‘driven’ by his acknowledgement that his way and plans would not work, so he had to rely on the provision of Grace by God himself. Jesus was that provision. Jesus came to ‘fulfill the Law,’ and he did. Jesus lived every last “letter of the law” for he was not just man, he was God. After living every bit of the law, Jesus went to the cross as one who was innocent and experienced every last ounce of the wrath of God on sin.
Today the Law has been fulfilled, both in the performance demanded and the penalty required for failure. God gives us access to Himself through FAITH that Jesus fulfilled all the Promises of God. We are now FREE from the bondage that religion placed on us. We are no longer condemned (Romans 8:1) for by that faith we are in union with Jesus.
Is your religion a burden? Is it a heavy weight on your life? Are you worn out, burned out on religion? Then, turn to the One who lived the law and took the penalty and set you free. (Galatians 5:1)
LIBERTY AND THE STANDARDS OF JESUS
#######
August 8, 2011
POCONO RACEWAY
- Brad Keselowski wins Pocono for his second win of the season; he moved into the Top 20 by 10 points and currently has the first Wild Card spot…and all with a broken ankle. Last Wednesday, Brad broke his foot at a road course test session at Road Atlanta when his brakes failed and he crashed head first into a non-safer barrier wall. He spun out in the first practice on Friday and was almost overcome with fatigue half-way through the race when rain brought out a Red Flag. He and his teammate, Kurt Busch, pitted just before the Red Flag betting the race would resume and not be called because of the weather. When NASCAR restarted the race, they moved to the top spots when all the top cars pitted. Brad maintained a top 10 position and, on the restart with 16 laps to go, he was in 2nd position behind Kyle Busch. Kyle chose to start on the inside, which had been strong for him all day. However, Jimmie Johnson was 3rd on the restart, right behind Kyle, and moved to the inside of Kyle on the restart. As Kyle moved left to block Jimmie, Brad powered into Turn 1 and into the lead. Kyle moved to 2nd, but he was never able to overtake Brad for the win.
- Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson finished 3rd and 4th after battling for the last 16 laps of the race. After the race, the two drivers exchanged sharp words with each claiming the other started the altercation on the track. Jimmie passed Kurt after trying for 14 laps only to have Kurt pull right back alongside him coming out of the 1st Turn. The drivers then turned their cars into each other (both claiming the other one started it) with Kurt finishing third.
- The Chase is five races away and the new “Wild Card” system is providing great interest. Keselowski’s second win moves him from 18th in the points to the first Wild Card position because he also moved into the Top 20 in points. The win jumps him over Menard in 15th and Hamlin in 11th who also have one win each. On the other hand, Brad is only 11 points from being 21st which would make his two wins meaningless toward making the Chase. Two drivers, Stewart and Dale, Jr., are 9th and 10th in the points with no wins, but are 24 and 23 points ahead of Hamlin in 11th respectively. They should remain in the Top 10 and in the Chase if they average Top 10 finishes in the next five races; however, if they fall out, it becomes likely that Menard and Ragan will make the Chase. How? Why? Lots of reasons, too complicated to detail, but this is the genius of the new system. The insecurity has breathed new life into NASCAR.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT POCONO RACEWAY
PIT NOTE
Brad Keselowski accomplished a remarkable job in just finishing the race with his broken ankle, and even more remarkable, winning it by holding off Kyle Busch for 16 laps. Given the opportunity several times in various interviews in Victory Circle to claim deserved credit for himself, he deflected each opportunity and gave the credit to others. To one interviewer, he sharply said, “It’s not me! It’s good people.” I have often said, “A leader is no better than his/her people.” One man seldom can claim sole credit for any accomplishment; however, Jesus is such a man when the subject is one’s ‘Justification.’ As Adam, mankind’s ‘Federal Head’ (i.e. one who represents all), every man became a sinner by birth and later by choice. Sin transgresses the Law of God for which the penalty is death. Thus, Christianity is the opposite of Brad’s statement. When speaking of Justification, the redemption of man, it is about one man, not ‘Good People”. Becoming ‘Good moral people’ is not the answer to mankind’s sin problem. It took “One Man”, the God-man Jesus who first lived 33 years on earth and perfectly fulfilled every Law of God and thus did not deserve to pay a penalty for any personal sin, and then he willingly did just that. Jesus lay down his life on the cross in payment of the penalty of sin that every other human deserved. That is the Good News. Believe it now, and eternal life and abundant life it yours.
OUR ETERNAL HOME
#######
August 2, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
- Paul Menard wins Indy for his first Cup win and Richard Childress’ third time kissing the bricks. When the race started, Paul and Slugger Labbe, his crew chief, were confident of getting 33 laps on a tank of gas. When they made their last pit stop with 35 laps to go, they felt confident they could stretch their fuel mileage the extra five miles. Several other teams tried to stretch their mileage but had to stop or slowed and were passed by those who had stopped earlier. The real challenge was from Jeff Gordon who was 12th, 12 seconds behind, with 12 laps to go. Jeff moved all the way to 2nd with 2 laps to go, but he could not get closer than one second behind Menard.
- Chase Standing Shake Up!
Paul Menard jumped into one of the Wild Card spots with his win. He is the 14th winner of the 2011 season (fourth first-time winner) with 8 winners in the Top 10 (Stewart 9th & Dale Jr. 10th have not won). Two drivers have taken the Wild Cards (Hamlin 11th and Menard 14th) and there are four others with wins who would potentially take spots if Stewart and Dale Jr. drop out of the Top 10. Currently, Dale Jr. is 19 points ahead of Hamlin in 11th. If they reversed positions, then David Ragan in 16th position and 41 points behind Hamlin would move into the Chase. Clint Bowyer (12th in points) and Greg Biffle (13th) may get a win in the next six races and this could scramble the final Chase participants even more.
- NASCAR Drivers TV Exposure at Midseason: #18-Kyle Busch was mentioned more often and collected the most on-screen time, verbal references and exposure value for his sponsors than any other driver during race telecasts chronicling the first half of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. -- which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons -- Busch's sponsors as a group appeared for 12 hours, 31 minutes, seven seconds (12:31:07) during live and replayed telecasts of the season's first 18 races. When also factoring in verbal mentions (142) of Busch's sponsors, the Cup Series points-leader at mid-year amassed nearly $38.4 million of in-broadcast exposure value for his backing brands. Fox and TNT race announcers also mentioned Busch by name on 2,722 occasions during the first half of the season, or about 36% more frequently than the next closest competitor, Carl Edwards. Edwards, who ranked fifth in overall sponsor exposure, did manage to surpass Busch in the number of TV interviews (29 compared to 23) and total interview time (0:30:46 versus 0:29:57). Fan favorite driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., despite receiving nearly half as many announcer mentions as Busch, garnered the second highest cumulative exposure value total for his sponsors with a showing of more than $26.5 million. Rankings are based on the cumulative Recognition Grade exposure value associated with each driver, calculated during live and replay telecasts of the first 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events of 2011.(more and a chart at Joyce Julius & Associates)(7-29-2011)
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
Paul Menard has driven for only one sponsor during his NASCAR career, even though he has driven for many teams. His family’s building supply business has been on the side of every car he has driven, and his dad has been in his pit every race. His dad started sponsoring big time racing at Indy in the 1980’s at the Indy 500. Paul spotted for his dad’s driver in Turn 2 one year. Over the years, some have belittled Paul’s position as a driver in the Nationwide and Cup series because it was always with his family sponsorship. They have claimed that Paul would not even be considered for a ride without his father’s money behind him. Richard Childress spoke to this issue just after participating in the traditional ‘kissing of the bricks’ as Paul’s car owner. He said he had considered hiring Paul several years ago when he had an open seat, and that he did not just add a fourth team because sponsorship came with Paul. Richard was indicating that he recognized Paul’s talent independent of any financial consideration.
Such distinction is made to seem important, as if to embrace and enjoy the benefit(s) of our family ties is demeaning. This is part of the American celebration of people who succeed by ‘pulling oneself up by their boot straps’ or being ‘a self made man.’
Graciously, the Heavenly Father and Son are united in all things. They are co-eternal, and have and will do all things together in harmony and agreement. The only time the Father and Son were separated was when they chose for the Son to pay the penalty for our sin. On the cross all comfort of the provisions and comfort of the Father was removed and the Son cried out “Why have you forsaken me.” The answer is so that through faith in the life of righteousness which fulfilled the promise of God, and death which was the penalty of sin, Jesus the Son won the victory over Satan, the world and the flesh. The Father pronounced his satisfaction in the bodily resurrection of Jesus three days later. Today, they sit side by side in heaven; and when Satan accurately charges Believers with sin, it is Jesus who advocated for our acceptance as adopted sons and daughters of God. God pronounces us clean, pure, justified, and sanctified. One day, we will be glorified as if we are in Victory Circle with our Father because of the work of the Son and Father. That is Good News.
A FAMILY THING
#######
July 18, 2011
NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
- Stewart-Hass Racing dominated the New Hampshire weekend with teammates, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart, winning the Pole and outside pole and then finishing the exact same way. In 1989, this happened when Hendrick drivers, Darrell Waltrip and Kenny Schrader, did it at the Daytona 500 the same way. Newman led 119 of the 301 laps and had enough of a lead over Stewart to be able to run slower laps and stretch his fuel mileage to secure his 15th career win.
- Ryan Newman won his 47th Pole with teammate, Tony Stewart on the outside. Ryan is now 10th on the all time list with only Jeff Gordon (70 poles, 3rd on list) and Mark Martin (50, 8th) ahead of him among current full-time drivers. Only eight other current full-time drivers have a total of 10 poles in their careers: Bobby Labonte (26, 22nd), Jimmie Johnson (25, 23rd), Kasey Kahne (21, 27th), Kurt Busch (15, 33rd), Tony Stewart (12, 36th), Brian Vickers (11, 37th), Dale Jr. and Joe Nemechek (10, 38th).
- Denny Hamlin (3rd) and Jimmie Johnson (4th) both came back from spins on the track. Jimmie overcame a mistake by a pit crew member to finish in the Top 5. Jeff Gordon came back from a lap down after he had to change his batteries during a caution period to be running 4th as the White flag flew, but had a tire go down and finished 11th.
- Carl Edwards returns to top of the Points sheet after Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick have swapped the lead the last two weeks. Kyle Busch blew a tire and hit the wall early in the race and finished 77 laps down in 36th place and fell to 3rd, 11 points behind Edwards and 4 points behind 2nd place Jimmie Johnson. Kevin Harvick fell to 4th place.
- Brad Keselowski was the “big loser” again this week in his quest for the Chase. He dropped from just 3 points out of 20th place (which at this time would give him the 2nd wild card spot) to 25 points out. Also, he is now 49 points behind Ragan Smith who has a win, is 13th in points and has a wild card position. There are just seven weeks to overcome the deficit and also seven opportunities for those currently in the Top 20 who have not won a race to do so. Don’t be surprised if one or more of these drivers join the 13 winners already this season: Stewart, Biffle, Bowyer, Kahne, Montoya, Logano, Martin…and Watkins Glenn could open the door for Ambrose.
- Statistics after Kentucky, half-way through the season, eight races to the Chase :(NASCAR)(7-14-2011)
• 12 different winners. (Last year, there were seven different first-half winners.)
• 12 different Pole Winners
• Average of 14 different leaders per race
• Average of 31 lead changes per race
• 44 different drivers have led at least one lap
• 30 drivers have scored at least one top 10
• Average Margin of Victory of 1.552 seconds
• 9 races with an Margin of Victory under one second
• Average of 3,940 passes per race
• Average of 39 green flag passes for the lead (all around the track)
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
Heat from brake usage affected the tires and caused failures. The flatness of the track caused extra stress on the right front tires and failures. Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski took big ‘hits’ in their standings in the points race because of these factors. Others were affected to lesser immediately obvious extents; however, every driver’s performance was affected by many variables, including their own physical and mental abilities during these specific 301 laps. Those who did well can only celebrate this one race, those who suffered loss must look to the future and hope for better results before it is too late. It is the accumulation of points over twenty-six races, all full of variables, that matters if you want a chance for the Championship Trophy. With the new format of the points and wild card positions, it is probable that at least two of the 12 drivers in the Chase will be determined in that 26th race at Richmond. This is exciting for the fans, but nerve wracking to the very last lap for the drivers, crew chiefs, pit crews and spotters.
Many people live their spiritual lives the same way. They know there is a final checkered flag and they live in several layers of fear:
Is there really a God that will judge me?
Am I living a good enough life to be forgiven by Him?
Can I overcome my mistakes in the past?
What if someone else interferes in what I am doing and it puts me ‘out’ of the competition?
What if I ‘blow it” on my ‘last lap’?
“What if?” becomes the dominate process of thinking.
Good News! Your relationship with God is not based on what you do, or what others do that affects you. There are not a limited number of spots; and therefore, you are not in competition with others. Good News! God is working out THE Redemptive Story for all creation. Good News! God did not rely merely on human power and ability. He knew that “if a man makes it, it will break.” God sent his Son, who as a human, lived all 33 years on earth in perfect obedience to the Father’s righteousness. He died bearing the wrath of God for sin, every sin of every person. Good News! Jesus finished the work, the race is over, and victory has been won. DAILY living will be frustrating at times; it may seem impossible at times, and it can be turned upside down at times by what others do or say. SPIRITUAL living is secured when you receive the gift of Faith in the Promise of God and receive eternal life. At that moment, you become “just as if you never sinned, and just as if you always obeyed” for you are then in union with Christ, adopted child of the Father.” Correction of a Father, not condemnation from a Judge is the reality of everyday living.
Enjoy the competition you see on the track as the Chase approaches, but rejoice that you are not competing for God’s love and forgiveness! Simply believe in Jesus.
WHY WE BELIEVE
#######
July 12, 2011
KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY
- Kyle Busch won the Inaugural race at Kentucky for his third win of the 2011 season. He did so after two restarts in the last six laps in which he easily pulled away from the field by the time he exited Turn 2 both times. Along with Kyle, on the last restart, approximately twelve other drivers were involved in two laps of the best racing seen all day. In total, nine of those positions changed hands with only Kenseth in 6th, Gordon in 10th and Kahne in 13th changing positions.
- Avoiding the bumps in the track surface was biggest story during the weekend. The teams did not have past experience from previous races to help with the set-up of their cars; however, many drivers had driven at least once over the ten-year history of the track and knew it was rough. Unlike most tracks, which are mostly smooth except in the corners where the tunnel goes under the track, Kentucky was bumpy even on the straight-aways. Several commentators spoke of the track having ‘character’ because of the bumps; but, the crew chiefs and drivers had to figure out how to keep the splitters off the surface. This was done by driving different lines in the corners, which facilitated compromises in the set-up as they could not treat both turns the same way. The track also has the flattest turns of any of the eight tracks which are mile and a half speedways.
- Eight races remaining to the “Chase,” and the new points system and ‘wild card’ positions are creating excitement. For the second week in a row, the Points leader changed with Kyle Busch moving to 1st and Harvick falling to 3rd, and there is only 10 points between the Top 3. The Top 6 are within 22 points. Eight of the Top 10 have won races, with the two non-winners holding the 8th and 9th positions. Right now, the ‘wild card’ spots belong to Tony Stewart who is 11th in points and David Ragan who is 15th in points with one win. Tony would lose that spot if one race winner, Brad Keselowski, moves into the Top 20 (at this time, he is 3 points out). Reagan Smith also has a win but he is 70 points out of 20th and unlikely to make up the needed points in eight races.
- D.W. (Darrell Waltrip) immortalized in the design of Kentucky Speedway? When the Nationwide series held the first race at the Kentucky speedway it was pointed out that Waltrip was very involved with the design of the track. The garage area is uniquely designed with each garage for both the Cup and Nationwide sides having garage doors on both sides of each garage, which allows the cars to be unloaded and rolled into the garage from the back and then out the front to go to the track. The garages are in a peculiar arch with the center area being a very large circle. No other track has such a design for their garages. When viewed from above the two arched garage complexes look very much like a “W,” which when combined with the “D” shape of the track can be seen as “DW.”
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
This is the first Inaugural Cup race that I have not experienced since 1993. In fact, at several of the tracks, I went there with the Nationwide series before the Cup series came a year later. Each Inaugural race was an exciting weekend, if not an exciting race. There were always problems (many times traffic problems, just like this weekend), but to be there for the first race at a new facility was always special. There was a ‘buzz’ in the air, excitement of being with local fans who had hoped to get a Cup race there for years, and expectation from veteran fans who anticipated better (or at least different) racing because of no team having any experience with the peculiar differences that the racing surface would bring.
People enjoy ‘new things,’ but quickly get used to them. The excitement is soon tempered by the negatives they discovered during the long anticipated experience. Comparisons build from year to year as to ‘the way is used to be’ and familiarity decreases interest. At the same time, changes in the fans’ lives naturally cause attrition; therefore, all eight of the venues I attended Inaugural events opened with sellout crowds, but subsequently have all had challenges to fill those same seats.
King David prayed in Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” David had danced before the Lord with great praise and a heart full of joy. At critical times in his life, He had been comforted by the Lord. He had known the protection and provision of the Lord. Yet, on this day, maybe for a period of his life, he had no joy. He did not know if he even wanted to go through the effort of going to the ‘race.’ Other things seemed easier, even if he would miss the ‘power’ and connection to people. To some degree, He was depressed.
In that moment, he asked the Lord ‘restore to ME the joy of YOUR salvation…” This, in fact, is the desire of our Lord for us. He is always pleased to give you joy, and He has placed that joy in the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus. At Jesus’ birth the angels announce, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.” This is the Gospel and it is the proclaiming of the Gospel that brings real joy to people. The ‘restoring’ of our spirit is a daily need. Every day we fall short of the glory of God, even if we are believers. The pressures of the world will beat us down. The familiarity of life’s needs does take away the excitement we once felt from our relationship with God.
Do you want it back? Do you want to feel it every day, regardless of the circumstances you face? The answer is not found in your recommitment to Him. It is not activated by following a formula from principles from the Bible. It is restored by daily hearing the Good News of what Jesus did in fulfilling the Law of God. You and I will never accomplish agreeing and confessing our utter helplessness, and then hearing and believing the incredible Good News of daily forgiveness of our sins because of Jesus living the Law and also taking the wrath of God for our sin. That is the Good News! Being fresh in the Word every day of your life will restore the joy of your salvation EVERY DAY of your life.
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
#######
July 5, 2011
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
- David Ragan breaks through with his first win! His teammate, Matt Kenseth, pushed David to the win after the second Green-White-Checkered restart which was caused by the second ‘Big One.’ Both big crashes involved drivers looking for or waiting for their ‘partners’ to join them and push them to the front. In the final standings, only Roush teammates Ragan/Kenseth (1st and 2nd) and RCR drivers Harvick/Menard (7th and 8th) finished in the top 10. In 6th position, Jeff Gordon was the highest finishing Hendrick driver, even after being involved in an earlier crash and losing his teammate and pole sitter, Mark Martin, in the next to the last crash of twelve cars.
- “Tantrum racing” and “brake dragging”
This year’s version of Restrictor Plate Racing at Daytona and Talladega requires drivers to pick a partner and stay with that combination in order to succeed. The spotter of the driver in front becomes ‘THE driver’ of the two cars locked together, because the driver of the car pushing in the combination cannot see where he is going. In order to hook up with their predetermined partners, on a restart, the drivers have to listen to their spotters and the lead car will lightly drag their brakes while holding the throttle wide open. Generally, the trailing car will gently tap the lead car about three times before settling on the lead car’s bumper. Once they are together, they are supposed to stay physically connected for the entire distance around the track with the pushing car only sliding to the right in the turns to get some air to their radiator for cooling. If the car slides to the left, the front car becomes unstable and oftentimes hits the outside wall.
- Brad Keselowski was the big loser at Daytona. With one win, Brad was 12 points out of the top 20 in points; and therefore, he was eligible for the last ‘wild card’ spot in the Chase. With Ragan’s win (Brad is in 22nd place, 29 points behind Ragan who is in 17th place), Brad will have to overcome Ragan and be in the top 20 to get the wild card. Tony Stewart is 12th in the points. He is now out of the wild card chase and will have to win a race before Richmond or move into the Top 10 to be in the Chase. It is currently clear that at least two winners will not make the Chase. Kevin Harvick is now the Point’s leader after Carl Edwards suffered another bad finish of 37th and fell five points out of the lead.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
No one was mad at anyone after the Daytona race. Last week, everyone was blaming someone for their trouble at Sonoma. Mark Martin said, “I was just looking for my partner and thought I was clear when I got hit.” Kenseth said he was “glad to push Ragan to the win; he would have done it for me.” Logano was happy to be 3rd, and Kyle Busch was all smiles in 5th. Gordon was surprised to be 6th, and ‘Happy” Harvick lived up to his name.
Why the difference? What caused this drastic difference in ‘spirit’ among the drivers? ‘Control’ is one answer. At the Road Race in Sonoma, the speeds are lower and the driving skills of the drivers in that specialized type of racing are more evident than at Daytona where you hold your foot on the floor and use your brake to back off instead of your throttle. At a road race, there are many judgments about the ability of drivers and their tactics; whereas, at restrictor plate tracks the drivers are aware that if they do everything ‘right,’ they still may be in or even cause ‘The Big One.’ There is a much higher likelihood of the need for ‘grace’ from other drives, so drivers are much more likely to give ‘grace.’
In the Bible, the Good News revealed God’s grace to man works similarly. Those who believe they are in control of their lives have more ability than others, deserve more than others, and generally reject the Good News that God has provided His Son for their salvation. They may hear the Gospel, but their hearts are hardened, not softened by the Truth because they maintain a spirit of superiority.
On the other hand, once a person realizes that the overall control of things in life is limited, he or she is more apt to be open to God. They are more realistic about the variables of life, their own self centeredness and their ultimate lack of control over everything. In this confusion, the clear words of redemption, forgiveness, life and peace come with the proclamation that Jesus, the Son of God, came physically to this earth. He lived perfectly the Law that revealed the Righteousness of God and took every ounce of the wrath of God for sin, as if he deserved it. God said, “Whosoever BELIEVES in me shall have eternal life.” Eternal life is defined in the Bible as ‘knowing God,’ not just life after death. From this very moment, throughout the remainder of life on Earth and forever, you can know God personally and not be afraid of his wrath, even when mistakes happen and it ruins the race.
WHAT IT MEANS TO RUN THE GOOD RACE OF FAITH
#######
June 28, 2011
INFINEON RACEWAY
- Kurt Busch gets the first road course win of his career at Infineon Raceway. For three weeks in a row, Kurt has won the pole but not the race. The win is the second this year for Penske Racing, which is the only team racing Dodges. In this era, teams with fewer than three cars are deemed too small to effectively compete; much less with a manufacturer that has only two teams racubg their cars. Penske and Dodge are the most surprising story of 2011.
- Seven changes in the Top 10 in points after Sonoma. With only nine races left before this year’s Chase, the certainty of who will be in the Chase was severely tested at Sonoma. Dale Jr. was the latest victim of Top 3 drivers having problems in the last three races. Carl Edwards lost 34 points of his lead three weeks ago; then, Jimmie Johnson lost a position with his 27th place finish at Michigan, and Dale fell four spots with a 41st place showing this past weekend. Dale was a victim of someone else’s spin in Turn 11 and blew his engine before he could transverse the over two miles of the course with a hole in his radiator from the crash. Kurt Busch picked up two spots with his win, while Hamlin and Stewart fell out of the Top 10 with crashes in Turn 11 ending their day.
- Kurt is the eleventh different winner in 2011. Three of the winners are not in the top 20 in Points. While Trevor Bayne is not running for the Cup Championship, Brad Keselowski is 22nd, 12 points out of 20th and Regan Smith is 28th, 59 points out of 20th. Both will miss the Chase unless they are in the Top 20 after Richmond. At this point, for Hamlin, the 4th winner not in the Top 10, a win does not assure a driver of making the Chase.
- Jeff Gordon finished second after struggling most of the race. Jeff moved from 15th to 2nd in the last 20 laps.
- Points leader, Carl Edwards, finished 3rd after cancelling his participation in the Nationwide race and staying in Sonoma for the final two hour practice. Carl was scheduled to fly to Road America for the Nationwide race; however, his practice was so bad that he needed the extra Cup practice at Infineon. He ended up with a Top 3 finish.
- Montoya was involved in three different spins and crashes, and he passed the most cars in the race. Montoya is the most experienced Road racer in NASCAR. He had a fast car, but his impatience with other drivers on a course that only has two distinct passing areas cost him a Top 3 finish, if not the win.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT INFINEON RACEWAY
PIT NOTE
Tony Stewart does not liked to be blocked (a driver moving over in front of a faster car instead of holding the line and allowing an attempted pass) on the race track. He let Brian Vickers (one of Tony’s best friends) know it when he intentionally spun Brian. After repairs, Brian came back on the track and actually slowed for Tony to catch him going into Turn 11 so he could intentionally ‘pay back’ Tony. Tony ended up stuck on top of the tires and had to be lowered by a tow truck. He went to the garage to make repairs and came back but decided not to ‘pay back’ Brain again. Both drivers quickly acknowledged the intentionality of their actions. Brian said that Tony was wrong and that he was blocking. However, Tony said he was going to do the same thing to any driver (including Ryan Newman who drives his other car) if they blocked him at any race. Tony said that as long as NASCAR is following the ‘boys to have at it’ principle, he would enforce his own judgment on blocking.
Tony’s response would be called ‘road rage’ if it happened off the race track. Ultimately, it cost Tony a position in the Top 10 in points, a win at Sonoma, and a destroyed race car. It could keep him out of the Chase and the Championship. However, at that moment Tony saw it as the ‘right’ thing to do. Currently, he has voiced that it is the ‘right’ thing to do every time it happens.
A lot of issues could be addressed from this story, and a lot of moral implications could be made. However, when I think of Jesus relating to mankind while he was on earth, ‘rage’ was only seen when he was dealing with people who were ‘blocking’ the Truth. At the temple, he upset the money changers’ tables because they were making ‘his Father’s house a den of thieves.’ He was also enraged when the religious leaders made being right with God an issue of what man did, instead of what God had done. Jesus had no patience with these people because they claimed to represent and point people to Life in the Lord. But, in fact, they denied the grace of God that gave eternal life to all you believed the Promise that God would send a Savior, who was Jesus himself. These people were blocking the understanding of scripture to create a system that required people to do certain things at the Temple while paying the priest. Instead of the priest showing people how the Law was impossible to keep and allowing it to then show how only faith like their father Abraham had would give salvation, they used it to control the people.
Sadly the majority of people still do not understand the ‘proper use of the Law.’ They use the scripture to teach morals and make the Bible into a ‘play book’ to be coached by. They end up bringing condemnation on people instead of life, for “without FAITH, it is impossible to please God.” The proper use of the Law drives people to faith when they hear the Good News.
Please don’t block the Holy Spirit by thinking you can please God by doing even the things that we are commanded to do. Any of our efforts will always come up short of perfection and that is still sin. Jesus lived the Law perfectly with every breath he took, and then he gave up his Spirit with his last breath and suffered every drop of the wrath of God that should have been ours. That is the Good News.
#######
June 14, 2011
POCONO RACEWAY
- Jeff Gordon wins for the second time this season, fifth time at Pocono and 84th in his career. Jeff’s win ties him for third on the all-time-most wins list in the Cup series with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip. He is now 21 wins behind 2nd place David Pearson with 105 wins.
- Kyle Busch versus Richard Childress Racing???
Last week, Richard Childress was fined $150,000 for hitting Kyle after the Truck race in Kansas. Kevin Harvick nudged (without touching) Kyle to the edge of the infield grass at Pocono and ‘messed’ with him throughout the race. NASCAR even warned the two drivers, who are on probation, to give each other more room during the race. At times, Harvick’s teammates, Jeff Burton and Paul Menard, ‘messed’ with Kyle during the race. Has this incident between Harvick and Busch at Darlington escalated to a whole team against Kyle? With RCR Racing running multiple cars in the Cup and Truck series, and Harvick’s two cars in the Nationwide series, Kyle is definitely out numbered as he runs in all three series.
- Kurt Busch wins 2nd pole in row and finished 2nd in the race.
- Carl Edwards’ lead in the points standing drops to just a 6-point lead. Carl had a valve break in his engine and finished 37th; therefore, he dropped 34 points in his lead over Jimmie Johnson. The engine is the only part of the car that cannot be replaced during a race; however, the Roush team took the unusual effort of working on the engine and got Carl back in the race. Carl picked up a couple of spots in the finish and one point per spot. Carl took the repair time as an opportunity to appear as a commentator on the live TV broadcast.
- Montoya led several times in the race but may have lost the race with his strategy. With 42 laps to go, Montoya was leading when the whole field pitted. For the third time, he took only two tires while every other team took four. Finally, with 28 laps to go, he got four tires, but had fallen back and finished 7th.
- Tony Stewart was not pleased with changing gears at Pocono. For the first time in years, NASCAR’s gear ratio selection for the race allowed teams to have a big enough gap that changing gears during the race was practical. Several years ago, it was common for teams to use forth gear as a sort-of ‘overdrive.’ Two of the three straight-aways are so long that the RPM’s caused damage to the engines. So the teams set the cars up for the changing of gears. Then, NASCAR set the gear choices to where changing was not necessary to preserve the engines. This year, they changed it back. So drivers like Denny Hamlin, who won the first time he ever came to Pocono, had never changed gears during the race. This year, some drivers where changing up to six times per lap. Tony Stewart broke his third gear during the race and could not pit with the drivers on the lead lap (although he was on the lead lap), because of the danger he would cause by not being able to get up to speed with the others who were pitting.
- Kyle Busch finished 3rd, but his car was 1/16th of an inch too low on the right rear in post race inspection.
NASCAR has penalized the No. 18 team in the Sprint Cup Series as a result of rule infractions discovered during post-race inspection Sunday at Pocono Raceway.
The No. 18 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-12.8.1B (body height requirements -- car failed to meet the minimum front car heights) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book.
As a result, crew chief Dave Rogers has been fined $25,000, while owner Joe Gibbs and driver Kyle Busch have been penalized with the loss of six championship owner and six championship driver points, respectively.
Joe Gibbs Racing released a statement Monday afternoon: "We brought the No. 18 car back to our race shop and have identified the problem which caused us to measure low during the post-race inspection process in Pocono [Sunday] afternoon. We have made NASCAR aware of our findings and we accept the penalty they have issued today."
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT POCONO RACEWAY
PIT NOTE
Jeff Gordon’s Victory Lane celebration was ‘tender.’ He hugged and kissed his wife and daughter, Ella, three times before and during the winner’s interview. He mentioned that this was the first win that his daughter had been present for and understood. He mentioned that his infant son was at home. His daughter didn’t even cry when her hair got wet from the liquid celebration as he exited the car. In August, Jeff is turning 40 and he expressed nothing but joy with his life. His interview on Speed’s NASCAR Victory Lane program, taped about 30 minutes later, had the same content and flavor. Jeff spoke about his family, and little of the actual race in comparison.
Titles (of which only three drivers have more) and wins (of which only two drivers have more) are just numbers if you don’t have someone to share the joy of the experience with. There are team members, sponsors and fans that are part of the experience. There are trophy cases to hold the winner’s hardware and pictures to remind them who was there when it happened. But having someone who cares about you to enjoy the victories with you multiplies the personal joy. In that moment, you are able to say, “Look at that. Can you believe we won? Thank you for loving me even when we don’t win.”
It is the same with our Heavenly Father. He created everything beautiful (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and good (Genesis 1 & 2). He created man and woman to enjoy it with Him. They walked together in the “cool of the evening” throughout the garden until Adam and Eve decided to simply not enjoy what God provided but to disobey His one constraint. The fellowship was broken by this sin. Being Holy, God could by his very nature only be just in his judgment of their sin. Death was the natural result of sin, and death became a reality. But before death was played out in man, God himself killed one of the animals He had created and provided skins for Adam and Eve to cover them. This was the first sacrifice provided by God for sin, and it showed that God could be just and graceful at the same time. Through covenants God revealed the need for man to have grace from God. The prophets revealed how the Promise of God was to be ultimately fulfilled in the sending of his only Son, Jesus. This Son would live perfectly every requirement of the Holiness and Righteousness of the Father. The Son would suffer the penalty of death that sin requires. Since the Son had lived the Law perfectly; his death would not be for his personal sin, but for the sin of Adam and all mankind after him. This victory over sin and death, a one-time event in history, is celebrated continually in Heaven and in the hearts of those who by Faith in the Promise of God (the Gospel) have received everlasting life.
One day, many will observe the picture in the Hall of Fame of Jeff’s 84th win. One day, Jeff’s daughter will be standing looking at the picture. Fans, not even alive on June 12, 2011, will remark on the picture; but Ella will have a different prospective. Not only was she there, but she was in the picture and was being held in her daddy's arms! If you have believed the Good News, that is the reality that you have for all Eternity.
#######
June 7, 2011
KANSAS SPEEDWAY
- “In Clutch” wins for Brad Keselowski at Kansas. Gas mileage strategy won the race for the second week in a row. With 10 laps to go and eventual second place finisher, Dale Jr., gaining on him, Brad started engaging his clutch as he entered the 1st and 3rd turns at over 180 mph. His RPM’s dropped from about 8000 to 3000 as he coasted through the corners. In the past, drivers have driven under caution on the apron to save fuel, cut their cars off, or they have been pushed by teammates. Under green they have ‘rolled’ out of the throttle and ‘picked’ it up easier in the turns, but this was a new tactic. With Dale Jr. and 3rd place Denny Hamlin using those tactics, they slowed their pace and Brad got his second career win.
- Half-way to the Chase
Consistent finishes puts you in the Chase. After 13 of the 26 races that determine the drivers who will go for the title, 5 of the Top 10 have wins and 5 do not. Edwards (1st, 1 win), Johnson (2nd, 1 win), Harvick (4th, 3 wins), Kyle Busch (5th, 2 wins), Kenseth (7th, 2 wins) have wins. Dale Jr. (3rd), Kurt Busch (6th), Stewart (8th), Bowyer (9th) and Newman (10th) do not. In fact, are you surprised that Dale Jr., Kurt Busch, Stewart, Bowyer and Newman are in the Top 10 based on what you have heard from and about them so far this season? Hamlin is just one point back in 11th, and Gordon is 13th, 18 points back but he has a win. This year, the 13 finishes have been some of the most exciting I have ever seen. I am surprised at the Top 10 because half of them have not won or gotten much attention from the press; however, they have been consistent.
- Three race winners are not in Chase at this time.
Keselowski (21st), Smith (29th) and Bayne (45th) won three of the first 13 races; but, at this time, they would not make the Chase as the ‘wild cards.’ The 11th and 12th spots will be given to the drivers with the most wins in 11th to 20th position in the points after 26 races, or the highest in points if all the winners of races are either already in the Top 10 or out of the Top 20. At this time, Gordon would qualify for 11th with his one win.
- Kyle Busch and Richard Childress have an altercation after Truck race. Reportedly Richard hit Kyle after confronting him about what Richard considered aggressive driving against his driver, Joey Coulter. Kyle and Joey were battling for 5th in the Truck race; and Kyle tapped Joey’s truck on the cool down lap. Kyle joked about being hit Sunday morning before the Cup race, after NASCAR had cleared him of any wrong doing in the incident on the track or afterwards with Childress. Richard was restricted from the Pit area during the race and was further penalized on Tuesday. Mike Helton held a press conference to announce NASCAR’s findings after speaking with both Kyle and Richard.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT KANSAS SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
Dale Jr. is 3rd in points! That is a great accomplishment. It is remarkable considering his finishes in the points the past three years. So far, he is the third most consistent driver in 2011. Yet, what we emphasize is “no wins in 106 starts,” or ‘how far, will so far’ go into this season. I have said many times that the “most consistent thing about me personally, is my inconsistency.” In fact, that is what I have observed about everyone for over 60 years. Of course, I give myself a ‘break’ and justify my inconsistency. I do the same for my friends. I give a lot of people a reprieve with a Southern “bless their hearts.” I definitely overlook it in my favorite sports teams and politicians, but never for teams who beat the Cowboys. I do so because I am human. God cannot do so because He is God.
Inconsistency is not a characteristic of God. If it were, He would not be Holy. He would not be God at all. But, He is consistent, and we have a Savior.
God provided the first sacrifice for Adam and Eve. God made a covenant with Abraham, and He took upon Himself the requirement and the penalty if it was broken. With Moses, God ‘laid down the Law’ and pronounced a curse on anyone who broke the Law, while providing a way of sacrifice until The Lamb of God came and ‘took away the sin of the world’. So when Jesus, God’s Son came, he came as both “all God, and all Man.” He lived the law given to Moses PERFECTLY, and CONSISTENTLY. He came to “fulfill the Law,” and he did it every second of every day from his birth to his saying “it is finished” while hanging on the cross. He lived it PERFECTLY and CONSISTENTLY, not just to the ‘letter of the law’ as recorded in the Old Testament, but to the ‘intent of the law’ as Jesus revealed in his teaching.
Therefore, a person who believes the Promise of God in Christ Jesus is accounted as being as righteous as Jesus himself in the eyes of God. We are adopted sons, heirs with full rights. The penalty we deserve, and Jesus did not, is paid in full by Jesus. People see our inconsistency, and God sees us as His children who are invited to come to their loving Father for instruction in righteousness. To come to a father who is always there and desiring to provide everything, even correction for the good and growth of his beloved children. This is Good News!
THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL CONSISTENCY
#######
June 2, 2011
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
- Kevin Harvick ‘finds’ himself in Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Victory Circle. Harvick restarted with little thought of winning the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He found himself in 3rd place after seven cars bumped each other just past the green flag when Kasey Kahne ran out of gas. It appeared there would be a huge pile up, even a need for a Red flag. The cars appeared to be heading for a Talladega type “Big One,” only to find the track cleared within moments. This allowed the race to continue. Dale Jr. streaked to a large lead as he took the White flag. All appeared to finally come together for Jr. until he slowed going into Turn 3 as he ran out of fuel.
- “Things Change”
The race started in 90+ degree heat, and the drivers endured 130+ degree heat inside their cars. The track was slick as the oil seeped from the asphalt. Carl Edwards dominated the race until the shadows overtook Turn 2 and Carl fell back and his teammate, Matt Kenseth, dominated. The sun went down, and the teams used different strategies. Kasey Kahne looked like a sure winner; however, sixteen other drivers found ways to lead a few laps. Jimmie Johnson blew an engine (almost unheard of in his last five championship seasons) with 5 laps to go. Kenseth had to pit for fuel with 8 laps to go, and Jr. needed fuel, but he wanted the win more. Stewart also ran out of gas on the last lap.
So, the Top 10 finishers were: Harvick, Ragan, Logano, Kurt Busch, Allmendinger, Ambrose, Earnhardt, Smith, Reutimann, and Hamlin. Not what anyone expected.
- The Charlotte race was longest in NASCAR history. This was the first time the ‘600’ had a Green-White-Checkered Flag finish, which extended the race to 603 miles. This was the longest mileage race; however, other races have taken more time.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
Surprise winners were the norm on Memorial Day. Dale Jr. runs out of gas and Harvick wins. At Indy, Dan Whelden wins when the sure winner crashes 500 feet from the checkered flag. Sabastian Vettell wins the Formula 1 race when a red flag allowed him to change tires (different rules from NASCAR), and therefore, he out ran the 2nd and 3rd place drivers who would have overtaken him in the last five laps. Three major races internationally, and three surprise winners all on one day.
On one day, Jesus won the greatest contest of all time, for all people! It was a surprise for most of those witnessing the event at Calvary and not even a concern for all the rest of the world.
Right after Adam and Eve sinned, God proclaimed that “The LORD God said to the serpent, because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Gen 3:14-15) This is the first proclamation of the good news that God would provide a savior and reconciliation between himself and mankind. The serpent had been used by Satan in the temptation of Eve. God not only cursed the snake to crawl on its belly, but included Satan as having “enmity” with the woman, who’s ‘seed’ would ‘bruise’ his ‘head,’ while Satan would only ‘bruise’ the ‘heel’ of the “seed” of the woman. From there, God reveals in the Old Testament how He is working to redeem mankind with Jesus fulfilling the key element of this passage; that is, he was ‘the seed of the women.’ He was born of a virgin; thus humanly, he was not the combination of the biological combination of two seeds, one from a man and one from a women. Throughout the life of Jesus there is recorded the struggle (enmity) between him (“her offspring”) and demons (“your {Satan’s}offspring”). At Calvary, the final three hours of the earthly struggle between these two ‘seeds’ took place. It seems that Satan has the upper hand as ‘her seed’ is barely recognizable as a man from the beatings he has taken. ‘Her seed’ is bruised; he is dehydrated, pain has sapped his strength, and his ‘heels’ are literally ‘bruised’ from the nail driven holding them to the cross. Death is at the door, the soldiers are preparing to break the legs of all three who are being crucified in order to prevent them from pushing up and getting a breath of air to stay alive. Satan can see the ‘finish line,’ victory circle celebration seems to be certainly his. Death, which was the ‘trophy’ won by Satan when Adam and Eve sinned, appeared to be overtaking the One who had proclaimed Himself to be “Life.”
Then, just moments before the natural result of sin, death overtakes the man Jesus, and he ends the ‘race.’ He says, “IT IS FINISHED” and he GIVES UP his spirit, it is NOT TAKEN FROM HIM. Death has not claimed him; He has voluntarily suffered it and the wrath of God for all sin. When He seemingly could not make it to the finish line, He ended the race where he was. He died FOR sin, not IN sin! Three days later at the empty tomb, the world becomes aware of the real winner and the reality that Satan’s head has been “bruised.” That is the BEST NEWS ever!
#######
May 24, 2011
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Carl Edwards is the All-Star Winner!
Carl received the winner’s check for $1,200,000 after he ran a faultless race on the track and his crew chief, Bob Osborn, made the perfect calls. Carl took the checkered flag into the stands with the fans, only after he did his trademark back flip off his ‘broken’ car from his victory slide through the grass. Carl was still asking for assurance that the race was over coming out of Turn 2 before he slowed down and accepted that he had won. He was instructed to park behind the pace car for the Victory celebration. However, he decided to slide through the grass first; and in doing so, he hit a drain in the infield and his car actually became airborne. The front end of the car was destroyed and the radiator was damaged before the car stopped near the Start/Finish Line. So, Sprint changed the award show and used Carl’s smoking car as the backdrop.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
The All-Star race is billed as a ‘winner-take-all” event and the only thing that matters is WINNING. Did a lot more happen that I could write about? Did other teams make some money? Did some teams use it as a practice for next week’s Coca-Cola 600 race; which pays points, therefore, more important than the winner taking home more money? Definitely! But, staying with the billing of the race, I only reported on the winner above and will do so here also.
Genesis 3:15 is the first proclamation of the Good News (Gospel) in the Bible. Adam and Eve had just been confronted by God about their disobedience - eating the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden. They had immediate shame after their sin and tried to hide themselves with garments made from leaves. But, the atonement for sin was too big for them to handle. God Himself provided a temporary covering of animal skins, which came from the death of animals that God created. However, the necessity of blood to atone for sin would take more than the blood of a lamb; it would ultimately take the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. So this ‘winner take all’ battle was announced in Gen. 3:15 - “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” This was directed at Satan, who had tempted Adam and Eve to deny God. It revealed a long ‘race’ of conflict between God and Satan. It also told the final outcome of the ‘race,’ that there would be an “offspring” of the “women” and that offspring would have his ‘heel bruised,’ but Satan’s would suffer a “bruised head.” A bruised head is fatal! The woman’s offspring would WIN this ‘winner-take-all’ affair.
This “Good News” looked forward to Jesus, who was born of a virgin; thus, the only offspring ever of just a woman. Jesus did have his heel bruised literally in crucifixion, but His rising from the dead proved it was not a ‘fatal’ blow to the head. On the other hand, Satan’s fate was sealed when the woman’s seed rose from the dead. His days became numbered. He lost the race! The victory celebration awaits. Jesus is coming back one day; and in the end, Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity. Jesus is the ‘All Star,’ but He invites each of us to join Him in life now and for eternity. What do we have to prove or win to join him? Nothing. We only have to have faith in what He did on the cross, once and for all! That is the Good News!
#######
May 18, 2011
DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
- Matt Kenseth wins the Dover Sprint Cup race on only two new tires. With 34 laps to go, Jimmy Fenning (Matt’s crew chief) and Matt changed their minds about taking four tires while their pit crew was in the process of changing the right side tires. They realized that there were several teams doing the same. Mark Martin remained on the track; thus, strategically two tires gave Matt track position with three rows of two cars between him and Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson who had led over 300 of the 400 laps. On the restart, Matt quickly passed Mark Martin who had not taken any tires and led the last 32 laps to take the 20th win of his career. Matt is the third driver to win two races this season. This should guarantee him a spot in the Chase.
- Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards (1st & 2nd in points) put on the best show during the race with side by side racing several times for several laps each time. Both drivers supported their crew chief’s call for four tires and spoke of the future and not about losing this race.
- Mark Martin finished 2nd after staying on the track to gain track position. Too often this year, he has finished around 15th, and he knew that with only 30 laps left he would finish better than 15th. This was Mark’s 50th race at Dover and his 31st top 10 finish.
- Rubber build up on the track caused the track to be slick and unpredictable. There had been rain twice during the weekend which washed off the rubber. The race started on a ‘clean’ surface with lots of grip, but it became treacherous as the race progressed. The drivers became ‘cautious’ when passing other cars and careful even when alone. Edwards said it was like racing on a dirt track with big ruts.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
“Four tires, two tires, no tires…that is the question” (to adapt Shakespeare’s famous words). This year, race after race, the crew chiefs’ tire calls on the final pit stop have determined the eventual winner. Two tires have won (and lost), and four tires have won (and lost). This is not a science. The number of cars that decide to pit (or not), if there is a lead lap driver who does not pit (thus hindering any cars a lap down getting a “pass around” and joining the lead lap), if the driver pitting behind or in front of you positions his car in a way to block you…these are three of the major ‘wild cards’ that can determine the outcome of these calls.
Awareness and spontaneity become the keys in such situations: Awareness of track conditions, personalities and patterns of other crew chiefs and drivers, the importance of ‘clean air’ or track position, and the awareness of a multitude of factors from 42 other competitors. Spontaneity and confidence to make a call that is contrary to one’s own pattern, in response to all these factors of which one becomes aware, is the ultimate value of a crew chief.
Scripturally, being spontaneous is being ‘bold.’ It is having the confidence to take an action based on faith. In daily life, just like in racing, faith is not a ‘leap in the dark.’ It is action based on ‘credible evidence.’ However, it is only credible; it is not definitive in many cases. Believers are told to go “boldly” to the Lord. We can do so because the evidence is definitive that He loves us, desires to fellowship with us and seeks only our best. Ecclesiastes 8:2-4 tells us to go boldly to Him having obeyed him and confessed that he is right, and to even linger with him as it is his desire to be with us. That is a definite invitation that gives us confidence. However, what about day to day decisions involving family, school, work and literally every situation? Is awareness and spontaneity really pleasing to our Lord? YES! “Without faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6)
The crew chiefs would love absolute clarity before making their calls, and so would each one of us. However, with clarity you would not need God. God gives direction from His word and our experience of his faithfulness. He has given to believers his Holy Spirit to indwell in us and guide us. He seeks only our good and His own glory. With confidence, we can live with awareness and spontaneity and know that wherever we ‘finish,’ God will be pleased. That is the Good News!
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO GET GOD'S ATTENTION?
#######
May 2, 2011
RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
- Kyle Busch wins Richmond for his second win of the season and the third straight Spring race at the track. Kyle and Denny Hamlin, who finished 2nd, dominated the race as they have for the last five races at the Richmond track. They have won the last five Richmond races for Joe Gibbs Racing. Kasey Kane finished 3rd after leading a few laps.
- Jimmie Johnson came from a lap down, “the slowest car on the track,” to finish 8th. Jimmie was 3/10th of a second slower per lap when his crew chief told him to move around on the track to find a groove that worked best for the car. Once he found the fastest way for him, Chad was able to work on the set-up and use pit strategy to get back to the front and salvage a good finish. Jimmie is second in the points standings.
- The season is now 25% over with seven different winners. Only Harvick and Busch have two wins each. The top 30 in the points standings have each won over $1 million, as well as Trevor Bayne who is 45th in points. Trevor and 1st place Carl Edwards have each won over $2 million.
- Montoya won the pole, but made more news with his conflict with Ryan Newman. They finished 29th and 20th respectively after Montoya gave Newman a ‘pay back’ and spun him out in response to an earlier incident where Newman’s nudge put Montoya in the wall. Ryan sent word to Montoya through the spotters that he had not intended to wreck him, and the video backed it up, but Montoya did not respond. After the race, Montoya left the track before Newman parked his car. Newman went to the NASCAR trailer to state his anger. As of this writing, NASCAR has not made any statement about the incident.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
PIT NOTE
Perspective/Opinion - Everyone has his own perspective and opinion. Ryan saw the initial incident with Montoya as a “racing deal,” that while upsetting, should have been forgiven and forgotten. Montoya saw it as a blatant act by Ryan to take him out of the race, and at best a ‘stupid’ move by another driver. Either way, he thought about it for 40 laps, and then, purposefully and blatantly ran into Ryan as a ‘pay back.’ At least, that is my perspective and opinion. NASCAR has not stated their view; but the fact they did not summon both drivers and crew chiefs to their hauler/office after the race, indicates that they did not see it as needing their input, but more along the lines of “driver’s have at it.” That was their words before the start of the 2010 season; they were going to let the drivers ‘police themselves.’
This coming Friday morning at Darlington, NASCAR may bring both drivers into a meeting before the first practice to talk to them about future actions, or they might not interfere at all. Facts? Neither driver had as good a finish as would have been possible had their equipment not been damaged, and thus lost income. Both drivers still feel they were justified by their actions and anger. Both drivers will have to race with/against each other this week; therefore they cannot avoid their feelings toward each other.
Ultimate truth is not the ultimate goal of someone who has formed and invested energy into one’s own view. Montoya acted upon his view, while Ryan assumed NASCAR would take his view and reprimand Montoya in some way. “Justice” (the way I see it) is the desire of most, not truth. All the facts are not needed; this is not about reasonableness, this is about “me” getting vindication.
However, ultimate truth is ultimately what every person will understand and ultimate judgment will be just. The Truth is Jesus. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 reveals that all of us are totally guilty before God. What we think of ourselves (usually comparing ourselves with others whom we see as “worse” than ourselves) does not matter. Jesus is the standard. He lived a perfect life before God. Jesus fulfilled every law and demand of God. Jesus endured every ounce of the punishment of sin that not only I, but every person ever to live deserves. Jesus will one day return as the judge of all who reject him; yet, presently has “no condemnation” of those who are ‘in him.’ Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father and intercedes based on his perfect life and substitionary death that has been imputed to everyone who comes to him in faith. Now that is the ultimate Good News.
Click here to check out this "Our Daily Bread" Archive - "Getting in the Way."
#######
April 19, 2011
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
Jimmie Johnson wins the Cup race at Talladega as the top eight cars finished closer than ever before in NASCAR history! Jimmie came from 7th to victory on the last lap. He was able to slide underneath the Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin duo coming out of the tri-oval and beat Clint Bowyer by .002 at the line. This ties the closest finish in Cup history. The four Hendrick cars started 1st through 4th, but purposefully dropped to the back of the field with Johnson and Earnhardt and Gordon/Martin running together the entire race. Bowyer and Harvick used the same strategy, as did the Roush drivers Edwards and Biffle. Gordon and Martin seemed to have the best of Bowyer and Harvick until Martin tried to block Johnson coming out of the tri-oval while Gordon did not move down to the inside line. This caused Martin to lose contact with Gordon, which doomed their chances, and Mark fell all the way from 2nd to 8th in the last 100 yards of the race. Jimmie Johnson moved to 2nd in the points.
- The Start/Finish line odd location once again was decisive. Bill France, Sr. put the line half-way from the middle of the tri-oval (the standard place at all other Cup races) to the 1st Turn. Over the years, there has been many passes for the win in that distance. Bowyer would have won at every other track.
- Hendrick cars took the first four starting positions. Only the third time in NASCAR history this has been accomplished.
- Johnson’s win was the result of Earnhardt’s decision to move from being pushed by Johnson to pushing him. Once the change was made, with about 15 laps to go, Jr. had given up his own chance of winning for the good of the Hendrick organization. True teamwork!
- Kurt Busch had three different ‘partners’ crash while running with him. However, not one blamed Busch but attributed it to ‘just racing’ at Talladega.
- Dave Blaney with Tommy Baldwin Racing led the second most laps, but finished 27th after spinning out late in the race.
- There were 88 lead changes at the Start/Finish Line, which ties the all-time NASCAR record. Overall there were 159 green flag passes for the lead all around the race track and a total of 11,025 passes of all cars throughout the field.
- Seven different drivers have won the first eight races so far in 2011. Five of the seven are in the top 8 of the points standing.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
“There was so much going on from the tri-oval to the finish line that you could not see or anticipate everything,” so said winner Jimmie Johnson. So Bowyer/Harvick and Gordon/Martin lost as they concentrated on what appeared for most of the last lap to be “the race,” only to watch Johnson celebrate in Victory Circle. They had focused on the obvious challenger and threat, while realizing the ultimate danger at the last minute, .002 too late.
Spiritually, that is the danger faced by all men. Satan seeks to distract us from the truth of the Gospel and keep us from hearing the truth through which the Holy Spirit might give us “eyes to see and ears to hear.” When Jesus walked and talked on earth, he revealed how people were being deceived by those who preached a ‘do this and live’ message. It was very appealing because it said to man that he could work hard at doing good for others and obtain righteous standing and eternal life with God. Jesus proclaimed that His Holy Father had sent him to earth to live a perfect life that would at every moment, in every way, even in a righteous, non self-seeking manner, obey every law of God. Then, being in fact perfect, Jesus would lay down his life on the cross in atonement for our sin. From the cross Jesus cried, “It is finished;” and at that moment the vein in the temple in Jerusalem split and the separation between God and man was forever removed. The God-Man Jesus had removed the barrier that sin created between God and all men who believe the promise of God to provide a Savior.
The only focus we need is to look always at Jesus with faith. Yet our physical being seeks its own way most of the time. It compares itself with others and judges itself to be better than others, and thus in worldly logic closer to God. Sadly, many who appear to be about to win; ultimately, lose because they do not have a clear focus on Jesus. “Eternal life is to know God” (John 17). Knowing God is to believe solely in the perfect life of Jesus and His substitutionary death for sinners. That is the good news of Easter. NASCAR takes Easter off each year; why not seek Jesus this Sunday with no racing?
#######
April 12, 2011
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Matt Kenseth wins Texas for his first victory in over two years. Matt started the 2009 season by winning his 17th and 18th Cup wins back-t-back. From there, it had been downhill until last fall when the new Ford engine developed by Doug Yates was introduced. Since then, all the Fords have performed better; and, Matt and Carl Edwards (3rd) have been the most consistent. In Victory Circle, Matt indicated that not long ago he only wanted to race; but now, he enjoys his son’s racing career and his time with his two young daughters just as much.
- Roush Racing’s four teams and another Ford were in the Top 10 at Texas. Johnson and Earnhardt finished 8th and 9th from Hendrick, and Childress had Bowyer and Menard in the top 5. Tony Stewart had a real chance to keep Kenseth from his first victory in 76 starts, but was penalized for speeding on Pit Road and finish 13th.
- Roush also has two teams in the Top 10 for the Chase, along with two from Hendrick. All four car makers are represented in the Top 5. Jimmie Johnson is in 4th, showing the same consistency that has won him five straight titles.
- The parity in NASCAR through the Martinsville race:
• Lead change records have fallen in three of the six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races (Daytona, Phoenix and, most recently, Martinsville). The record for lead changes at Texas is 33, which was set last November.
• There has been an average of 13 leaders per race, the most after six races in series history.
• There has been an average of 31.5 lead changes per race, the most after six races in series history.
• The average margin of victory is under one second: .720 seconds.
• Prior to Kevin Harvick's win at Martinsville - his second consecutive victory - there were five different winners in the first five races for the first time since 2005.
• Last year's two top race winners - Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson - remain winless.
• Seven different team owners make up the top seven in the points standings.
• The top-four drivers in the standings all run different manufacturers.(NASCAR)(4-7-2011)
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
Mark Martin’s words earlier in the week, “It’s not the speed that is involved in a crash, but the feeling of the loss of control,” were put to the test when he crashed during the race. After hitting a spinning Martin Truex Jr., Mark said, “I didn’t have any steering, and I hit the outside wall and then the inside wall twice.”
CONTROL - It is one of the first things babies learn. When they smile, adults go nuts with joy and react on the baby’s level. The infant then figures out how to get a dad to play with them, or how to get attention by not smiling. Two year-olds learn the greatest control word, “NO.” This may result in parents demonstrating anything from shock to horror, but at least it assures the child of a response that may have been missing. Teenagers learn sarcasm and manipulation, again to control a bit of their ‘world.’ Adults really do have responsibility for their actions, but generally blame others when ‘cornered’ or attribute bad choices to the influence of the devil when all else fails.
Racing is about finding the ‘edge,’ but not going past the ‘point of no control.’ Mark was speaking about the transition from the slowest track on the circuit at Martinsville last week, to the fastest track at Texas this week. As long as you have control of the car, the speed is irrelevant. However, at any speed, not being able to steer your car is frightening.
In general, religions seek to control people’s actions. They reinforce cultural standards and validate behavior as good or bad. Ultimately, adherence to these codes determines our eternal abode. It does not really matter what ‘speed’ (i.e. religion) you choose to run, just as long as you have something to keep you on track, under control, able to steer yourself around the obstacles of life. Any system of religion based on your adherence to a code of ethics (overtly stated, or covertly pressured) is referred to as legalism.
Ah, but then there is Jesus, who came to set us free from such control! Jesus lived in perfect righteousness for every day of his life. He lived the law of God not only in deed, but with a perfect heart attitude of glorifying God. He then suffered the ‘death penalty’ in place of every human who deserves to be condemned for failing to live the law of God. Those who believe in Jesus have inherited the righteousness of Jesus and are set free from the drudgery of complying with a set of religious rules. Believers are free from the religions of ‘do this and live.’ They are free to boldly live each day with the assurance that their sins are forgiven, their path of life is directed by God, and favor from God is theirs as adopted sons with all the rights as Jesus. Control of life is no longer the issue; glorifying God out of a new created spirit is the desire and having the power of the Holy Spirit to actually live the law of God is the blessing.
In Texas, adding ‘insult to injury,’ Mark was credited with finishing one spot behind Truex, because Mark was behind him when the crash started. There is no such thing as a bad finish for believers in the Promise of God, Jesus. All believers rejoice in ‘Victory Circle’ for Eternity!
CLICK HERE TO READ TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL - Pay Attention To Signs
#######
April 5, 2011
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
- TWO IN A ROW FOR HARVICK
Kevin Harvick wins with another ‘heart stopping’ finish for the second week in a row. Harvick qualified 9th but fell to 30th by lap 35. He was having so much trouble controlling his car; he thought he had a right rear tire going flat. As the team made changes to the car on pit stops, he moved to the high teens, and then to 11th when he took only two tires on a stop. He realized that his owner, Richard Childress, had been telling him the truth on the radio that he was running as fast as the leaders but had just been held up by so many cars around him. Kevin made his way to 3rd as he watched Dale Jr. pass Kyle Busch for the lead, which allowed him to close the gap. He quickly passed Kyle and was on Jr.’s bumper until passing him with four laps to go. Because the car to pass for the win was the fans’ favorite, Dale Jr., the ‘heart thumping’ occurred for the second time in two weeks. Harvick’s win at Martinsville was the first in five years by someone other than Denny Hamlin or Jimmie Johnson. He moved from 42nd in points after the first race of the season to 5th after six races.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. ‘almost won’ for the first time in 98 races. Dale Jr. ran well all day. The fans were on their feet and cheering louder than the noise of the cars as he bumped Kyle Busch and moved to the lead. It appeared he had a comfortable lead with 10 laps to go, until his car got loose in the corner and Harvick began to close the gap. Harvick took advantage of the wiggle as Jr. entered the corner and drove away. Then, Dale had to contend with Kyle as he pulled alongside him as they entered Turn 3 on the last lap. Dale Jr. moved up the track to let Kyle have the bottom as he assumed Kyle would ‘repay’ the bump he had administered to pass him for the lead. Dale Jr. was able to use the additional RPM’s coming off of Turn 4 that the upper lane gave him, and he beat Kyle to the line for 2nd.
- After the race, the ‘new 2011 version’ of Kyle Busch responded to Jr.’s apology with a smile and forgiveness, and he took the blame for his not winning the race again this week. Kyle said, “I had the best car today, and I gave it away.”
- Jimmie Johnson fell from 2nd to 11th when he was caught for speeding on pit road on the final pit stop with with 31 laps to go.
- Matt Kenseth finished 6th after being penalized a lap for moving out of his line before crossing the start/finish line at the start of the race.
- Hendrick has three teams in the top 10, Roush two teams, and one each for Childress, Gibbs, Haas, Penske, and Ganassi. Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon would claim the 11th and 12th spots by virtue of their wins this season. Harvick has almost assured himself a spot in the Chase with his second win of the season.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
No one wants to be the ‘bad guy!” In Victory Circle, Harvick said, “I didn’t want to be the bad guy (referring to his passing Earnhardt for the win).” In his post race interviews, Earnhardt said, “I didn’t want to be the bad guy” (by bumping Harvick in the corner and winning the race that way).
No one wants to be perceived as ‘the bad guy’ in eyes of others. Often times, individuals, as well as corporations, go to great lengths and expense to create an image of philanthropy and obtain a “good guy” title. Avoiding ‘bad press’ or overcoming the same when things go wrong receives great energy from many in the public’s eye.
This carries over to our spiritual lives as well. The ‘elementary principles of the world’ (Galatians 3:3-4) refers to the attempt of every man in his natural post Adam and Eve state to attempt to appease an angry God’s wrath, and at the same time gain His favor by “not being a bad guy.” This basic universal philosophy of life is at the basis of every religion created by man.
The Law of God reveals that every man is in fact a ‘bag guy.’ Romans 3:10 says, “There is no one righteous, not even one; ….” The Prophet Jeremiah spoke the ultimate truth about the unregenerate person’s natural spiritual condition when he said, “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) Wicked is a word not deemed proper today, because there is no way to justify any goodness in deeds inspired from a inner being that ultimately does all for their own personal gain, regardless if others benefit from the act. Every person stands condemned to death, eternal death.
But then there is the Gospel, the Good News, about the Good Man, the God-Man Jesus! Jesus, the second Adam, who lived his whole life without even one sin, and perfectly served others without any self-serving underlying reasons or ulterior purposes. His love was PURE, untainted, and purely righteous, which perfectly equaled that of his Father.
This same Jesus, upon whom death had no claim, laid down his life and took the full gale of the wrath of God for every sin of every man to ever inhabit the earth. However, without any personal sin, Jesus was raised from the dead. The ONLY ‘good guy’ paying the penalty of sin for every bad guy.
The best news is that our simple faith in Jesus, being the promise of God for your salvation, allows the righteousness of Jesus’ life, and the payment by his shed blood to make you a ‘good guy’ for all Eternity.
STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY DAILY DEVOTIONAL
#######
March 28, 2011
AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY
Kevin Harvick wins the Cup race at Auto Club Speedway. It was the best (not closest) NASCAR finish in years! Kevin was in third position on the final restart with nine laps to go, after the first eight cars stayed on track instead of pitting for tires with 12 laps to go. Kyle Busch restarted in the lead, and it took second place, Jimmie Johnson, six laps to pass him for the lead. By that time, Harvick had closed on both lead cars. He passed Kyle with two laps to go and caught Jimmie coming out of Turn 2 on the final lap. Harvick had run best on the high side of the track (actually almost rubbing the wall lap after lap), and it appeared Jimmie would attempt to take that line away from Harvick. So Harvick bump drafted Jimmie for the majority of the back straight which affected Jimmie two ways and allowed Kevin to pass him in the turn and pull-away for the win. The two effects were: 1) Jimmie entered the corner faster than his race rhythm which caused him to adjust for his already ‘loose’ car; and 2) Jimmie’s mind was turned to what Harvick would do to some extent, instead of having total focus on his own line. According to Harvick, “I wanted Jimmie to be thinking about me.” Last year, at this race, it appeared Harvick would pass Jimmie for the win but rubbed the wall with 2 laps to go. This time, his patience won the race, and it gave the fans two spectacular passes in the last three laps for the ‘best show’ in years.
- Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch were both calm after the race. Jimmie was pleased to finish 2nd with a car “so loose that when it was tight, it was still loose.” Kyle explained that the car that led 151 of the 200 laps “just went away in the last 50 laps.” In the post race interview, Kyle was still very complimentary of the crew at home and his pit crew. He put any blame for the loss on himself. Many commentators have stated that Kyle is a new man this year. He is reported to be more approachable and even a joy to interview. Most are giving the credit to his getting married in the off season.
- Top 35 in Owner Points in 2011 now guaranteed starting positions. Each year, the guaranteed spots in the first five races are given to the top 35 teams from the previous year. Starting next week, the guaranteed spots will be determined by this year’s points. There are no major teams outside of the Top 35; however, Joey Logano is only 32 points out of 36th, and he is in 31st place. One surprise is the showing of the new team started by former crew chief, Frankie Stoddard, who is 33rd with various drivers in his cars. Another oddity is that Andy Lally is 34th in Driver Points, but drives the car in 36th place in Owner points; therefore, he must ‘race himself’ into next week’s race in Martinsville.
Richard Petty, who is fielding cars for Allmendinger (15th) and Ambrose (19th), is listed as the owner of the #21 car (29th) and the #71 car (36th). When Petty closed two of his four teams in 2010, he ‘sold’ the points to those teams so they would be guaranteed the spots he had earned. The #21 car, actually owned by Wood Brothers, will race next week in Martinsville and race only eleven more times in 2011. Therefore, they will fall out of the Top 35 within a couple of weeks.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
The fastest car at the end of the race won the race, but not just because of it being the fastest car. Kevin Harvick remembered when he also had the fastest car last year, but finished second when he drove too fast into the turn and rubbed the wall. He had to ‘nurse’ the car to barely finish 2nd. He won because he drove within the limits of his car. He was patient even with the laps running down, took advantage of the troubles experienced by his competitors, used his driving techniques to disturb the thinking process of his rival, and therefore won the race. He ‘needed a lane on the top of the track,’ and he got it by using all the above against Jimmie Johnson.
That combination resulted in the victory and great drama for the fans to enjoy. Principles for victory in life can be drawn from this scenario; however, in the victory won by Jesus, it was not His techniques that allow believers to now have victory. In fact, to view life as a process of ‘chasing’ after Jesus to gain the favor of his Father upon our lives is really sad. We would never frame our Christian lives in such a way. However, if we are searching for even ‘biblical’ principles to gain victory, are we not actually substituting what we do ourselves for what Jesus did for us?
Believers are highly favored because of the promises of God found in Jesus. God promised a Savior who would live his whole life in complete righteousness (that is, he would never sin but live perfectly all that God’s Law required). God promised that that same Savior, who assumed the position of man who had sinned against his holiness, would drink the complete wrath of God that is poured out for every sin. This gracious Father adopts us as his sons and sees all of us as having the nature of His very son, Jesus.
That is unbelievable Good News! That is Eternal Victory. Isn’t that so much better than using some biblical principles to live a little better each day, and then hope it is enough to satisfy a righteous Judge?
#######
March 22, 2011
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Kyle Busch wins for first time in 2011.
Kyle won the Truck, Nationwide and Cup races last August for the first ever ‘sweep’ of the Top 3 NASCAR series in one weekend, and ‘swept’ the Nationwide and Cup races this past weekend in Bristol for his 45th Nationwide and 20th Cup win. No other driver has now won at Bristol in a full year. Kyle is the first driver to have 20 wins in all three series. Kyle held off Carl Edwards for the last 33 laps of the Cup race, with Carl actually leading one of those laps at the start-finish line. However, he was not able to complete the pass from the inside, as Kyle had ‘incredible forward bite’ off the turns and pulled away from Carl in the last 10 laps.
Tires were the BIG issue for the weekend.
The right front tires were wearing so fast in Friday’s practice that Goodyear brought in 1200 additional tires for the Nationwide and Cup races that night. The last minute change resulted in late hours for the crew chiefs and engineers before the race. The Cup teams only had 45 minutes of practice on the new tires. There were few tire problems during the race.
No fights or major controversies during the Cup race at Bristol. For one of the few times in the history of Cup racing at Bristol, there was no throwing of helmets at cars on the track or “discussions’ at the cars after the race. Carl Edwards had the opportunity to use the famous ‘bump-n-run’ to a possible win at the end, but confessed that a good finish was more important than the extra points for the win. Carl has finished 1st or 2nd in the last six Cup races in which he was running at the end of the race.
PIT NOTE
The Jeff Byrd 500 was run for the only time ever at Bristol. Who is Jeff Byrd? He was the President/General Manager of Bristol Motor Speedway who died last year of brain cancer. However, he was much more to all of us who knew him. When he took over the management of the Speedway after Burton Smith purchased the track, he immediately made it easy for ministry to happen at their events. He embraced Motor Racing Outreach and provided access wherever needed during the races. He embraced Raceway Ministries which provides ministry to the fans at NASCAR races. His partnership with this dedicated group of Christians has expanded the service to the fans from just chapel services on Sunday mornings before the race to family entertainment and concerts during the weekend and transportation to the hospital for family members of fans who are transported for medical reasons. In addition, chaplains are stationed throughout the stands and respond to various needs during the race, and often go unnoticed by most of the 165,000 people concentrating on the action on the track.
Jeff Byrd was a man who was a follower of Jesus…before he was anything else. Because he honored God so naturally in every aspect of his life, husband, father, church member, boss, community leader, etc., he was loved by all who knew him. The legacy he left behind shouts to the world that he is a man who heard at his entrance to heaven, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
Legacy is what we experience and recognize when people die. We make judgments of their having a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ legacy based on our judgment of their lives. We assume God will similarly judge their eternal legacy. How comforting to know that God does not judge as we do. What Good News that the only legacy that matters is the legacy of Jesus Christ! God only views the finished work of Jesus and proclaims all who have faith in Jesus to be adopted sons of God. We are welcomed to Heaven only on the perfect life of Christ and His taking the punishment of our sin upon Himself; this is the best news anyone can hear…and believe.
Jeff Byrd was a blessing to many, including me, and I know we all are thankful for what he meant to each of us. Jesus Christ is a blessing to all, for which I am thankful. Jeff Byrd is now where all who believe in Christ will one day be. His longing is for all the 165,000 who attend Bristol Motor Speedway to one day join the even more exciting event of being with Jesus throughout eternity.
#######
March 8, 2011
LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
- Carl Edwards wins at Las Vegas for his third victory in the last five Cup events. The win came at the expense of Tony Stewart who had the best car of the day (see following story). In Phoenix, Carl had the identical situation when his car was the ‘class of the field’ and lost when Kyle Busch hit him and took him out of the race. In Victory Lane, Carl said that he had always wanted to be a winner in Vegas with beautiful women all around him; his wife, daughter, mother and mother-in-law just happened to all be there standing beside him.
- Tony Stewart’s gamble on two tires left him in second place and with the points lead. Tony was visibly and vocally upset after finishing second after leading 163 laps. After taking the checkered flag, his frustration was immediate when he demanded on the radio, “someone tell me how we lost this race?” The answer seems to be the penalty that resulted from his rear air hose getting dragged out of his pit box. This put him in the rear of the field on the restart. So, with 70 to go, he took only two tires in order to move from 14th in running order to first. Surprisingly, he was able to lengthen his lead over all the other teams that took the normal four tires. This display gave teams the confidence to take only two tires when the caution came out with 33 laps remaining, but Tony had to have four tires this time. Tony took 13.2 seconds in the pits, while Carl took only 6.7, which he could not overcome.
- Ford is back! After struggling to the 21st race of the 2010 season before winning a race, Ford teams have now won four of the last five Cup races. They should have won at Phoenix (see story on Carl Edwards above). Since the new Ford engine developed by Doug Yates was introduced, the overall performance of the Ford teams has drastically improved. The major improvement for the enhanced performance seems to be from better cooling of the engine, which makes more horsepower.
- Morgan Shepherd ‘wins’ in Vegas; he catches a shoplifter! Most NASCAR drivers don't come to mind when you think of Las Vegas crime fighters; but then again, most NASCAR drivers aren't 69-year-old Morgan Shepherd. The veteran of 44 NASCAR seasons was getting out of his rental car in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart store Monday evening just as three men burst from the store's entrance with security forces trailing behind them. That’s when Shepherd, a daily jogger and fitness perfectionist, sprang into action. "I just got out and took off after them," Shepherd said. "I caught one of them just as they were getting ready to hop a little wall at the end of the parking lot. I yanked him down and got on top of him." Shepherd said in a matter of seconds a Las Vegas police officer pitched the ageless NASCAR driver a pair of handcuffs and continued pursuit of the other two suspects, along with the store's security force. "I cuffed him and sat on top of him," Shepherd said. "The police department officers showed up and asked if I could hold him a while longer while they ran down the others. I told them he wasn't going anywhere." Shepherd said while the young shoplifter pleaded with him to let him go and about the possibility of going to jail, Shepherd used the time to lecture the youth about his poor choices. (Faith Motorsports)(3-1-2011)
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE
Carl Edwards was ‘flying’ all week in Las Vegas. He bungee jumped off the Stratus Sphere Hotel, flew with the Thunderbirds (the Air Force precision team), and then did his back flip on the start-finish line after his win. In several interviews, Carl referred to his experience with the Thunderbirds as ‘teaching me discipline and to believe in what I am doing’ as being the key to his focus during the Vegas race. The words were not just a ‘tip of the hat’ thank you for an experience of a lifetime. Carl is giving his trophy to the Thunderbirds as a thank you and reminder to him of their influence.
Being disciplined and believing in yourself would seem to be a given for any Cup driver. A look at Carl’s toned body, which has been featured in a Men’s Health magazine, would indicate that he has strived for these qualities for years. His rise from a substitute teacher in public schools to the top of his sport has also taken belief in self and discipline. So, why did this week’s experience make such an impression?
A psychologist once told me, “If the emotion is strong enough, change can happen almost instantaneously.” I have seen this to be true in a lot of situations; such as, alcoholics who almost kill their kids in a car accident never touching alcohol again; men who don’t have time for anything but work become ‘home bodies’ when faced with their own mortality through injury or disease. And, race car drivers who win unexpectedly become confident and successful.
The Apostle Paul, who wrote half of the New Testament, held the coats of the men who stoned Stephen to death and persecuted Christians until his experience of hearing Jesus speak, becoming blind, and then having his sight restored by the same Jesus he had condemned others for believing in. Many people are looking for such an event in their lives to ‘prove’ that Jesus is real; then, they say they will ‘believe.’ I had such a desire at age 18 when I got on the floor one night and pleaded with God to literally light up my darkened room and I would become a Christian. But, the physical light did not happen, but a ‘light’ did come to my soul as I simply believed what is revealed in the Bible about Jesus. In chapter 24 of Luke, Jesus is speaking to two men on the way to Emmaus after he has risen from the dead. Jesus joins them as they are discussing what had happened to Jesus and how they had hoped he was really the Messiah. In verse 25, he said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning him.”
After hearing Jesus explain how He, himself, is revealed on every page of the Scriptures (at this time there were not any New Testament writings!), they said in verse 32, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Great experiences with Jesus are wonderful. They are transforming; however, they are neither daily nor necessary. He is what is necessary, and He is available daily. The Scriptures speak of Him every time we open the Bible, for every story is about Him. We are told in Deuteronomy 4:29, “…if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” The Apostle Paul had an experience on the road to Damascus, and grew in his faith through constant revelation of Jesus from the Scripture. Jesus offers the same to each of us. Look for Him where He is. Open the Word and your heart. Feel it strangely warm.
|
#######
March 1, 2011
PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
- Jeff Gordon ends a 66-race winless streak!
Jeff led the most laps and passed Kyle Busch with eight laps to go to claim his first win in almost two years. On lap 67, he was pinned against the wall and appeared to have lost any chance of winning. However, the damage done was only to the sheet metal as you see many times at Martinsville. In Victory Lane, he was elated to have ‘beaten Kyle Busch’ who won both the Nationwide and Truck races at Phoenix and led all 200 laps in the Nationwide race. Hendrick Motorsports’ cars all finished in the top 13 after none of them qualified better than 20th. After qualifying, the off-season crew chief switches made by owner Rick Hendrick seemed to be a very questionable. However, during the race, all the drivers and their new crew chiefs seemed to ‘gel.’ Jimmie Johnson’s team actually had the most problems; yet, he and Chad Knaus once again slowly made changes and eventually led laps before ultimately finishing 3rd.
Jeff Gordon’s win moved him into a tie with Cale Yarborough for 5th place on the all-time wins list in NASCAR. This was Jeff’s 83rd win and he will move into a tie for 3rd place with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison with his next win.
- Kyle Busch apologized to Carl Edwards for wrecking him. In addition, he was not angry with Jeff for the bump-and-run he received with 8 laps to go when Jeff passed him for the win.
- 23 cars were involved in crashes by lap 67, 13 in the big crash that occurred on that lap. All but five of the twenty-three cars returned to the track. Jeff Gordon was one of those. Kyle Busch hit Carl Edwards on the back straight and then came up the track in Turn 3 and hit the wall, but damage was limited to sheet metal. The next caution, he stayed out while all but three other cars pitted, which moved him from 31st place to 4th and moved to the lead within 10 laps.
- “Gas Man/Tire Carrier”
Chad Knaus and the #48 team revealed the first major change in the duties of the pit crewmen with the new six-man limit. During the race, the rear tire carrier wore a gas man’s apron and other safety gear. On stops where two cans of fuel were to be used, he carried the right rear tire as usual. When he returned with the used tire, he took it to the wall and took the second fuel can. The jackman then placed the tire on the hub as the carrier would usually do and the regular gas man removed the tire. A lot of new responsibilities; and therefore, training time is required to get the accurate coordination. This becomes just one of the ‘plays’ that can be called on a pit stop by the crew chief/quarterback, as this only works if there is a two fuel can/four tire stop WITHOUT changes to the wedge of the car. Chad said in the off season this would be his primary focus, and it appears the five-time champion crew chief is once again ahead of the curve.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
PIT NOTE:
Daytona Cup race winner, Trevor Bayne, had a rough follow-up at Phoenix. Trevor crashed, because of parts failure, in the first practice of the weekend and had to go to a back-up car. In the race, he crashed and finished 40th, when he misjudged his being clear of a car as he attempted to get back in line after making a pass. This followed a crash in the Nationwide race that left him 31st in the race, and 11th in points. In the press, he received only positive comments all week. The possibility of his changing his status from competing for the Nationwide title to the Cup title had been the number one discussion for several days.
Seven days later the glory was gone. Three wrecked cars were on their way back to Charlotte. What would he say to the press? What he said in a short 30-second TV interview is the best story of the Phoenix weekend. How refreshing it was to hear this 20 year-old’s, who is bold believer in Jesus Christ, response. He was humble and thankful after the Daytona win; and he was humble and thankful after Phoenix. He could have blamed another driver for one wreck, the manufacturer of the brake or the mechanic that installed them for the wreck in practice, and the spotter for saying ‘clear’ when he was not for the third wreck. Trevor did none of these things. He smiled as he acknowledged the disappointment and the humbling that the sport can bring. He said he was thankful for a ‘good day,’ and that they would be back in Las Vegas. He finished with, “I have a good team behind me.” None of the pat answers we are accustomed to: ‘It just wasn’t our day,’ or ‘it’s just racing,’ or ‘we’ll get’um next week.’ No, Trevor was Christ-like in his statements; and honest with his emotions and the facts. He was thankful for the opportunity and to those who provide it every week. He is looking to the future with hope for more Daytona weeks, while not denying the inevitable Phoenix situations in his future.
This is not an example of a person ‘trying’ to live his beliefs. This is Christ living Himself in a person who is submitting himself to Christ daily. It is the Gospel ‘tuning a person’s heart to sing.’ It requires a person to ‘preach the Gospel to himself daily.’ “Try” finding the Good News of Jesus daily on every page of the Bible. It will make a difference.
#######
February 22, 2011
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
- Wood Brothers Racing and their driver, Trevor Bayne, won the 53rd Daytona 500! Wood Brothers is the oldest team in NASCAR, and Trevor is the youngest driver (just 20 years-old) ever to win the Daytona 500. This was their fifth Daytona 500 win (the last in 1973), and Trevor’s second Cup race EVER. Trevor qualified 3rd for the Duel 150’s, but a last lap crash with Jeff Gordon relegated him to 30th on the starting grid for the 500. Just as he and Jeff Gordon had stayed near the lead in their 150, Trevor soon moved to the top 10 for most of the day. On the final Green-White-Checkered restart, Trevor was third and David Reagan wanted him to be his ‘pusher’ to victory. David pulled down in front of Trevor before the Start/Finish line on the restart and was black flagged, seemingly leaving Trevor without a partner. Then, Bobby Labonte pulled behind Trevor and pushed him to the lead. As they came out of Turn 4, Bobby was just a little too much to the right side bumper of the Trevor’s car which allowed Carl Edwards to move to the inside of Trevor and break the push of Bobby. However, Trevor was able to use the speed he had shown in qualifying and held on for the win.
The Glen Wood Company was started by Glen Wood, and his four brothers worked for the company, so it has always been known as Wood Brothers Racing. Glen’s kids, Eddie, Lynn, and Kim, became owners with their dad in the 80’s with Kyle Petty bringing them their first Cup win in 1986. Sunday, Glen and Leonard (who still works everyday at the shop) both in racing over 70 years, were on hand for the celebration. This win now gives the Wood Brothers wins in seven different decades of NASCAR racing. Victory Circle was filled with drivers, other owners, and many people who have worked for Wood Brothers Racing over the decades. It was the most memorable celebration since Dale Sr. won his Daytona 500.
- “Tag Team Racing” and “Who is the Coolest?”
These were the keys to all the racing during “2011 Speed Weeks.” The design of the cars, the smoothness of the track, and the rules set by NASCAR dictated a style of racing never before seen in NASCAR. Instead of a line of cars bumping each other on the straight-away and separating in the turns, the fast way was for two cars to ‘tag team’ with their cars never separating the entire 2.5 miles around the track. The second car literally pushed the lead car with the spotter of the pushing car spotting for both drivers when the ‘tag team’ were actual teammates and had radios that would allow the drivers and a spotter to use one channel. The ‘coolest’ part refers to the need for the pushing car to move around and lead every few laps in order to get sufficient air to his radiator for cooling of the engine. In practice, teammates ‘mastered’ this exchange move. In the race, for the vast majority of the time, they used the entrance to Turn One for this exchange. The preparation and practice during the week centered on how to maximize cooling and how to make the exchanges. Here are the other series results:
- On Thursday, the Duel 150’s were won by Kurt Busch and Jeff Burton with last lap partners having steam coming out of their overflow tubes. In a Ford, Rookie Trevor Bayne pushed four-time Champion, Jeff Gordon, for 59 laps when they finally overdid the process and both crashed coming out of Turn 4 on the last lap.
- The Bud Shoot Out was won by Kurt Busch in like fashion as reported last week.
- The Nationwide Race was won by Tony Stewart when he and Landon Cassill made their last switch for cooling with two laps to go. Tony crossed the finish line .007 seconds ahead of Clint Bowyer, who was being pushed by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Danica Patrick led the race for a few laps with Dale Jr. pushing her. It is the first time a female has ever led a race at Daytona.
- The Truck race was won by Michael Waltrip as he pulled out from pushing Elliott Sadler coming out of Turn 4 and beat Elliott to the finish line. The win was the first for Waltrip in the Truck Series, which makes him the 22nd driver to win in all three of NASCAR’s top series. The win came ten years to the day of Waltrip’s win of the Daytona 500 as his owner, Dale Earnhardt, was killed in Turn 4.
- Ford cars took the top three positions and five of the top 10. Ford’s cooling system in its new engine design gave it an advantage which allowed it to push without having to change positions as much to cool their engines. NASCAR’s narrowing the grill opening to 2½ ” x 20” after the Shootout was changed again on Saturday to 3” x 20” to allow more cooling and less switching of positions. Doug Yates gave the following explanation of why the Ford engines were running cooler: "Together with the radiator, the header tank and the engine, we've designed it to run hotter and to have less grille opening," Yates said. "We saw that from the first day we rolled it on the track. We got a lot of criticism because we were the last guys out with our engine, but it seems being the last guys out we combined all the best technology into one."(Kansas City Star)(2-19-2011)
- The new points system gives us leaders of the points in both the Cup and Nationwide series who did not win the first race of the season. Tony Stewart won the Nationwide race, but he does not receive points in that series as he declared before the season that he desired to go after the Cup title. On the other hand, Trevor declared for the Nationwide title and did not receive points for the Cup series. We are used to seeing Cup drivers win Nationwide races, but seldom does it happen in reverse. In the Nationwide points Trevor is 5th.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
PIT NOTE:
The ‘tag team’ method of driving caused one driver to say in an interview after the Bud Shootout that “this type of racing requires more faith on other drivers than I ever have had to have on a race track.” He went on to describe how he had less control of his car while being pushed than at any other time ever when on the track. He, and all the drivers, while being pushed, had very little control over where they went on the track. The driver behind could not see through the car in front; He could not move right, he could only slide left on the bumper, thus still not getting a clear view of where he should push. The spotters were not on the same radio channel, thus each was hearing different points of view (in contrast when both drivers were on the same team and could talk to each other). Thus, more faith was required because less control was being accredited.
This is similar to man being in the “lead car.” He is use to being in control and making his own way around the “track of life.” He has to have a degree of faith in others, but ultimately depends on his own work and ability to ‘win’ in life. He at least calls on a ‘higher power’ during moments of stress and disappointment, but is less likely to attribute success to such outside influence. However, at Daytona, those in the lead car suddenly had less control of their destiny, and the only way to move forward or at least stay in the front group was to depend on someone else doing the work. They needed to communicate with the driver behind them, but he was really the source of power and progress. The more they gave up their natural tendency to control every aspect of driving the car, the more success they had on the track. David Person gave Trevor the advice to just ‘relax’ during the race and try not to force anything. That is not what would be natural for any driver and especially for the eventual winner, who some seven hours later, would be surrounded in Victory Circle by drivers whom he had idolized for most of his life.
The Good News of Christ reveals how no human can live life according to the righteous standard of God’s law, but that Jesus did just that for us. It is great news that when we have faith in Jesus’ fulfilling the demands of God, and then Jesus suffering the penalty for our not being able to fulfill the demands of God, we are given eternal life. This relationship comes by faith in the finished work of Jesus, not by us believing for salvation, and then working to please God. We are driving the car that is being pushed; Jesus is the one pushing. Relaxing on this fact brings victory in our life, and glory to His name.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIVE BY FAITH?
#######
2007 Pit Notes Archives
2008 Pit Notes Archives
2009 Pit Notes Archives
2010 Pit Notes Archives
© Copyright 2007-2010 Ron Pegram / Jackie Pegram - All rights reserved.
HOME / ABOUT / TEACHING / SPEAKING / CONTACT / EVENTS & CALENDAR / MISSIONS IN AFRICA / MISSIONS IN PERU / TEACHING TOOLS & BIBLE CLUB IN A BOX / MRO LADIES BIBLE CLUB / MRO CAUTION / RON'S PIT NOTES / LINKS / GUESTBOOK / JEWELRY / DONATE
The DID YOU KNOW newsletter
with "Pit Notes" for Motor Racing
Outreach (MRO) is written by Jackie's
Husband, Ron Pegram ~ MRO associate.
Ron is the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Samaritan's Feet Ministries.
We are offering a copy here on Miss Jackie's site for you to enjoy, and we will keep
updating these compliments of MRO.
If you would like to subscribe to the
MRO newsletter, please click here.
If your group or church would like for Ron to speak at an event for you, please contact Cheryl Shore at cshore@go2mro.com
To Email Ron directly: rpegram@samaritansfeet.org
RON'S PIT NOTES ~ 2011
2007 Pit Notes Archives
2008 Pit Notes Archives
2009 Pit Notes Archives
2010 Pit Notes Archives
