MRO's Did You Know Newsletter

Did You Know, March 20th, 2012

Bristol Motor Speedway

- Brad Keselowski won the Cup race at Bristol for the second time in a row. After Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon were involved in a wreck on lap 24, Brad demonstrated he had the best car throughout the race. Brad and Matt Kenseth led the majority of the race with Matt finishing second with the second best car of the day. In recent years, it has become a rarity for the best cars to finish in that order. Brad’s victory was without the help of speeding between timing lines on pit road as he did in the fall 2011 race to overtake Jeff Gordon. NASCAR removed that possibility by installing another set of timing lines on pit road. The win was the 10th for Penske Racing at Bristol, all of which were by their driver in their #2 car. Roger Penske’s other car has never won at Bristol.

- Dale Jr. had a good run until the final pit stop when he was penalized for speeding on Pit Road. He was running 5th, but restarted 15th and finished there after serving the penalty.

- The win by a Dodge car gives each of the four manufacturers a win in the first four races of the season. Greg Biffle still leads the points race, which has Roush, Childress, Waltrip and Gibbs teams each with two in the top 10. Michael Waltrip Racing had its best day ever with their cars finishing 3rd, 4th and 5th. Four drivers expected to contend for the title, but currently missing from the Top 10, are Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.

- Johnson is 17th. He would have been 11th and just 36 points out of the lead without the 25-point penalty from the Daytona race situation. The team’s appeal was heard and denied last Tuesday. This Tuesday, they will have their final appeal to the Commissioner.

PIT NOTE

Dale Jr. did not think he was speeding because his in car lighting system only turned red on the front pit lane, and NASCAR said he was speeding on the back lane where his equipment stayed green. NASCAR sets the speed limit. When the pace car reaches the pit road speed on the first pace lap, the drivers are to set their equipment in their car to warn them when they hit that speed and they tell their crew chief what the tachometer reading is. NASCAR then gives a 5mph grace range, but they monitor the pit road speed by a computer that calculates each car’s speed based on transponders on the cars as they pass over lines imbedded in the asphalt. A violation is noted immediately and is seen by everyone on pit road. There is no appeal. During the race, the TV broadcast replayed on the next to last restart several times showed that Matt Kenseth (in 2nd place) crossed the Start/Finish line a few inches ahead of leader Brad Keselowski which is a violation. The penalty for beating the leader to the line on a restart is a black flag; which would have resulted in Matt making a ‘drive thru’ on pit road under green, and he would have gone at least two laps down. NASCAR did not respond to the TV evidence; whereas, the PGA has responded to viewer calls about rules infractions revealed by television and penalized the players. Jimmie Johnson is hoping his last appeal will at least bring a reduction in his penalty, if not complete exoneration.

My point is not to determine fault in the way any sport regulates itself. It is not to call for more consistency. It is about our view of absolutes. Most sports use instant replay in some fashion, to various levels to make determinations in their sports. Most fans like the rule, but they hate the delays it creates in the flow of the contest. Fans especially like it when a gross injustice is corrected. However, most people do not like absolutes at all. This is clearly seen when a loved one is standing before a judge having been found guilty of a crime. “Mercy” is the cry of the family. A reduction in the penalty, if not complete forgiveness, is their desire; while the victim and family seek “justice,” which generally translates into a cry of ‘throw the book at them for the damage and hurt done to me.’ It is also seen in the general reaction to God’s Word. Without debating interpretations of specific passages or ones overall approach doctrinally, it is safe to say that most do not want the immediate severe penalty for sin, which is death, physical and spiritual. Hell is not anyone’s desire. However, few seek to actually follow all the ‘rules’ to avoid punishment, and even the most committed will find ways to ‘justify’ their own failures, or reinterpret passages to soothe their feeling of condemnation.

Good News! You don’t have to go to all those extremes. In revealing the Holiness of God, the Bible gives absolutes because God is absolutely HOLY. There is no sin in Him. God also knew that man would never be able to live to that standard, and therefore, he would be condemned to death and eternal punishment. As Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves from God after they sinned, God was providing a substitute for their penalty. He provided the skins of a lamb that he had killed to cover them. They were offered Mercy and Grace from God, and they were told that one day “the Lamb of God would come to take away the sin of the world.” That Lamb is Jesus, his only Son, in whom life is everlasting to those who simply believe.

Good news! You don’t have to appeal. You don’t have to develop your case and defend yourself before God.

Good news! Believe and receive the gift of God that met the absolute holiness of God by Jesus living the absolute way God intended for man, and then died the penalty for sin that man deserved, and then rose from the grave.

Good news! Because of Him, we are free to absolutely love God and all others.

Ride Shotgun with TWO NASCAR Legends

* Chevrolet vs Toyota
* 3-Time Champion vs 3-Time Champion
* Recent NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee vs Future Hall of Famer

The ultimate battle in NASCAR is missing one thing; YOU!

Bid now on your chance to ride shotgun with BOTH NASCAR legends Tony Stewart and Darrell Waltrip!

Winner will spend 4 laps in the passenger seat of Tony Stewart's car AND 4 laps in Darrell Waltrip's car as they put on a race just for you. This truly once in a lifetime opportunity includes:

* 4 Laps around the track sitting in the passenger seat with Tony Stewart, AND 4 laps sitting in the passenger seat with Darrell Waltrip at Charlotte Motor Speedway, home of the Sprint All-star race, Coca-Cola 600 and Bank of America 500.

* Lunch in the Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway

* Tickets to the NASCAR Hall of Fame

(Winner can bring one guest to accompany them, but guest will not ride in car.)

This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity you can't miss! Never again will you have the ability to ride along with two of the biggest legends of the sport in the same day. Bid now to have the racing experience of a lifetime which will take place at Charlotte Motor Speedway on April 24, 2012.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PLACE YOUR BID

PRAYER REQUEST

- Team MRO, MRO Board of Directors, MRO Association Members and Shop Study Leaders.

- Safety for drivers, crew members, and others involved in the traveling race community this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.

- Fan Outreach efforts taking place in the campgrounds and surrounding area this weekend at Auto Club Speedway.

- Please pray for the upcoming Bible/Shop Studies scheduled during the week of March 26-30, 2012.

NASCAR (Men)
Joe Gibbs Racing
Roush Racing
NASCAR Technical Institute (Women)
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Hendrick Motorsports
NASCAR (Women)
Richard Childress Racing
Motorsports Authentics
Penske Racing
Richard Childress Racing/Nationwide