Racing as a life style,the Mercer way.
January 25, 2010I was privileged to attend the Mercer banquet again this year and hope to continue for a long time to come.
I sat with Wally Stearns his wife Ed Haylett and family Rudy Tropples the Gabany crew to name a few and what a pleasure,then as the night went on I became more excited as the real racing family began to be honored.
Wally’s victory flag was a joy I only wish everyone could have shared the human compassion that was given so he could be blessed and the joy Ed Hazlett and family shared then Rudy ,and Eric dollars and cents apart but so close as the racing family,God at work!
When I arrived I first ran into Putsy and his family I thought it strange for a while and then when he was honored for all he had done for sprint car racing and to see his sons an grand son so proud of him and his ever present wife just fill me with so much memory over load I just sat and shed great tears ,the honor given to the KEKICH RACING HISTORY AND FUTURE has been overlooked much to long.
Putsy and I go back to the days of the old Pulaski Speedway and our exploits of crawling under the fence to see races my Dad was the security there and when kids would sneak in he amazingly never saw them .the same was not true for adults that could pay Chester Thompson either never knew or really didn’t care,either way we were on the way to a life long love affair with racing,Thanks Dad &Chester.
You may ask who could have been racing at that conveted half mile cornfield ,Steve Unger,Ron Crash,Emil Smolnik,Don Dahl,John HolfelderTony Banick,Ted Wise,just to mention a few that formed our love for grassroots racing.
To Putsy and family I send my love and support to you Putsy I could not be more proud and when your sons and grandson hugged me and said they would pray for me I got the same rush as when we would make that stand up move after we cleared the fence at Pulaski in the 1950s my best to you and your entire family ,they will keep the passion of local racing in perspective.
My last kudos is to Vicki Emig and the way she honors the men and women-that have and continue to allow us to enjoy this most exciting sport ,and the people that help make it all possible Frank Benic you are an Icon of the racing community and most don’t even know your history in the sport soon I hope to share with them who you really are.
With respect for my peers,
In Christ Bill Beck
Staying strong in tough times.
January 20, 2010The title has been quoted many times and we have all agreed we could and would deal with this and do just what it says,however when the proverbial rubber meets the road it may be a different story.
The past 20 or more years I have spent many days or nights in hospital’s with worried families waiting to see a loved one after surgery or some other tauma in I.C.U. my advice was always the same don’t be alarmed it is just what needs to be done.
Over the last 3 months I have gained new respect for those worried family members after having to deal with all those emotions with Judy I will never again be the big strong guy with the best advice not that it was or is wrong only that I had never experienced that initial shock of seeing the one you love that way.
They tell me experience is the best teacher in this case I would have chosen to stay ignorant but when God is in charge we must obey and at times it is very painful.
When I took my first look at the one I love the tears and emotion came in floods and nothing could be said to make it stop the one thing I desired most at that time was someone to cry with me and share my pain not be the strong person that has never know pain and wonder of whats next.
I thought I had a lot of compassion now I know the need for compassion more than ever ,and it did not come from a book or class rather from on the job training.
I would suggest you read 1 Cor 4-16-18 and pray for a teaching from that passage it is well worth the effort if you don’t have a Bible handy it is available on this site .
I am better equipped to minister to hurting people because of our experience and will speak less listen and love more ,judge less all the time learning to be like Jesus.
Trusting Jesus
Bill M.R.O.A. Chaplain
The harvest is ready,will you help pick?
January 18, 2010This is a story that thrills me ,as I was walking down the hall today I noticed a lady with a T shirt on from Quaker Stake & Lube ,I ask if she rode a bike her answer not now ,her husband has cancer and had to sell his bike.
About 6:00 o’clock as I walked past a room there she sat with her husband Frank I spoke and was invited in after some small talk about Bikes I ask if they would like to pray they were very open I then ask if they were saved she was Frank not so.
Before we pray I said would you like to become friends with the one you pray to (Jesus) he said he would and so we held hands and shared the sinners prayer then we prayed for the operation ,he has cancer of the tongue and tomorrow will have a major portion removed and then would not be able to say the prayer ,God is so good and right on time .
His wife told me she had been praying for him for 20 years and was backslidden herself,he rejoiced and cried she did also as did I,a little later I heard her in the hall telling a nurse what had happened and weeping and praising Jesus .
Frank and her were walking the hall sharing Gods love and then came into Judy”s room and prayed with her,when they left we rejoiced at Gods goodness and mercy.
Frank will always be saved and now has the promise of eternal life not bad for an x biker trash which only proves JESUS loves in spite of who or what we are if we will only invite him to be our savior.
Trusting Jesus for Judy”s total healing!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chaplain Bill
