About Us
This ministry was conceived at a Promise Keepers
weekly small group meeting in Warsaw in 1999. The group wanted to do something to
share the love of Jesus Christ with the community and were praying that
God would show them how he wanted them to do this. The news was released
that a NASCAR "super speedway" was coming to Gallatin County. J.T. Marsh
and John Roberts were NASCAR fans and had seen raceway ministries at some
of the speedways they had visited. The others in the group didn't know
what they were talking about, but were receptive to the idea and thought
that this might be a ministry that God had sent to them. J.T. Marsh started
searching the internet and came upon the name of Frank Stark. Mr. Stark
sent them some material to get them started in the right direction. John
Roberts went to the Ten-Mile Baptist Association to see if the association would
sponsor such a ministry. The Executive Board was receptive to the idea and
voted to sponsor a ministry at the speedway and appointed John to approach
the speedway management to see if they would allow the ministry in their
campgrounds. Pastor Ron Lasley, the director of the raceway ministry at
Louisville Motor Speedway was appointed to be the Speedway Chaplain by
Kentucky Speedway and the green flag was dropped. Pastor Ron introduced the group to the National Fellowship of Raceway
Ministries.
The National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries is a
voluntary association of independent, autonomous, and self governing
Raceway Ministries who join together for the purpose of providing an
avenue of information, inspiration and encouragement to persons who are
engaged in Christian ministry in motor racing.
The N.F.R.M. was contacted and the "Kentucky Raceway
Ministries" chapter was born. The ministry opened the 2000 season at the
speedway with their first worship service. The fans were
receptive with 35 fans in attendance. The next worship service was
attended by 75 fans. This was enough inspiration for the ministry to
expand in the 2001 season with children's ministries, gospel music shows
and free meals for the race fans. That year the Owen County Baptist
Association voted to join as sponsors with the Ten-Mile Baptist
Association, and in 2002, the Whites Run Baptist Association joined the
alliance.
John Roberts served as Director of the ministry from
it's inception until 2008 and then again during the 2010 season. He has
been Speedway Chaplain at Kentucky Speedway
since 2007.
Larry Gillum served as Director for the 2009 season.
J.T. Marsh is the current Executive Director, Larry Campbell is the
Asst. Director.