NASCAR pastor thanks God for "smokin' hot wife"

July 25, 2011 11:15 AM
By Stephen Smith


Yankee games have "God bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch but only NASCAR has pre-race prayers.

And on Saturday in Nashville, Pastor Joe Nelms came through with a car-racing invocation that won't soon be forgotten. His prayer before the Nationwide Federated Auto Parts 300 managed to fuse unusual automotive praise with a memorable spousal shout-out.

Nelms began the prayer straightforward enough, thanking God for all his blessings. But then his list of gratitude grew increasingly creative.

First he thanked the Man Upstairs for "all the Dodges and Toyotas and the Fords." He then gave thanks for "GM performance technology," "Sunoco racing fuel" and "Goodyear tires that bring performance and power to the track."

(Nelms was not wearing a Goodyear baseball cap but we can only assume he landed a post-prayer endorsement from the tire company).

Then Nelms got personal: "Lord, I want to thank you for my smokin' hot wife tonight, Lisa, and my two children, Eli and Emma, or as we like to call the 'The Little E's."

Of course, Nelms couldn't close the prayer without a zinger and he came through with this gem: "In Jesus' name, boogity boogity boogity, Amen."

According to the Tennessean, Carl Edwards, who won the race, was impressed by the humor: "I turned to Jack (Roush) after that. I said, 'If anything happens, I want him to be at my funeral.'"

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