LEXINGTON, Ohio — In addition to the roaring sound of race cars zooming around the track, attendees of the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course may also hear shouts of “amen” or “hallelujah” as part of the IndyCar Ministry‘s chapel service.
This Sunday, Aug. 2, there will be two chapel services–one at 7:15 a.m. and one at 8 a.m.–in the paddock area at Mid-Ohio.
Chaplain David Storvick, who will provide a message during one of the services, said any of the race attendees, including the drivers, crew members and spectators, are welcome to attend.
As part of the service, there will be live worship music provided by members of a local musical group called “Overcome.”
When describing Overcome, group member Matt Wentz of Mansfield, said, “We’re really just a group of Christian musicians who are trying to use our gifts to build the kingdom.” He said the group was formed almost two years ago by Scott Finn.
There are currently eight people involved, five of whom will be participating in the IndyCar Ministry’s chapel service.
Those who will be leading worship at Mid-Ohio this Sunday include Wentz (vocals and guitar), Dean Kastran (bass guitar), Raina Rengert (guitar and vocals), Heather Zaika (piano) and Donya Grogoza (vocals).
Wentz said they’re excited to participate in this “unique” opportunity, noting, “It’s nice to make new connections whenever possible.”
He said they’ve played at a couple churches on four different occasions and at the Richland Pregnancy Services’ annual banquet last year.
Storvick said race attendees seem to appreciate the chapel services, “especially the racers,” he added. “They’re on the road so much and so they don’t get to be at their home church very often, and this is a way that they can worship on race days.”
The IndyCar Ministry is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, non-denominational organization developed to “provide spiritual support and counseling help to the racing community both on and off the track,” according to the group’s website. They provide ministry services to the Verizon Indy Car Series, the Indy Lights Series, the Pro Mazda Series and the USF2000 Series.
Storvick, who serves alongside Chaplain Bob Hills in this ministry, explained, “We minister to the drivers, the crews, support staff and also the fans.”
He said they offer prayer to the drivers before every race, adding, “We also are there for any medical incident; for example, if there’s an accident on the track, we go to the care center where they bring the driver in, and we’ll be with the driver, families, whoever” to provide support.
They have also established a food ministry, which collects leftover food from each team/hospitality area on each race weekend. This leftover food is then provided to shelters and missions in the cities where the IndyCar Series races.
To learn more about the IndyCar Ministry, visit www.indycarministry.com.
