April 26, 2007

Area churches buzzing about this Saturday's Faster Pastor races

MARNE, MI - More than 800 church members from 20 churches will be heading to Berlin Raceway this Saturday night, April 28, for the third annual All Faiths Night featuring Faster Pastor races. The event has exploded in popularity and continues to grow from year to year.  The Faster Pastor Race has become so popular that there is a waiting list and churches are limited to entering their pastors in the race to once every year.

Berlin Raceway is hosting a 4-in-1 weekly show, but the two "Faster Pastor" heat races on the schedule are the main event for 20 area church groups that have booked group outings to Saturday's races. Ten of the churches have something extra to cheer for: their own pastors will be racing in one of two 5-lap heat races. Race cars - and a cram session on how to drive them - are being provided by Berlin's 4-Cylinder drivers. The Faster Pastor races earn money as well as bragging rights for the churches, with winning pastors receiving 25% of their respective groups' ticket purchase price back for their church and second-place pastors receiving 15% back.

For those church or community members who are not part of the 800 people whose churches are coming as a group, ticket discounts to All Faiths Night are available. Just bring a church or community bulletin to the ticket window to receive $2 off the $12 adult ticket price or $1 off the $6 kids price (limit 8 tickets per bulletin, day of race).

Churches that are providing pastors for the Faster Pastor races are: Ron Amos-New Heart Community Church, Jeff Nestell-Norton Shores Gospel Tabernacle, Paul Davis-Calvary Baptist Church, Todd Krygsheld-Ebenezer Reformed Church, Andy Geelhoed-Ideal Park CRC, Paul Ruzinsky-Resurrection Life Church in Newago, Bruce Vaandrager-Ada Christian Reformed Church, Sam Rijfkogel-Grand Rapids First Assembly of God, Phil Niekerk-Ada Bible Church and John Aasman-Keystone Community Church.

Other activities surrounding All Faiths Night include a kids activity area (Christian-oriented activities hosted by Fast Track Ministries in the Barn Pavilion from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., includes face painting, temporary tattoos, Hot Wheels racing, Car Dollie race, race car coloring pages, car part games and prizes for each child) and a pre-race autograph session for all fans with drivers and race cars on the frontstretch. The evening will be capped off by post-race fireworks.

Gates open for Saturday's race at 12:15 p.m. and the first race begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 6 to 12 (5 and under are free). Pit passes are $25 (16 and over only). Tickets can be purchased in several ways in addition to at the ticket office on the day of the race, including in person at Berlin Raceway from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (please call ahead to make sure someone is available), online at www.berlinraceway.com and by phone to Berlin Raceway, (616) 677-5000, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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