Last year, the Nashville Superspeedway hosted a NASCAR Cup Series race for the first time in history. Up until then, it had hosted Xfinity Series races since 2001 until 2011. Back in the final Xfinity race, until its return, a decade later, the race went down as a truly memorable one. It all began before the race even started, all thanks to pastor Joe Nelms at the traditional pre-race prayer.
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"Lord, I want to thank you for my smokin' hot wife."
In 2011 at @NashvilleSuperS, Pastor Joe Nelms' pre-race prayer was like a scene straight out of "Talladega Nights."
We caught up with Nelms 11 years later. See it on pre-race Saturday for @NASCAR_Xfinity on @USA_Network. pic.twitter.com/I4Sk2qO1J9
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) June 22, 2022
He said, “Heavenly Father, we thank you tonight for all your blessings you said and all things give thanks. So we want to thank you tonight for these mighty machines that you brought before us. Thank you for the Dodges and the Toyotas, thank you for the Fords. Most of all, we thank you for Roush and Yates partnering to give us the power that we see before us tonight. Thank you for GM Performance technology and R07 engines.”
He continued, “Thank you for Sunoco racing fuel and Goodyear tires that bring performance and power to the track. Lord I want to thank you for my smokin hot wife tonight, Lisa. My two children Eli and Emma, or as we like to call them the little E’s. Lord, I pray and bless the drivers, and use them tonight. May they put on a performance worthy of this great track. In Jesus’ name, boogity, boogity, boogity, amen.”
How did the NASCAR Xfinity drivers react?
Admittedly, when Nelms mentioned his wife, many drivers were literally trying to hold in their laughter. In the end, Carl Edwards went on to win the Xfinity race ahead of Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Austin Dillon. However, that 2011 Xfinity Series race will forever remain in the minds of fans for the pre-race prayer.
USA Today via Reuters
Jun 20, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) passes the start finish line during the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
When the Cup Series made its debut at the Nashville Superspeedway, Nelms sadly did not make an appearance. Instead, NASCAR extended an invitation to other priests to conduct the prayer ceremony. In other words, even though Joe Helms has not been active, he will still be fondly remembered by fans and drivers.
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Written by
Edited by
Ankit Sharma