Letter to Readers

Welcome race fans! I'm glad you stopped by. My name is Ken Stuckey and on behalf of Bear, Orly and the rest of the Orly Mann Racing Team we welcome you to our website. I got hooked on racing when I was just a teenager. There is something very exciting about being around high-powered machinery that is built for one purpose--to go fast. I love the sound of an open exhaust resonating through the body of a stock car. That sound just reaches right into the center of who I am and gives me a thrill clear down to my toes. But that is just the beginning. Race cars are designed to race. Every race has its share of drama and the unexpected. Bear and Orly and Paolo all know that feeling. They thrive on it. They love the competition and the challenge of racing against teams that are equally committed. You bet they love winning, but nobody wins all the time. Bear and Orly would be the first to tell you that. It's not how you finish that counts, but more importantly, how you compete. When you compete with a level of excellence...why, then, you are in a position to win.

I remember the very first time I seriously strapped myself into a race car. It was at Sears Point (now called Infineon) Raceway in Sonoma. I sat there looking through my visor waiting for things to get started. Nobody knew it but my hands were shaking with a double dose of pure fear and excitement. My mouth was dry and even though the air was cool I was sweating. The truth was, I could hardly breathe and I was so scared I could barely tighten the strap on my helmet. It seemed to take forever but they finally gave the command to "start your engines". As soon as I flipped the switches and the engine fired, I settled down. I was ready to go and go I did. I was a tiger! I would like to tell you that I was the most natural, talented and accomplished driver the world had ever seen…but I wasn't. I was like that guy who had a 100 mph fastball but couldn't predict where it was going. I just didn't have the combination of skills, talent and money it took to be good. After a crash or two, I decided that I was much better at turning wrenches and changing tires than driving. And you know what? I enjoyed that nearly as much…but in my heart I still had that ache to be a driver.

Then one day something incredibly exciting happened to me. At the age of 29 with the help of my family and friends I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Talk about a thrill! When He took over, things changed big time for the whole Stuckey family. I found myself back in school; I even went on to get a Master's degree and a seminary education. The next thing I knew, I was in the ministry. That was a number of years ago and I have had the privilege of serving Him as a pastor in several churches. Talk about drama! Talk about excitement! I must tell you, my family and I have seen God do some amazing things in people's lives as well as our own. It took me a lot of years to realize that it didn't matter whether I was a race car driver or not. The important thing was that I let Him have control of my life. By letting Jesus have control I am able to compete with His level of excellence.

Now let me tell you something. Orly Mann is one of the best stock car drivers on the Cup circuit. He has the gifts and talents and all it takes to be champion twice. Bear is one of the smartest crew chiefs in the business. He knows race cars and if he doesn't know it…why, "it ain't worth knowin'." Together they make a great team. But they both would be quick to tell you that the real competition is found in life itself and winning is all about letting the Lord Jesus Christ have control.

So scrunch yourself back into that special form-fitting driver's seat, pull that shoulder harness down snug and reach over and hit that starter button. Don't forget to check your radio and make sure the needles are all pointing the right way on your gauges. It doesn't matter whether you can drive or not because the Orly Mann Racing Team will take you for a ride you won't forget.