These prayers are for that moment, and for the crew, the family in the stands, and the ones who don’t come home.
Historical Context
Motorsport has had chaplains in the pits for decades, holding short services on race morning and staying on hand in case of a crash. A racer’s prayer usually asks for the same things they do: safety for everyone, a clean run, and the right attitude whatever the scoreboard says.
A Drag Racer’s Prayer Before the Run
Lord, I’m in the lanes and the light’s coming.
Keep my reactions sharp and my hands steady.
Hold this car straight, keep the parts together
and the chutes ready if I need them.
Keep the driver in the other lane safe too.
Win or lose, let me get out of this car and walk back.
Amen.
A Prayer for the Pit Crew
Lord, bless the crew who built this car and turn it around between rounds.
Keep their hands safe around hot engines and fuel.
Give them clear heads under pressure and patience with each other.
Amen.
For the Family in the Stands
Lord, I can’t watch and I can’t look away.
Keep my driver safe on every pass today,
and bring them back up the return road grinning.
Amen.
For a Racer Who Has Died
Lord, he loved this sport and it took him.
Receive him with mercy.
Comfort his family, his crew and everyone at the track who saw it.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
Amen.
Best Times for This Prayer
- In the staging lanes, before each run.
- At the track chaplain’s service on race morning.
- Before testing a new build or a new combination.
- At a memorial for a fallen racer.
Scripture Connection
“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus.” — Hebrews 12:1–2
Hebrews pictures the Christian life as a race watched by a crowd of witnesses. For a racer, the lesson is where to look: not at the other lane or the scoreboard, but ahead, at the one who finishes the race with you.
Related prayers
For other motorsports, see the Racers Prayer and the Motorcycle Prayer. For the patron of drivers, the Saint Christopher Prayer, and for the crew, the Mechanic’s Prayer.