By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Pastor Bob Landis of McAlisterville, a former sprint car
driver and close friend to Jim Nace, will deliver the invocation for the
Nace Memorial 28th Annual National Open at Selinsgrove Speedway on
Saturday, Sept. 18.
“Jim was a good friend of mine,” said Landis. “Growing up in the same area,
we got connected when I started racing sprint cars. He would stop at the
garage and we would have lunch together almost every day. He was like a
mentor to me. I’m honored to do the invocation.”
Landis’ racing career started in late models before moving into the open
wheel sprint cars in the early 1980s. Landis piloted the Ford-powered No.
77 owned by Bob Fetter of Selinsgrove in the beginning, then campaigned the
family-owned Landis Service Center No. 88 until he retired from the sport
in 1991.
“Jim always told you like it was—-and that’s a good friend,” said Landis.
“He was in the racing game for a long time, and he helped me a lot with my
racing career.”
Landis began his ministry career as a pastor in 2001. He and his wife
Debbie founded the River Church of Juniata County in Mifflintown in 2009.
Track gates on Sept. 18 will open at 5 p.m., with qualifying slated to
begin at 7 p.m. Joining the 410 sprint cars will be the late models and
SpeedSTRs.