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ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. (June 21, 2008) – Point Pleasant, N.J.'s Craig Van Wickle was selected as the 11th NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Member of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season today at the NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. Fortunately for Van Wickle he wasn't pressed into having to actually work on the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Ron Capps, but he was ready if needed.
Van Wickle, 53, has been a drag racing fan most of his life and has been attending the races for 30 years. He and his brother Ken have owned two NAPA AUTO PARTS stores on the New Jersey shore for over 40 years, one in Spring Lake and one in Point Pleasant.
A regular at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Van Wickle was thrilled over his selection as the NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Member. "This means a lot to be able to come into the NAPA pit area and hang out with everybody and talk with the crew and check it out from the inside," said Van Wickle. "I'm pretty involved with drag racing. I come here with the Corvette Club that I belong to and we race here every August. If they need me to work on the car I'm ready to go. I'm really glad to be here and I think it's going to be a good event and hopefully everything turns out well."
Chris Agostino, New Jersey NAPA AUTO PARTS Distribution Center General Manager, selected Van Wickle based on his tremendous support of NAPA over the years. "Craig was a natural for this honor," said Agostino. "Based on his 40-plus years of contributions to NAPA we felt he would be the perfect representative. He's a terrific customer of ours and also a big supporter of the NHRA. Craig's been in the business over 40 years, born and raised in it if you will, so for me it was a pretty easy selection for someone who not only represents NAPA well but is also a big supporter of drag racing as well."
As the NAPA Honorary Crew Member Van Wickle met the entire NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger Funny Car crew and received a NAPA team jersey. He also toured the team transporter and pit area and watched the NAPA crew work on the car.
After enjoying Top Fuel qualifying from the starting line Van Wickle escorted the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car to the staging lanes in the team's Dodge Durango tow vehicle for the first round of qualifying on Saturday. He also helped retrieve the car at the end of the track following Ron Capps' run.
During the season the NAPA distribution centers at each event will have different criteria for choosing the people who are potential NAPA Honorary Crew members.
POINT PLEASANT, N.J.'s CRAIG VAN WICKLE SELECTED AS NAPA AUTO PARTS HONORARY CREW MEMBER IN ENGLISHTOWN
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. (June 21, 2008) – Point Pleasant, N.J.'s Craig Van Wickle was selected as the 11th NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Member of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season today at the NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. Fortunately for Van Wickle he wasn't pressed into having to actually work on the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Ron Capps, but he was ready if needed.
Van Wickle, 53, has been a drag racing fan most of his life and has been attending the races for 30 years. He and his brother Ken have owned two NAPA AUTO PARTS stores on the New Jersey shore for over 40 years, one in Spring Lake and one in Point Pleasant.
A regular at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Van Wickle was thrilled over his selection as the NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Member. "This means a lot to be able to come into the NAPA pit area and hang out with everybody and talk with the crew and check it out from the inside," said Van Wickle. "I'm pretty involved with drag racing. I come here with the Corvette Club that I belong to and we race here every August. If they need me to work on the car I'm ready to go. I'm really glad to be here and I think it's going to be a good event and hopefully everything turns out well."
Chris Agostino, New Jersey NAPA AUTO PARTS Distribution Center General Manager, selected Van Wickle based on his tremendous support of NAPA over the years. "Craig was a natural for this honor," said Agostino. "Based on his 40-plus years of contributions to NAPA we felt he would be the perfect representative. He's a terrific customer of ours and also a big supporter of the NHRA. Craig's been in the business over 40 years, born and raised in it if you will, so for me it was a pretty easy selection for someone who not only represents NAPA well but is also a big supporter of drag racing as well."
As the NAPA Honorary Crew Member Van Wickle met the entire NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger Funny Car crew and received a NAPA team jersey. He also toured the team transporter and pit area and watched the NAPA crew work on the car.
After enjoying Top Fuel qualifying from the starting line Van Wickle escorted the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car to the staging lanes in the team's Dodge Durango tow vehicle for the first round of qualifying on Saturday. He also helped retrieve the car at the end of the track following Ron Capps' run.
During the season the NAPA distribution centers at each event will have different criteria for choosing the people who are potential NAPA Honorary Crew members.
