UNION, S.C.'s SAMMY SMITH SELECTED AS NAPA AUTO PARTS HONORARY CREW MEMBER AT INUAGURAL NHRA CAROLINAS NATIONALS
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<br><font color="Navy">I"t's been a thrill to meet some of the best racers in the sport today. I am very proud to be a part of this, especially at the inaugural race here in Concord," said Smith.</font>
<P>CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 14, 2008) – Sammy Smith, 45, OF Union, S.C., was selected as the 19th NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Member of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season today at the Inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMax Dragway @ Concord.
As the owner of Sammy Smith's Garage, a small auto repair shop in Union, S.C., which he took over from his dad Sammy Sr. after he passed away in 1982, Sammy has been working exclusively with the local NAPA AUTO PARTS store for approximately 50 years. The elder Smith drove short-track race cars around the South and the younger Smith grew up around circle-track racing. Sammy recently discovered the thrill of watching the dynamic sport of drag racing.
"I didn't find out that I had won until last evening," said Smith, who is attending only his second drag race. "At first I thought it was a joke, but when it finally set in I was very excited. I had a pretty restless night in anticipation of coming to the track today. I can hardly believe this all happened to me. It's been a thrill to meet some of the best racers in the sport today. I am very proud to be a part of this, especially at the inaugural race here in Concord."
Smith was selected through a contest held by the NAPA AUTO PARTS Distribution Center in Columbia, S.C., which services 81 stores. "Every NAPA store that was on local advertising had an opportunity to be a part of this competition," explained Kelly Lingerfelt, senior marketing manager of Retail Sports Marketing, the marketing agency for the NAPA Distribution Center. "Every NAPA customer who had a five-percent increase or higher in sales was eligible for this honor." Smith's name was then drawn by the NAPA Distribution Center in Columbia last week.
Smith's crew-member duties included helping move 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 eliminations today and also helped retrieve the car at the end of the track following driver Ron Capps' run. Smith also had an up-close-and-personal view of the NAPA crew as the team worked on the car and an exclusive private tour of the team transporter and pit area. Smith also met the entire NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car crew, received a NAPA team jersey, and was a special guest in the NAPA hospitality area throughout the day.
NAPA AUTO PARTS distribution centers at each NHRA event during the season have different criteria for choosing the persons who are potential NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Members.
<p style="width:300px;float:left;font-weight:bold;padding-right:0px;">
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/IMG_10701.jpg" alt="IMG_10701" />
<br><font color="Navy">I"t's been a thrill to meet some of the best racers in the sport today. I am very proud to be a part of this, especially at the inaugural race here in Concord," said Smith.</font>
<P>CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 14, 2008) – Sammy Smith, 45, OF Union, S.C., was selected as the 19th NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Member of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season today at the Inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals at zMax Dragway @ Concord.
As the owner of Sammy Smith's Garage, a small auto repair shop in Union, S.C., which he took over from his dad Sammy Sr. after he passed away in 1982, Sammy has been working exclusively with the local NAPA AUTO PARTS store for approximately 50 years. The elder Smith drove short-track race cars around the South and the younger Smith grew up around circle-track racing. Sammy recently discovered the thrill of watching the dynamic sport of drag racing.
"I didn't find out that I had won until last evening," said Smith, who is attending only his second drag race. "At first I thought it was a joke, but when it finally set in I was very excited. I had a pretty restless night in anticipation of coming to the track today. I can hardly believe this all happened to me. It's been a thrill to meet some of the best racers in the sport today. I am very proud to be a part of this, especially at the inaugural race here in Concord."
Smith was selected through a contest held by the NAPA AUTO PARTS Distribution Center in Columbia, S.C., which services 81 stores. "Every NAPA store that was on local advertising had an opportunity to be a part of this competition," explained Kelly Lingerfelt, senior marketing manager of Retail Sports Marketing, the marketing agency for the NAPA Distribution Center. "Every NAPA customer who had a five-percent increase or higher in sales was eligible for this honor." Smith's name was then drawn by the NAPA Distribution Center in Columbia last week.
Smith's crew-member duties included helping move 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 eliminations today and also helped retrieve the car at the end of the track following driver Ron Capps' run. Smith also had an up-close-and-personal view of the NAPA crew as the team worked on the car and an exclusive private tour of the team transporter and pit area. Smith also met the entire NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car crew, received a NAPA team jersey, and was a special guest in the NAPA hospitality area throughout the day.
NAPA AUTO PARTS distribution centers at each NHRA event during the season have different criteria for choosing the persons who are potential NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Members.
