NAPP: ETOWN HERE TO STAY
Sun, 2009-06-14 11:30
David Napp, track operator, has heard all the rumors and while there does exist an inner frustration, Napp
laughs off the talk that Old Bridge Township Raceway Park is closing.
Napp tries to keep track of the tales in his mind, even though he knows the day will come when he will have to write down those tales, just to keep an official record of all the rumors.
“We've heard neighbors are shutting it down, it's sold, it's for sale, it's for rent, it's up for grabs, the town's shutting it down; we've heard it all,” Napp said, smiling and shaking his head.
“We've heard it probably for the last 25 years nonstop and we're still here and we're not going anywhere.”
laughs off the talk that Old Bridge Township Raceway Park is closing.
Napp tries to keep track of the tales in his mind, even though he knows the day will come when he will have to write down those tales, just to keep an official record of all the rumors.
“We've heard neighbors are shutting it down, it's sold, it's for sale, it's for rent, it's up for grabs, the town's shutting it down; we've heard it all,” Napp said, smiling and shaking his head.
“We've heard it probably for the last 25 years nonstop and we're still here and we're not going anywhere.”
A quarter of a century of hearing the same rumors and squelching the mistruths can make one weary and even frustrated at times. Some days he just shrugs off the talk and others he’s angered. No matter how he feels Napp admits, “It just comes with the territory. You just have to let it roll off your shoulders.”
The famed facility opened for business in 1965 originally as Madison Township Raceway Park by brothers Vincent and Louis Napp, and Vincent’s sons Richard and Vincent. The drag strip was described by a local newspaper as bordered by acres and acres of untouched woodland. It was the perfect location for what is a very noisy sport.
Urban sprawl has changed the complexion of those same woodlands as it is estimated nearly 25,000 now live within three miles of the track.
Napp, the third generation of family ownership, has watched as the track has faced limitations on when they could operate the drag strip and acceptable noise levels, among others. There have been town meetings with opponents of the facility lobbying for its closure or overwhelming regulations.
Still OBTRP stands open for business and the tensions with the neighbors has certainly eased with a peace offering of free tickets.
“That certainly was a way to reach out,” Napp explained.
Napp believes to make a drag strip a welcomed member of the community one must be a good neighbor. That’s why OBTRP has been active in sponsoring local little leagues and the schools, whether it’s backing incentive programs or something as simple as a school calendar.
“You just do community outreach and through that, I think, we were able to bring people from the community that maybe had thought our facility was one thing and they came with their family and saw what it was and now they have a different outlook – that this is a quality top notch facility,” Napp said. “We're good neighbors. We're good business. We're good for the community and the area businesses. All that was needed was a little bit more community outreach to convert some people into realizing drag racing isn't something dangerous that kids are doing on the street, it's a well organized professional sport.”
Napp’s belief is that communication is king in Englishtown.
“Everything begins with communication,” he explained. “If you are not communicating your point no one is hearing it. You have to be the first one to pipe up and not wait for the knock on the door. Be the first one to put your hand out before they can slap it away.”
That’s why Napp believes the track is here for the long haul, regardless of the rumors.
David Napp has been around Raceway Park long enough that he's learned to brush off the rumors of his track's demise.
Napp tries to keep track of the tales in his mind, even though he knows the day will come when he will have to write down those tales, just to keep an official record of all the rumors.
“We've heard neighbors are shutting it down, it's sold, it's for sale, it's for rent, it's up for grabs, the town's shutting it down; we've heard it all,” Napp said, smiling and shaking his head.
“We've heard it probably for the last 25 years nonstop and we're still here and we're not going anywhere.”
David Napp, track operator, has heard all the rumors and while there does exist an inner frustration, Napp
David Napp has been around Raceway Park long enough that he's learned to brush off the rumors of his track's demise.
Napp tries to keep track of the tales in his mind, even though he knows the day will come when he will have to write down those tales, just to keep an official record of all the rumors.
“We've heard neighbors are shutting it down, it's sold, it's for sale, it's for rent, it's up for grabs, the town's shutting it down; we've heard it all,” Napp said, smiling and shaking his head.
“We've heard it probably for the last 25 years nonstop and we're still here and we're not going anywhere.”
A quarter of a century of hearing the same rumors and squelching the mistruths can make one weary and even frustrated at times. Some days he just shrugs off the talk and others he’s angered. No matter how he feels Napp admits, “It just comes with the territory. You just have to let it roll off your shoulders.”
The famed facility opened for business in 1965 originally as Madison Township Raceway Park by brothers Vincent and Louis Napp, and Vincent’s sons Richard and Vincent. The drag strip was described by a local newspaper as bordered by acres and acres of untouched woodland. It was the perfect location for what is a very noisy sport.
Urban sprawl has changed the complexion of those same woodlands as it is estimated nearly 25,000 now live within three miles of the track.
Napp, the third generation of family ownership, has watched as the track has faced limitations on when they could operate the drag strip and acceptable noise levels, among others. There have been town meetings with opponents of the facility lobbying for its closure or overwhelming regulations.
Still OBTRP stands open for business and the tensions with the neighbors has certainly eased with a peace offering of free tickets.
“That certainly was a way to reach out,” Napp explained.
Napp believes to make a drag strip a welcomed member of the community one must be a good neighbor. That’s why OBTRP has been active in sponsoring local little leagues and the schools, whether it’s backing incentive programs or something as simple as a school calendar.
“You just do community outreach and through that, I think, we were able to bring people from the community that maybe had thought our facility was one thing and they came with their family and saw what it was and now they have a different outlook – that this is a quality top notch facility,” Napp said. “We're good neighbors. We're good business. We're good for the community and the area businesses. All that was needed was a little bit more community outreach to convert some people into realizing drag racing isn't something dangerous that kids are doing on the street, it's a well organized professional sport.”
Napp’s belief is that communication is king in Englishtown.
“Everything begins with communication,” he explained. “If you are not communicating your point no one is hearing it. You have to be the first one to pipe up and not wait for the knock on the door. Be the first one to put your hand out before they can slap it away.”
That’s why Napp believes the track is here for the long haul, regardless of the rumors.
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