John Carapellese, a 29-year-old drag-racing enthusiast from Flagstaff, Ariz., was selected as the second NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Member of the 2008 NHRA season at this weekend's NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway. Carapellese, who works at the Flagstaff NAPA AUTO PARTS store which also serves the Winslow and Prescott, Arizona, valley areas, was nominated by the wife of his boss, Brent Crosser, for the prestigious honor.
 
Carapellese helped escort the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Ron Capps to the staging lanes in the team's Dodge Durango tow vehicle during the first round of eliminations and then helped retrieve the race car at the end of the track following the run. He also received a NAPA team shirt and met the entire NAPA AUTO PARTS racing crew. John Carapellese, a 29-year-old drag-racing enthusiast from Flagstaff, Ariz., was selected as the second NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Member of the 2008 NHRA season at this weekend's NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway. Carapellese, who works at the Flagstaff NAPA AUTO PARTS store which also serves the Winslow and Prescott, Arizona, valley areas, was nominated by the wife of his boss, Brent Crosser, for the prestigious honor.
 
Carapellese helped escort the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driven by Ron Capps to the staging lanes in the team's Dodge Durango tow vehicle during the first round of eliminations and then helped retrieve the race car at the end of the track following the run. He also received a NAPA team shirt and met the entire NAPA AUTO PARTS racing crew.
 
"It's a great honor," said Carapellese after his name was called at the DSR/NAPA hospitality area on Saturday. "They just called me up and told me I was chosen. I was a little nervous because they told me before Ron was even qualified, so I was really pulling for him to make the show. I've been a drag-racing fan forever and I try to come to this race every year. I'm getting the full experience this weekend. My boss bought the passes and it's been great. I've always looked inside the hospitality area and tried to get in but never could. So it's pretty nice to get in here and relax. I've never done anything like this before and it's been a great experience."
 
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.