NAPA AUTO PARTS ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPER MAKES APPEARANCE IN DON SCHUMACHER RACING PITS IN BRAINERD
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<br><font color="Navy"> Robert Noland, owner of the NAPA AUTO PARTS OCC Chopper, and Chip Ellis, rider of the Schumacher Electric Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle</font>
<P> BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 9, 2008) – It isn't often a customized street motorcycle creates more attention in the Don Schumacher Racing pit area than the team's seven pro nitro Funny Cars, Top Fuel dragsters, Pro Stock Motorcycle and drivers, but that was the case today at the 27th annual NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.
The object of everyone's attention, including members of the DSR pro crews, was the stunning blue-and-yellow NAPA AUTO PARTS chopper owned by Robert Noland and built by world famous Orange County Choppers of Newburgh, N.Y. Noland was on hand to support Ron Capps, driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, and display his personal tricked-out chopper to the thousands of fans on hand at Brainerd.
Noland, 46, of Minneapolis, won the chopper two years ago after entering a contest at his local NAPA AUTO PARTS store. "I went into my local NAPA store and filled out an entry form and put it in a box that was stuffed with entries," said Noland, who works at Costco Wholesale. "About a month later I received a phone call from my local NAPA dealer telling me I was one of the lucky contestants who was chosen to attend the Minnesota State Fair to see if I had won the bike.
"I went to the fair and drew number 16 out of the fish bowl for my turn to pick the key that started the bike. I went up in front about 20,000 people and I found this one key and pulled it out and told the crowd that this was the one and I ended up winning the bike."
Noland, a former drag boat racer who also works on boats at Roberts Speed & Marine in Minneapolis, was overwhelmed when he won the NAPA OCC chopper. "It was awesome; I couldn't believe it when it happened. I only drive it on special occasions like coming here to the drag races. If I know it's going to rain I don't bring it out because it takes five hours to clean it."
"It's a beautiful bike," said Chip Ellis, rider of the Schumacher Electric Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle. "Orange County Choppers did a great job. It's just a cool-looking bike and I'm glad Robert is enjoying it. I like fast motorcycles and I'm sure that bike is pretty fast. It's great that NAPA AUTO PARTS took the initiative to get involved in a project like that."
Noland displayed his chopper in front of the DSR pit area and posed for photos with the DSR racing vehicles, race-car drivers and enthusiastic fans.
<p style="width:300px;float:right;font-weight:bold;padding-right:0px;">
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/SCHUMA11.jpg" alt="SCHUMA11" />
<br><font color="Navy"> Robert Noland, owner of the NAPA AUTO PARTS OCC Chopper, and Chip Ellis, rider of the Schumacher Electric Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle</font>
<P> BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 9, 2008) – It isn't often a customized street motorcycle creates more attention in the Don Schumacher Racing pit area than the team's seven pro nitro Funny Cars, Top Fuel dragsters, Pro Stock Motorcycle and drivers, but that was the case today at the 27th annual NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.
The object of everyone's attention, including members of the DSR pro crews, was the stunning blue-and-yellow NAPA AUTO PARTS chopper owned by Robert Noland and built by world famous Orange County Choppers of Newburgh, N.Y. Noland was on hand to support Ron Capps, driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car, and display his personal tricked-out chopper to the thousands of fans on hand at Brainerd.
Noland, 46, of Minneapolis, won the chopper two years ago after entering a contest at his local NAPA AUTO PARTS store. "I went into my local NAPA store and filled out an entry form and put it in a box that was stuffed with entries," said Noland, who works at Costco Wholesale. "About a month later I received a phone call from my local NAPA dealer telling me I was one of the lucky contestants who was chosen to attend the Minnesota State Fair to see if I had won the bike.
"I went to the fair and drew number 16 out of the fish bowl for my turn to pick the key that started the bike. I went up in front about 20,000 people and I found this one key and pulled it out and told the crowd that this was the one and I ended up winning the bike."
Noland, a former drag boat racer who also works on boats at Roberts Speed & Marine in Minneapolis, was overwhelmed when he won the NAPA OCC chopper. "It was awesome; I couldn't believe it when it happened. I only drive it on special occasions like coming here to the drag races. If I know it's going to rain I don't bring it out because it takes five hours to clean it."
"It's a beautiful bike," said Chip Ellis, rider of the Schumacher Electric Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle. "Orange County Choppers did a great job. It's just a cool-looking bike and I'm glad Robert is enjoying it. I like fast motorcycles and I'm sure that bike is pretty fast. It's great that NAPA AUTO PARTS took the initiative to get involved in a project like that."
Noland displayed his chopper in front of the DSR pit area and posed for photos with the DSR racing vehicles, race-car drivers and enthusiastic fans.
