CORNELIUS, N.C. – NAPA AUTO PARTS selected Bob Ardizzone of Miami, Fla., to have Honorary Pit Crew Member honors during the NASCAR Championship Sprint Cup Series weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Ardizzone has been a long-time business partner with NAPA through Tires Plus Group. The Tires Plus Group company prides themselves on their quick service and quality work. Ardizzone helps them to achieve this through his unparalleled support of the NAPA program and is looking to build on his NAPA relationship through Tires Plus in the coming year.

"I have a great partnership with NAPA," said Ardizzone. "NAPA provides us with quality parts so all my employees can do their jobs the correctway. Just like all the members of the NAPA team who do their jobs the right way, so does my team - thanks to NAPA. They have great parts and great service."

On Sunday, Ardizzone joined the NAPA KNOW HOW team where he accepted his Honorary Pit Crew Member crew shirt and attended the NAPA Race Day Experience. Then, Ardizzone received a personal tour of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage, the NAPA team hauler and pit roadhosted by Michael Waltrip Racing's Rick Wainright.

After lunch with the NAPA team, Ardizzone headed to the starting grid to watch driver introductions and pre-race ceremonies where Grand Marshals First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden and Honorary Race Chairmen Mario Lopez were all present to hear American Idol finalist Pia Toscano sing the National Anthem.Then, after the opening festivities concluded, Ardizzone headed to the NAPA pit box. He had a front row seat for the championship race event alongsideinterim crew chief Scott Miller. In the end, he witnessed Truex record a third-place finish and NASCAR's closest finish in championship history.

"This whole experience has been phenomenal," said Ardizzone. "We got a great tour by Rick Wainright. It's been just an incredible experience. We got wonderful personalized attention. It's been totally amazing. I've been to a race before, but to have my name on the car has been an absolute ego trip. In addition to that, I've heard how the team lives and what goes into the team. The sacrifices they make for something they love is just so impressive. What a great group of people."

For the third year in a row, NAPA is offering the Honorary Pit Crew Member program during its popular Race Day Experience at 38 NASCAR events. NAPA selects a valued member of the NAPA community based on different criteria determined by the NAPA management from that region.