Press

Anaheim’s Joe Paquette of Western Brake & Tire enjoys day

at NHRA race as NAPA AUTO PARTS ‘Honorary Crew Member’

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 12, 2012) – Paul Paquette couldn’t have imagined when he opened Western Brake & Tire in Anaheim, Calif., 51 years ago that one day his store and son would be featured before 20,000 fans at a major motorsports event.

That’s what happened Sunday when his son, Joe Paquette, was part of Ron Capps’ NAPA AUTO PARTS NHRA Funny Car team as the NAPA AUTO PARTS Honorary Crew Member during the Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.

Joe has been a NAPA AUTO PARTS customer for more than 10 years and was recognized for his support of NAPA AUTO PARTS and carrying on the tradition started by his late father in 1961.

“Western Brake & Tire is a great company that offers its customers a professional atmosphere and the type of quality service we want associated with NAPA AUTO PARTS,” said Steve Villa, the NAPA area manager who selected Joe for the honor.

Joe and family members were special guests of NAPA AUTO PARTS at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series championship race day in the VIP Hospitality Area of Don Schumacher Racing. He received an official NAPA AUTO PARTS crew shirt as the guest of Capps, who advanced to the semifinals of the prestigious event.

“It means a lot to our whole team to be able to show NAPA AUTO PARTS customers how much their support means to us,” Capps said. “This is one small way we can do that and show our appreciation.”

A “Joe Paquette” decal was featured on the side windows of Capps’ Funny Car that reached speeds over 300 mph.

Western Brake & Tire has eight bays in its 5,500-square-foot Goodyear store at 801 E. Ball Road in Anaheim and employs five technicians. Joe and his son Paul, 29, man the counter while Patty, Joe’s wife of 30 years, and daughter Amanda, 22, handle the accounting.

“Joe’s place is immaculate,” Villa said. “We’re very proud of how Western Brakes & Tire maintains the type of professional store NAPA wants to be associated with.”

While Joe says he is an avid golfer and owns three Harley-Davidson motorcycles – one of which he rode to the Winternationals – he is a casual racing fan only because he realized many of his customers are.

“I like racing and I make sure when I get to the store on Monday mornings I know how races went over the weekend because that’s what they’ll want to talk about,” Joe said.

“Being invited here and having my name on Ron’s car is a real treat.”

The special day for Joe would not have been possible had his father not decided to leave Maine for the West Coast soon after serving with the U.S. Army in North Africa and Italy during World War II.

Western Brake & Tire is now a three-generation store, and it’s likely that one day a fourth will carry on the tradition.

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