NAPA marks 35 years at location

by JILL MAHON

Enterprise reporter

NAPA Auto Parts storeowners Tim Benko and Bill Clark Jr. have a lot to celebrate with the 35th anniversary of their Wellington location, and they're doing it in a big way.

The auto store has been a fixture at 130 E. Herrick Ave. since April, 1973, when it was established by Benko and Bill Clark Sr. Second-generation owner Clark Jr. took over after his father died and now owns four other NAPA stores as well.

Aside from NAPA's long tenure at the location, there is an entirely different history behind the building itself. More than 100 years ago, the area that houses the current machine shop was a blacksmith's shop used for shoeing horses.

"The neat thing about NAPA is their coast-to-coast warranty," Clark Jr. said.

NAPA has 6,000 stores across the United States that customers can visit for questions, concerns and exchanges, he said, and the Wellington location provides wholesale and retail services for everything from car and truck parts to heavy duty parts for fleet and farm equipment.

As part of their open house celebration, the men hosted the NASA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T of driver Ron Capps in conjunction with the Summit Nationals which took place at Norwalk Raceway on Saturday. One of the most powerful cars in the world with 8,000 horsepower, it has the ability to drive a quarter of a mile in four and a half seconds at 320 mph. According to Clark Jr., the dragster is worth nearly half a million dollars, $75,000 for the engine alone with $7,000 in rebuilding costs after each race.