Chester “Stoney” Stoneburner (right) used to put off opportunities to live out dreams he had, but that changed after he won his battle recently with Stage 3 colon cancer.

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“My wife and I went with friends to Alaska to fish a year ago and we were going to wait for two more years to go back to celebrate our 40th anniversary,” the 57-year-old said of plans with his wife Saundra.  But those plans changed after his bout with cancer and they plan on returning next summer.  “I don’t plan on waiting to do things anymore.”

One special day that he couldn’t have planned for was Sunday, September 29th, when he was the ‘NAPA Honorary Crew Member’ for NAPA Shocks & Struts Funny Car driver Ron Capps (left) during the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis.

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Stoneburner was the guest of NAPA Auto Parts in Don Schumacher Racing’s NAPA Club Nitro hospitality pavilion that enabled Stoneburner to enjoy a catered meal while sitting within 10 feet of Capps’ 320-mph Funny Car. It had special meaning because Stoneburner and his son, Bill, 30, race a classic 1968 Chevrolet Camaro whenever time allows.  That made time with Capps and his NAPA team an even more special experience.

“This has been very special and memorable,” Stoneburner said of his day as the NAPA Honorary Crew Member. “It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life and is a great early birthday present.”  His birthday celebration came a week early after Michael Bennett, of the NAPA Distribution Center in Mount Vernon, IL, gave the opportunity to select a person worthy of being the NAPA Honorary Crew Member to McKay NAPA Auto Parts which is headquartered in Litchfield, IL.  McKay Auto Parts has been in business, locally owned since 1937, with 18 Mid & Southwest Illinois stores.

McKay owners Earl Flack, President; Ed Hammann, Vice-President; Ryan Ocepek, Regional Manager; and Norman May, Outside Sales Manager; turned to M&M (Montgomery & Macoupin) Service Company in Litchfield, IL, for the selection, and M&M picked Stoneburner, who is shop manager for the locally owned agricultural cooperative serving the supply, marketing and service needs of members since 1927.  Stoneburner oversees 170 licensed vehicles from cars to semi-trucks and an additional 200 pieces of farm support equipment.

“NAPA always has been competitive with their prices but what sets them apart for us is their availability to get parts and their service,” Stoneburner said. “When we have one vehicle down, it might mean there are two or three others out of service waiting for it to get repaired, and with McKay NAPA Auto Parts service that isn’t a problem for us.”

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