Team Aruba Grand Opening

Article published Apr 17, 2008 GoUpstate.com

Team Aruba opens drag-racing shop in Union

By Matt Cobbs
Published: Thursday, April 17, 2008 | Updated: 11:41 am

MIKE BONNER/mike.bonner@shj.com | Order a reprint
Jim and Marie Brady check out the Team Aruba car during the open house of the drag-racing shop in Union on Wednesday.

UNION - The gear and crew have been moved in for a couple months, but Team Aruba officially opened its new drag-racing shop Wednesday afternoon.

The team's new home base - about 3 miles from Union on Whitmire Highway - welcomed Union Mayor Bruce Morgan, former Aruba prime minister Henny Eman and an assortment of other guests for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"We know this is going to be very profitable and rewarding for all of Union in the future," Morgan said. "It's just going to be an economic boom for us and something we can all appreciate and love."

Henny said the team's move should help to stimulate economic growth for both Union and Aruba.

"This joint venture is going to give very positive results for Aruba's advertising. Our small island depends largely on tourism," he said.

"It should also be positive for the fast-developing city of Union," he added "I'm sure that we will be visiting Union and tracks very often."

Henny's younger brother, Ven, is the coordinator for Team Aruba.

Trevor Eman, 21, is the team's driver and competes on the IHRA circuit - they have an event this weekend in Rockingham, N.C.

The process of bringing the team to Union began last year when Ven met Mike Petrie, president of the Union County Motorsports Association, at a race.

Petrie began telling him about the town and its love for racing.

"Many people think I found Union. This is far from the truth," Ven Eman said. "Union found Team Aruba. Union has a motorsport-aggressive approach, and everybody in Union loves anything that has a motor, that's loud and goes fast."

Petrie said several particular aspects attracted the team to come to Union.

"We've got friendly people, people that share (Ven's) passion for motorsports, access to three major interstates, a relatively mild climate and the availability and price of (the) property," Petrie explained.

Trevor Eman drives the team's 2006 Ford Escort with an 820 CID Ford Hemi Mountain Motor built by Jon Kaase. He has raced in several categories, including Super Comp and Top Sportsman.

"This was a very special day. There was a lot of excitement," Trevor Eman said. "Now that we've got somewhere to leave out of, we should be much more organized and much better off than we have been the last couple years."