Wed, 11 Jun 2003, 08:37 AM Arnie Karp Experiences "Month Of A Lifetime"

Courtesy of Bob Wilber Photo copyright 2003 Auto Imagery, Inc.

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- For Arnie Karp, driver of the new Artisan Home Entertainment Pontiac Funny Car on the NHRA POWERade tour, any one of the magical things that happened in his world over the prior 30 days would rank as a lifetime highlight. To have them all occur in one short month has been nearly overwhelming, but Karp has been all smiles as he has witnessed the rebirth of his racing career while his first two grandchildren have also come into the world, all within a four week period. It was, beyond any doubt, a "month of a lifetime" for the Peabody, Massachusetts racer.

Arnie Karp

After a 13 year layoff from drag racing, forced upon him by kidney disease, Karp not only recovered after a kidney transplant but also hatched plans to make a comeback in the sport at its highest professional level. To do that, he'd need to secure sponsorship, join up with an established team, get licensed in a Nitro Funny Car, and finally make a safe and professional debut, but only if all of those elements could somehow be lined up in place. That "somehow" became a reality this past weekend, as Karp made his first appearance as a professional driver, at the controls of Worsham Racing's Artisan Home Entertainment Funny Car. That professional thrill, however, is but one of a series of recent important moments in the Karp family.

This 30-day period began and ended with different kinds of thrills, as Karp and his wife Renee became grandparents for the first time, on May 7th, when Arnie's son Michael and his wife Lisa welcomed Alexander Lloyd Karp into their lives. They then celebrated again on June 4th, when daughter Leslie DelSesto gave birth to Cooper Patrick DelSesto.

"We were trying to get the racing program put together for a number of months, and we knew Lisa was due in late April or May, and Leslie not long after that," Karp said. "We didn't know, for quite a while, when or how we were going to be sponsored, or if we'd be racing, but we knew we were going to be grandparents. It all came together pretty much at once, and the whole thing has been something I will never forget."

After little Alexander's birth in early May, Karp's focus turned back to racing as he and the Worshams finished up his licensing runs. After a stellar career in an Alcohol Funny Car, and a 13-year forced retirement, being handed an NHRA Nitro Funny Car license was a proud moment for Karp.

"To get the license was a huge thrill, because this really isn't easy to do," Karp said. "It took a great team, led by the Worshams and our Crew Chief Kennedy, and every bit of skill I could muster. I'm still learning, and still adapting, but I'm not going to deny I was proud when Del signed my professional license and told me I was ready."

Only days after securing his license, Karp and his new Artisan team joined forces with drivers Del Worsham and Johnny Gray, and their Checker, Schuck's, Kragen squads, at the Lucas Oil Route 66 Nationals near Chicago. Known as one of the fastest races on the tour, it made for a debut which resembled a dive into the deep end on one's first day of swimming.

"We didn't have too much time to think about it, because we finished up the licensing in Topeka on Monday, traveled on Tuesday, and made our debut on Friday," Karp recalled. "With the new pit area, the new team, new uniforms, and our Artisan "Terminator 2" car all seeing the light of day together for the first time, there was a lot going on. But we knew it would be fast, and the competition would be world class. We just wanted to do well and represent the Worshams and Artisan well."

Karp's debut effort was impressive, though the team missed making the race field by 8-thousandths of a second.

"To run right with some of these teams at our first race is something we should be proud of," Karp said. "We're here to race, and to race well, and this event gave us all sorts of reasons to know we can do that. All we're going to get is better."

Off the track, the Karps maintained their frenetic pace of big news, when the final part of their month long whirlwind of excitement took place just days after the Chicago race. On Wednesday, June 4th, second grandchild Cooper Patrick DelSesto was born to daughter Leslie and her husband Michael.

"We're extremely proud grandparents, I can tell you that," Karp beamed. "Renee is beside herself with two little grandkids to take care of, and I'm the proud Grandpa."

It just so happens that this Grandpa is also a rookie Nitro Funny Car driver, whose career was reborn right between the births of his grandkids. What a month it's been for Arnie Karp!