FORT WORTH, Texas — At Texas Motor Speedway, they’re racing toward the finish line. Racing, in the most tortoise sense of the word.
Parked pit side, hundreds of high school students recently competed in the fifth annual Auto Tech Competition, the largest such competition in Texas.
“I’m just trying to keep it down,” said Aidan Carroll, a senior at Community ISD. “Stay focused, stay in my zone.”
“I definitely think the adrenaline also kind of helps keep me calm,” said Plano East senior Alec Cruz.
Over two days, students prepare for a future in the industry by testing their skills. A good portion of the competition is low speed, sitting at a table reading, identifying, and diagnosing.
Of course, students eventually work on cars, making repairs while on the clock. Every kid wants to win, but there’s a much bigger prize at stake.
“A lot of these kids, they’ve never had anyone, not their mom or dad, tell them they want them,” said Bently Durant, vice president and general counsel at Classic Chevrolet. “We want them.”
Durant said the average automotive technician is in their fifties. Many of them will soon retire.
At this competition, students are judged by and introduced to people in the industry, giving them a chance to meet someone who can kick their career into gear.
“We have hired five young people out of this program and every one of them is launching into an excellent career,” Durant said.
This opportunity will prepare them for the road ahead, but students said whether you’re under a hood or behind a keyboard, the key to success is finding something that drives you.
“It’s definitely an experience I’ll never forget,” said Cruz. “Core memory.”