Today’s youths need guidance, education, and a skill. Especially in today’s job market. Good thing there are programs like the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow. To make things more interesting, there are annual competitions where students from tech schools team up against others to compete in engine building. Recently, Team MORSO qualified for the finals for 2013.

Official Release:

Team Moroso Joins the 14 Teams Already Qualified for Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge Finals

Hot Rodders of Tomorrow is a nonprofit organization built upon a passion for motorsports and dedicated to instilling that passion in today’s youth. Its main purpose is to encourage youth to enter the automotive field and the main medium through which this is accomplished is their coveted Engine Challenge Program. In the Engine Challenges, contested across the country, high school teams compete against the clock in a total engine rebuild. At the end of the year, in conjunction with the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow hosts the Engine Challenge Finals. To qualify for this prestigious event, teams must complete a total engine rebuild in less than 35 minutes. Already in 2013, 14 teams have qualified for the Finals.

At the recent Painless Performance Open, held April 6th in Fort Worth, Tx. six teams competed for a coveted spot in the finals. Team Moroso of Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center came in at an incredible time of 20:11 to qualify for the Engine Challenge Finals as the fastest qualifying team of the season.

The winning team, led by instructor Jim LaFevers consisted of students Callie Hunter, Nic Brown, Connor Hixenbaugh, Ryan Jackson, Alex Versteeg and Connor Carrizales.

“This is a great opportunity for the students to get a jumpstart in their careers in the automotive field,” LaFevers said of the Engine Challenge. “They are all gearheads. They look for every avenue to get into the industry and Hot Rodders of Tomorrow has given them the opportunity they were looking for.”

LaFevers said the team utilized film, understudy training and a total-engine approach to prepare for the Challenge.

“We do intense training for three or four weeks,” he explained. “It’s all about teamwork and communication. While each student trains for their position, all of them understand the way the complete engine works, so that if anyone needed to jump into another position they are ready.

“The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge is a great program for building enrollment and getting students excited about a career in the automotive industry. Already I have kids signing up for Automotive next year simply for the opportunity to compete in the Challenge.”

Rodney Bingham, who heads up the Hot Rodders Program is thankful for its success in investing in students and furthering the automotive industry. “We are excited to be able to change so many students’ lives,” he stated, “but could not do so without the help of our sponsors and volunteers who make this program possible”.

Follow all results from Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenges at hotroddersoftomorrow.com. Like Hot Rodders of Tomorrow on Facebook.