A new program is being developed as we speak to involve some of our high school age youth in racing right here in Seymour. Last Saturday night a meeting was held at 411 Motor Speedway, setting the stage for this program which will run with a current program, Top Wrench.
The whole concept is to teach some of the technically minded students the way around a race car, and at the same time build confidence, provide a drug free environment, and build a teamwork type attitude. It is also designed to help teachers and parents keep their kids in school.
The program is the brainchild of Top Wrench founder Joe Harrison, 411 Motor Speedway owner Doug Sopha, and has the help of Ron Morton and Kevin Foust. These men met with the kids, teachers and parents to explain some of the ideas that will eventually set the ball rolling.
Although nothing has been set in stone, each school that participates will get a car, the class will build it and then compete at 411 with that car. The teams will compete each week and at the end of the season a championship team will be crowned and scholarships will be awarded to technical institutions.
With a growing populace that gets less and less mechanical and more and more technical, we need programs like these to aid students and help them find out what they want to do. There are very few young men that wouldn’t jump at the chance to work on a race car, or drive one for that matter. This will afford them the opportunity to see if that is truly what they want to do. Make no mistake, there will be work involved, lot’s of it, both on the students part and on the instructors. It will take time for the team to figure out how to make their car faster and come together as a team to make sure whoever drives the car, gets what he/she needs to be fast. It is technical, mechanical and strategical each week, and whoever signs up for this program will find out that racing is just not all fun and games.
With that being said, a program like this can only do everyone proud. When there are failures, and there will be, there will be many more success stories. When it is all said and done, whether the students win the competition or not, they will be able to go home and be proud of what they accomplish, and I guarantee that the teachers involved will feel that pride also. This will teach students to never give up, count on your teammates and use your skills for something that will be both rewarding and fun.
My fondest memories in school have to do with Technical education and the teachers that worked so hard with the students that can’t help but love cars and racing. It will get in their blood and will drive them to do better, not only in school, but in life. They will walk away always talking about their experience with a program such as this, and they will tell their kids about it, and hopefully, there will still be programs, and technical education for them when they grow up.
It’s a wonderful opportunity!
Till next time, keep turning left.

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