Central Pennsylvania Automotive/Tech Students to Compete in Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Finals

CARLISLE, Pa. - Sept. 29, 2014 - PRLog -- Since 2011, Carlisle Events has hosted the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow engine challenge at one of its events.  In ’11 it was the Carlisle GM Nationals and since ‘12, the HROT has been showcased during Spring Carlisle.  Dozens of teams and dozens more students have come to Carlisle to compete in the HROT’s engine challenge and now, for the first time ever, a local central Pennsylvania team has advanced to the national finals.  The team is comprised of students from the Franklin County Career and Technology Center in Chambersburg and the finals take place during the annual SEMA Convention, this year held November 4-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Since 2008, the HROT has been working with young enthusiasts and serves many purposes in doing so.  One such purpose is to develop today's youth for the race and performance industry.  HROT also gives students the opportunity to display their talents and knowledge gained during classroom sessions and workshops.  It also provides opportunities for students to build and develop teamwork, demonstrate their skills, enthusiasm and showcase their ingenuity.  Instructors are also able to cultivate enthusiasm in their school auto tech programs and promote the auto industry to the general public in a new and exciting way.

Best of all, all participants of the HROT engine challenge finals earn scholarship money, which can be used for post-secondary education.  Of the 34 teams advancing to the finals, each student will earn a piece of $2.4 million in funding from SAM – the School of Automotive Machinists, OTC – the Ohio Technical College and UNOH – the University of Northwest Ohio.  In addition to the scholarship support from the aforementioned companies, FCCTC will wear the team name of Howard’s Cams, a Wisconsin-based company.

Though FCCTC competed at Spring Carlisle in April and finished third, it wasn’t until recently that they learned of their advancement to the finals.  FCCTC will compete at SEMA by being one of five “wild card” teams selected.  Further, with the HROT hosting dual finals, one in Las Vegas and another in Indianapolis in December, the top two teams from the finals will be flown by the HROT organization to the PRI show and will compete against the top teams at that final for a true national champion.

“This is our third year competing in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow competition,” said team coach and FCCTC instructor Bobby Bard.  “Each year we have managed to finish third at Spring Carlisle and each year we have improved on our times.  Those improvements are what have helped us advance to the finals and I could not be more proud of our team.  We have a great team of kids and I can’t wait to start practicing with them again as we prepare for our biggest competition yet; the finals at SEMA.”

While FCCTC has locked in a place in the finals and is committed to the Las Vegas trip, the team and school are still looking for financial support to supplement the expense of such a large scale field trip.  Any community member or business looking to donate can do so by contacting Bobby Bard via e-mail at Bobby.Bard@franklinctc.com or by calling 717-263-9033 x246.