Student teams from the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership in Batavia and the Kenton Career & Tech Center in Tonawanda are celebrating victories at the NFADA Ron Smith Memorial AutoTech Competition and Tire Rodeo held on Jan. 16 in Orchard Park. The competition took place at the Erie Community College-Vehicle Technology Training Center located at 5885 Big Tree Road.
The AutoTech competition featured teams of two high school automotive seniors who were put through a series of diagnostic, workstation and performance tests to measure their automotive technical skills and abilities. The WNY Ford Dealers served as vehicle sponsors and provided six 2016 Ford F150s for the students to compete on.
Taking first place in the AutoTech competition for seniors was the team of Daniel Cone and Dylan Binnert from Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, under the direction of instructor Bob Yates. Cone and Binnert will soon begin training for the National Automotive Technology Competition to be held at the New York International Auto Show on March 29 and 30. The two-day competition will feature teams from across the U.S. competing for prizes and college scholarships.
In the Tire Rodeo, teams of two high school juniors were timed as they raced to replace a damaged tire in the quickest time. Taking first place in the Tire Rodeo was the team of Daniel Hudson and Benjamin Serrano from the Kenton Career & Tech Center, under the direction of instructors Gary Willis and Gary Carlson.
For more information on the NFADA and the AutoTech and Tire Rodeo competitions, please visit www.nfada.com. You can also follow the AutoTech program on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NfadaRonSmithMemorialAutotechCompetition, where photos from the 2016 competitions have been posted.
