High School Students Win Millions in Scholarships & Prizes; National Automotive Technology Competition Winners Announced

NEW YORK, May 30, 2003 -- More than $3 million in prizes and scholarships were awarded to the nation's best high school automotive education students at the 2003 National Automotive Technology Competition, which was held at the New York International Auto Show last month. First place winners, Brian Greenwood and Matthew Funkhouser, seniors at Ramona High School in Ramona, CA each walked away with post-secondary scholarships and tools valued at $112,736 plus a brand new Pontiac Vibe, valued at $19,385 each-for a grand prize total of $132,121.

The New Car Dealers Association of San Diego County sponsored Greenwood and Funkhouser, who won in a field of 38 other teams from across the country. Led by their teacher, Robert Grace, the two students won regional competitions before making the grade to enter the National Competition held at the Auto Show. As winners of the National Competition, Greenwood and Funkhouser were awarded several full and partial college scholarships, diagnostic and repair tools, and the Pontiac Vibes. The Pontiacs will be awarded to each student upon the successful completion of a post secondary education program.

"This year's Competition was a tremendous success," said Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the organization that created and runs the contest. "Giving the country's top automotive technology students and their teachers an opportunity to win valuable prizes and providing a forum in which they can work closely with automobile manufacturers and suppliers, this event breaks new ground in educational awareness."

"Over the past 11 years the National Automotive Technology Competition has established itself as a leader in automotive education, piquing the interest of thousands of students each year. It gives students the opportunity to develop their skills in a fun, competitive, and rewarding environment. With the increasing use of sophisticated technology in cars today as well as an aging work population, it's critical that the automobile industry attracts talented, young minds into this business," Schienberg added.

Second and third places in the National Competition were awarded to Pennsylvania's Ryan Lucas and Kevin Woolf and New York's Joe Gavin and Todd Schlegel, respectively. The second place team of Wolf and Gavin competed on a Chevrolet and were led by their teacher, Stan Moczulski from Career Institute of Technology. Competing on a Mazda and guided by their teachers, Ken Krucenski and Gary Carlson, Sr., Gavin and Schlegel took the third place trophy back to Potter Career & Technical Institute in West Seneca, NY.

Each student team involved in the Competition left with several thousand dollars in post secondary educational program scholarships, a collection of Snap-on tools, and valuable experience that will enable them to succeed in the working world.

The following is a list of student teams who finished in the top ten, among the 38 teams who competed in this year's event:

   1st Place - Team Mazda from Ramona, CA -- Brian Greenwood and Mathew
                Funkhouser
   2nd Place - Team Chevrolet from Easton, PA -- Ryan Lucas and Kevin Woolf
   3rd Place - Team Mazda from West Seneca, NY -- Joe Gavin and Todd
                Schlegel
   4th Place - Team Toyota from Groveport, OH -- John Raymond and Daniel
                Trippier
   5th Place - Team BMW from Racine, WI -- Tim Miles and Tim Schiedell
   6th Place - Team Chevrolet from Saratoga Springs, NY -- Logan Spears and
                Chris Sweet
   7th Place - Team Mercedes from Marlow, OK -- Aaron Henmore and Jeffrey
                Jacks
   8th Place - Team Saab from Salisbury, MD -- Corey Mithcell and Dana
                Walker
   9th Place - Team Audi from Exeter, NH -- Graham Berry and Brian Lynch
   10th Place - Team Pontiac from San Clemente, CA -- Joe Anderson and Ian
                 Loska

  How the Contest Works:

The rules of the contest are simple. Each team of students is assigned an automobile that is rigged to malfunction in a number of ways. Using a repair order with actual customer complaints, the student teams must diagnose and repair the problem within the allotted time, using the manufacturer's specialty tools. Each "bug" correctly diagnosed and repaired is worth a number of points, depending on the level of difficulty. In addition, the students' knowledge of emissions control systems, alignment, electrical test equipment and mechanical measurement tools is tested at work stations. To prepare for the competition, students are trained at new car dealerships and the skills they learn from master technicians prepare them to succeed in the working world.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photographs and B-Roll from the competition are available. For more information, please call Nick Crispe at (212) 560-9494.