The Wilcox “Hot Rodders of Tomorrow”
Not many of us can say that we have seen the engine of a car and understand how it works. I am sure we can all agree that it is a complex, powerful machine with many components. It can propel our cars through the paved streets of Santa Clara, to the mountain roads of Yosemite. Now, imagine being able to take apart and build an engine back together—a daunting challenge that some of our Wilcox students have wonderfully mastered.
The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow hosted the Engine Challenge Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada during the week of November 2nd through the 6th. Five students from the Wilcox Automotive Department, led by their teacher and advisor Mr. Antolin, competed in the semi-finals this past weekend: captain Andrew Rauschhuber, assistant captain Zack Shmitz, assistant captain Sergio Calderon, Ivan Mendez, Tobiah Passatt, and alternate Gilberto Velazquez-Huerta. I had the pleasure of interviewing Rauschhuber to get to know more about this exciting event.
When asked how the competition works, Rauschhuber responded that “five students—all four working on the engine and one of them who specialized with tools—compete on a team.” Each team works on a Chevy Small Block 350 engine to put it together and rebuild it. In addition, they had to ensure that it works in perfect condition after reconstructing it. The teams built them as fast they could with certain penalties in place, such as “not being able to drop engine parts.”
(Courtesy of Hot Rodders of Tomorrow).
I first asked Rauschhuber how they got involved in such a prestigious competition. He informed me that Mr. Antolin received a phone call from the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow asking them if they would like to take part. They began at the regional level in 2012 and “progressed to the national level” this year. They practiced Wednesday and Sunday nights, during class throughout the week, and sometimes at lunch in the auto shop to prepare for this. It took “a lot of dedication” and an innovative mindset to compete in such a difficult challenge. All in all, the Wilcox team “ranked #1 in Northern California, in the top 20 of the west coast, and #39 out of 140 schools in the nation.”
The Wilcox team excels at the many skills involved in the Engine Nationals Competition. In fact, Rauschhuber asserts that building and rebuilding an engine is “the ultimate sport.” It involves strength as many of the components and tools are heavy. “Endurance and hand-eye-coordination” are also key qualities that an expert mechanic displays. The engine components—such as pistons and belts—have distinct placements and this requires careful precision so they may work smoothly in tandem. It is vital for the mechanics to have ample knowledge on engines, as well.
(Courtesy of MSD Performance Social Media Photography).
I asked Rauschhuber what challenges the team faced throughout the week. He informed that they are used to working on the same engines every day at school. Though the engines they worked on during the competition were similar, it was still “difficult to adjust to them.” Sleeping in unfamiliar hotel rooms and sometimes not being able to fall asleep factored into the competition. “It put us in a different mindset,” Rauschhuber offered. In addition, the team is used to working on engines in a quiet environment. However, at the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Competition, they worked with “hundreds of spectators” and judges watching their every move. Despite the pressure mounting on the Wilcox team, they persevered and did a wonderful job.
The Wilcox team enjoyed their stay in Las Vegas. They were able to watch different teams around the country—high schoolers just like them—put together engines. Rauschhuber reflected that it was “more of a learning process” for them, rather than just a competition. They observed some very fast teams and gained new insights so they can refine their own skills.
Rauschhuber’s response was heartwarming when I asked what else he wants Wilcox to know about their overall experience. From practicing for months to competing in the Nationals Competition, he said that “this would not have been possible at all without Mr. Antolin.” Rauschhuber and his team truly thank Mr. Antolin for being an amazing teacher and devoting time and energy into molding them into the “hot rodders of tomorrow” that they are today.
Congratulations to the five Wilcox auto members that competed in the Engines Challenge Nationals Competition! We look forward to hearing more about their future endeavors.
