Speeding into Firebird Raceway

By: Gracie Pearson and Tyler Lawrence  

     On Feb. 22 Red Mountain’s automotive classes went on a field trip to Firebird Raceway from 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. The class competed against 50 Arizona high schools with teams divided by gender, and five members competing on each side. The boys team was made up of sophomores Randall Shinn and Edward DeWitt and juniors Levi Bunker, Gavin Sandry and Justin Majewski. Freshmen Haley Crook and Kaytie Rose, sophomores Samantha Bonner and Jessica Sikes-Wagner and senior Alexandra Stevens were on the girls team.       

     “We’ve been doing the competition for 21 years,” said automotive teacher Mr. Pikosz. “We were one of the first schools to do this and have been doing it ever since.”

     The Automotive class competed in different components of the Pit Crew challenge. Certain tasks were assigned to different team members.

     “We had to rotate two tires, check the master cylinder fuel level, change an oil filter, change eight spark plugs and do the firing order on the spark plugs,” said Shinn. “I changed the spark plugs and did the firing order.”

     The winning team would take home a new donated Ford Explorer. Red Mountain’s boys team placed 14th, with the girls team taking 12th.

     “Schools from all over the state competed in the challenge, some of which had been practicing all throughout the year,” said Crook. “Our team was certainly not the fastest but we had very little mistakes. Since the challenge was mainly on speed, we did not place as high as we would have liked.”

      Regardless of how high they placed, the students had a blast spending the day working together in the competition and challenging themselves to test what they actually learned. The team also had the option to sit and watch races after the competition, play games or just relax.

     “Everything about the trip was exciting,” said Crook. “I'm not sure which I enjoyed more-competing with the friends I've made or watching the dragsters fly down the track after the challenge.”

     For more information on the trip to Firebird Raceway or automotive classes, please see Mr. Pikosz in room 343.