Fairfax Team Again Tops Annual WANADA Auto Tech Competition

WANADA Auto Tech Competition[/SIZE] [I]Winners Advance to National Contest in NY[/I]

For the second year in a row, a talented Fairfax County team has captured top honors in the fourth annual WANADA-sponsored Washington Area Automotive Technology Competition, held last week at Montgomery Collegeês Homer S. Gudelsky Institute for Technical Education (GITE).

Kevin Wang and Josh Borders beat out very competitive teams from high schools in Montgomery County, MD; Loudon County, VA; Prince George’s County, MD; and the District of Columbia. In addition to prizes awarded to all participants by the eventês sponsors, Snap-On and BG Products, the winning pair won the right to represent the Washington area at the National Automotive Technology Competition at the New York Auto Show in April, where tech competition winners from around the country compete for over $3 million in scholarships and prizes.

Whatês the secret of success for this Fairfax crew? –A little luck, a lot of hard work and preparation, and genuine dedication,” said the winning team instructor John Lawrence of Marshall Academy, which, together with Montgomery College, also operates the WANADA/Ford Apprenticeship Training Program. –The kids get all the credit,” he added.

The competition featured teams of two automotive technicians from each school who were judged by a team of professional automotive technicians and instructors on five 20-minute stations that tested their ability with measuring tools using a micrometer; battery, alternator and starter testing; on board diagnostic troubleshooting on a 2004 Audi A6; alignment interpretations; and a 15-question, ASE-based written test prepared by WANADA.

The Audi was donated for use by Rockville Audi. And since the winning team is from Virginia, Audi of Alexandria has agreed to work with Wang and Borders to prepare them for the national competition in New York next month. The WANADA Bulletin will report on the results of that competition.

Thanks go to the dealer cooperation on both sides of the Potomac. WANADA also congratulates all the competitors who represent the best in the area and the techs of the future for regional franchised new car dealers. To view more photos of the Washington Area Automotive Technology Competition click on http://www.wanada.photoresponse.com.