.JPG)
|
| Tasca Racing and its driver, Bob Tasca III are looking for young minds to train and place into their organizations. Motor Culture and Motorsports for life. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2023) |
Say Y.E.S. To Developing The Next Generation Of Motor-Culture's Life Blood
To spend a day at the NHRA's infamous annual Winternationals event weekend is
always a special treat. What most who attend do not know is that the NHRA is
serious about investing in developing the next generation of functionaries
that would be needed to keep the next generations of racing superstars
performing at dragstrips across the country in pursuit of their claim of the
national championship.
Just this last Friday, for example, a group of friends were able to be invited
to take in the introductory portion of the NHRA's enticement and engagement
program directed at High School aged students to have them to begin thinking
about the future of their lives as having careers that involve skills needed
in support of automobiles, mobility, and communications engagement to
others.
This program goes by the name
NHRA Y.E.S. Program
which stands for Youth & Education Services Program. It was formed in 1989
with the expressed purpose to provide quality programs and activities for
schools and youth organizations nationwide that focus on the importance of
goals and continued education so that students learn about and explore various
career opportunities. The program will also show students how S.T.E.M.
(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is applied to both, real world
situations and NHRA Drag Racing, which they will have the opportunity to see
live, in action, at the track!
On Friday, large groups of students, and educators, totaling over 800 persons
in each of three sessions - over 2,500 registered participants, were given a
25 minute presentation by four members of organizations that are directly
involved in the goals of the NHRA's Y.E.S. Program and its powerful effects in
career guidance. Panelists were:
Hernan Cortez - Mac Tools- Franchise Recruiter
Susie Frausto - Gerber Collision & Glass - Vice President of Marketing
TSgt. Armando Munoz - U.S. Air Force
Bob Tasca III - FORD - The driver of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang
Funny Car
All introduced and presented by Alan Reinhart: NHRA Announcer. NHRA
Y.E.S. Program Emcee
.JPG)
|
| First year, newly christened, venue title sponsor proudly displays new signage as IN-N-OUT Pomona Dragstrip. Not a better marriage could be made given the past history of association between these two Southern California born icons of drag racing. Further, it doesn't hurt to have access to a title sponsor Double-Double along the way as one takes in the activities at the Winternationals. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2023) |
This excerpted and edited from John Dinkel - Contributor to the SAE's
Automotive Engineering magazine -
Say Y.E.S. to the NHRA
I spent Friday, March 31 at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona,
California as part of the NHRA’s Y.E.S. (Youth & Education Services)
Program.
----
My role, beyond photographing the activities and being my usual Editorial
Irritant, was assisting one of the student groups, Parkway Ford Heritage
Mission (https://parkwaymission.org/), that participated in the YES
activities.
|
| FORD Motor Co. Follow & Win awareness booth. Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
As part of the Parkway Ford Heritage Mission apprenticeship and
spirituality program, students learn skills such as how to bend, cut,
grind and weld metal, working in a shop along side real life race cars.
So, YES, students learn how to go fast with God.
Heritage Mission founder, Jack Burns, knows of what he teaches. He’s the
founder of Burns Stainless, one of the premier engine header fabricators
in the country. You’ll find Jack’s headers in most every known racing
series: NHRA, IMSA, SCCA, IndyCar . . . and more.
|
| Jack Burns studying header design .Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
So when I refer to Mr. Burns as a”complete fabrication,” what can he say,
he knows I’m telling the truth.
Jack’s in the process of rebuilding a Pro Comp Ford Mustang, which will
have a very trick motor, and I’ve promised not to let the pistons out of
the bag until Jack is ready to unleash his unfair advantage on his
unsuspecting competitors.
So . . . you’ve been warned!
The speakers at the Winternationals YES program included representatives
from Mac Tools, Gerber Collision & Glass, the US Air Force and Bob
Tasca III representing Ford Motor Company.
|
| Panelists: from R to L in order of presentation - Hernan Cortez - Mac Tools- Franchise Recruiter | Susie Frausto - Gerber Collision & Glass- Vice President of Marketing | TSgt. Armando Munoz - U.S. Air Force | Bob Tasca III - FORD - The driver of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Funny Car. Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
For those of you who have just moved here from another planet, Bob is a
third-generation Ford dealer with a home base in Rhode
Island.
|
| Funny Car Driver Bob Tasca III. Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
Bob Senior wanted Ford to get involved with NHRA drag racing in the 1960s
and used a letter writing campaign by his customers and other friends to
catch Henry Ford II’s attention.
Of course, the Cobra Jet 428 engine Bob Sr. and his dealership team built
from parts found in the Ford service parts catalog didn’t hurt. Especially
when Tasca’s Mustang Cobra Jet race cars were blowing the doors off the
competition at the drag strip.
Tasca Sr. coined the phrase, "Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday,” had a major
influence on improving Ford’s durability and reliability, and was a
driving force behind the “Quality is Job 1” initiative.
Today, Bob Tasca III continues his grandfather’s legacy.
|
| Photo Courtesty Bob Tasca Racing (2023) |
Bob races one of the baddest and fastest Ford Mustang Funny Cars
(https://www.tascaracing.com) on this or any other planet. And he is a
great representative for Ford, for kids, for racing and for education.
Everyone needs to spend a few “motorvating” minutes listening to Bob
explaining in simple terms the connections among education, setting goals
and planning to achieve those goals.
Ford’s involvement in the YES program also included the opportunity for
students to talk to several dealer training reps from area Ford
dealers.
|
| Tasca Racing support pit. Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
After this “schooling,” I took a small group of the Parkway Ford Heritage
Mission students, instructors and parents over to Bob Tasca’s paddock
trailer for a look-see. A big ”thank you” to all of Bob’s crew who took
time out of their busy schedules to chat with our group and give them a
close-up look at what goes on behind the scenes of a successful racing
program, including a tour of Bob’s car and his motorhome/work shop inner
sanctum.
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
It was a day they will long remember as they explore education pathways
and post graduation career opportunities.
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
The rest of the day was spent grabbing burgers at In-and-Out, checking
out the NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Dragsters, which are half-scale versions of
Top Fuel dragsters offering kids ages 5-17 the opportunity to experience
the thrill of drag racing in a controlled environment, watching practice
and qualifying runs, and standing close enough to the starting line to
feel the thunder from Tasca’s Funny Car punching you in the
stomach.
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
|
|
Image Credit: John Dinkel (2023) |
A great day for learning about earning, the importance of schooling and
goal setting, and having fun around drag racing and drag racers.
Can’t think of anything better. . .
And don’t forget, this is drag racing where Funny Cars like Bob Tasca’s
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang cover 1000 feet in less than 4 seconds
at more than 325 mph. This is about 1000 miles in around five hours, give
or take a burnout! If you’re living within a 1000-mile radius of
Pomona, you’ve still got time to make the Finals on Sunday, April 2.
So step on it!
The
NHRA Y.E.S. Program
will be a part of most all of the NHRA Drag Racing Events throughout the
rest of the year - check listings for your own 2023 event location and take
part.
2023 NHRA CAMPING WORLD DRAG RACING SERIES YES PROGRAM SCHEDULE
March 10 Amalie Motor Oil
NHRA Gatornationals Gainesville, Florida
March 24 NHRA Arizona
Nationals Phoenix, Arizona
March 31 Lucas Oil NHRA
Winternationals Pomona, California
April 14 NHRA Four-Wide
Nationals Las Vegas, Nevada
April 21 Career Day at the
Racetrack” Mid America Dragway Ark City, Kansas (Virtual Program)
April 28 Circle K NHRA
Four-Wide Nationals Charlotte, North Carolina.
May 19 Route 66 NHRA
Nationals presented by PEAK Performance Joliet, Illinois
June 2 NHRA New
England Nationals Epping, New Hampshire
June 9 NHRA Thunder
Valley Nationals Bristol, Tennessee
June 23 Summit Racing
Equipment NHRA Nationals Norwalk, Ohio (Virtual Program)
July 14 Dodge Power
Brokers NHRA Mile High Nationals Denver, CO (Virtual Program)
July 21 Flav-R-Pac
NHRA Northwest Nationals Seattle, Washington (Virtual Program)
July 28 DENSO NHRA
Sonoma Nationals Sonoma, California (Virtual Program)
Aug. 11 Menards NHRA
Nationals presented by PetArmor Topeka, Kansas (Virtual Program)
Aug. 18 Lucas Oil NHRA
Nationals Brainerd, Minnesota (Virtual Program)
Sept. 1 Dodge Power
Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals Indianapolis, Indiana
Sept. 15 Pep Boys NHRA
Nationals Reading, Pennsylvania
Sept. 22 NHRA Carolina
Nationals Charlotte, North Carolina
Sept. 29 NHRA Midwest
Nationals Madison, Illinois
Oct. 13 Texas NHRA
FallNationals Dallas, Texas
Oct. 26 NHRA Nevada
Nationals Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 9 In-N-Out
Burger NHRA Finals Pomona, California
* Please Note
any event listed with a (Virtual Program) notation involves watching the
Virtual YES Program Presentation at any point during the school year and
receiving a free Friday Race Ticket for the Date of the event to attend in
Person. You can find the virtual Program by visiting the Virtual
Y.E.S. Program page in the main menu above.
|
| All rolling stock need a Human to be trained up and focused to take care of it in order to deliver the desired results in performance. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2023) |
Are you a Parent, an Educator, a Mentor, an influential business/civic leader
and wish to give undirected kids a path for personal growth and a possible
living-earning six-figure career within just a few years without huge college
debt????
Contact and schedule to have High School, or after school social
groups/associations attend a NHRA Youth & Education Services (Y.E.S.)
Program and expose young lives to a path of stability, abundance, and
fulfilment based in the life-science found in Motor Culture.
Raise up the next generation of motor-culture's life blood - S.T.E.M.
(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) - toward a land of
accomplishment. The next mobility device you save may be your own.
... notes from
The EDJE
FEATURED ARTICLE >>>
TAGS: Ford, NHRA, Youth & Education Services, Y.E.S., Tasca Racing,
MAC Tools, Pep Boys, U.S. Air Force, Gerber Collision & Glass, John
Dinkel, SAE, Automotive Engineering Magazine. The EDJE
