Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition Crowns Nation's Best Young Automotive Technicians in a Head-to-Head Battle of Skill and Talent

61st Annual Event Puts 50 State Championship Teams to the Test with a share of $11.5 Million in Scholarships on the Line

June 15: Meet the Future Stars of the U.S. Auto Industry

DEARBORN, Mich., June 9, 2010 The following media alert is being released by AAA and Ford:

            The 61st National Finals of the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills
            competition; 50 student teams representing each state square off
            in a timed competition that tests their automotive skills, with
            a record-high $11.5 million in scholarships to be awarded to
  WHAT:     the participants

  DATE:    Two-day competition culminates on Tuesday, June 15

  TIME:    8 a.m. - Pre-Event Activities Begin
           8:45 a.m. - Timed Hands-On Repair Competition Begins
           10:15 a.m. - Timed Hands-On Repair Competition Concludes
           11:45 a.m. (approximately) - National Champions Announced

  WHERE:   Ford World Headquarters, One American Road, Dearborn, Mich.
            The competition will take place on the front lawn of Ford World
            Headquarters with the awards announcement held inside Ford World
            Headquarters' auditorium.

Each state is represented by a pair of students from the same high school and their instructor. A sample of feature stories from this year's field of state champions, include:

  --  Sydne Mikesell, 17, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, posted the nation's highest
      score during the state competition and will be one of two female
      competitors making a run at the National Title
  --  Daniel Sarzynski, 17, overcame brain cancer at the age of 7, and now
      the Baltimore resident has come full circle, partnering with 17-year
      old teammate Ernest Kuehne
  --  Ryan Hastings and Andrew Michaluk of Ann Arbor, Mich., hope to lean on
      home-field advantage and recent success - Hastings' brother, Zachary,
      finished second in the 2007 National Finals -- to tip the scales in
      their favor.

The 2010 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills began with 10,500 high school students and has been narrowed to 50 pairs of high school juniors and seniors representing their high schools and home states in a battle for the coveted title of best student auto tech team in the nation.

In addition to vying for a share of nearly $11.5 million in scholarships during the 2010 National Finals, the students also will compete for the opportunity to "job shadow" a Roush Fenway Racing NASCAR race team at its race shop and during a subsequent race weekend later this summer.

To prepare the next generation of automotive technicians, Ford and AAA have partnered to support automotive technology education in high schools across the country and encourage students to continue their education and pursue careers in the automotive service industry.

  (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100608/DC16199LOGO )
  (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100608/DC16199LOGO )

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Christie Hyde

 

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100608/DC16199LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100608/DC16199LOGO
Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080226/DC15031LOGO