Tregembo, High School Students, Capture 2018 Rookie Honors
High School Team and Former Grad Named Street Stock Rookie of the Year
Special from Drive One Team Center – Roseville, Michigan (October, 23, 2018) — Something was different about the 2018 CRA Lawrence Towing Street Stock season from those past. It wasn’t the cars or new drivers, but the arrival of a younger pit crew, more specifically, a group of high schoolers.
Throughout the 2018 season, students from the DRIVE One TechCenter outside Detroit, Michigan worked both in-class and at-the-track on the their #1D NAPA Troy Auto Care/Axalta Coating Systems Chevy Nova, driven by 21 year-old Brandon Tregembo.
After eight months of intensive labor and hundreds of miles across Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, the hard work of DOTC students paid off with Tregembo winning the 2018 DGR-Crosley Rookie of the Year Award for the CRA Street Stock division.
“It was a huge achievement after all the work we put-in this season”, said Tregembo, 2018 ROTY and former DOTC graduate “it was no easy task by any means”.
Tregembo returned two years ago to work with DOTC instructors and students in building the car. Eventually, students began prepping it for upcoming races while at school, then later traveling to races, beginning with the season-opening event at Shady Bowl Speedway, and concluding with the season’s penultimate event at Lucas Oil Raceway. And even when they couldn’t be on-track, students followed CRA Social Media and RaceMonior app to see just where their project car faired following weeks of hard work.
“I worked with the Nova many times this season”, said Kaylee Oliveri, a senior at the DOTC “from changing gears between races to pulling dents out of the quarter panel, to pitting the Nova down at Lucas Oil Raceway: it’s amazing to tell people I didn’t just work on that car, but I traveled to the track with it too.”
In addition to the work from students and instructors, this season’s effort also took the help of volunteers with past ARCA Series and NASCAR experience, as well as assistance from sponsors such as Troy Auto Care, Axalta Coating Systems, Mother’s Car Care, Ring and Pinion Shop, Superior Radiator, Matco Tools, Winfield Machining, McGunegill Engine Performance, and others; many of whom travelled with the team.
Looking back at the 2018 season, Tregembo and his DRIVE One Motorsports team have a lot to be proud of. Among the high-points are Top Ten runs at Salem Speedway and Baer Field Motorsports Park, as well as being one of only 20 teams nationally to qualify for the Casey’s General Stores Challenge between CRA and Great American Stocks (GAS) Series street stocks divisions during the event at Salem. But even considering all those accomplishments, for Tregembo, his Rookie Year was more about the input of effort than the output of career-best finishes.
“Between all the miles we traveled this season, and all the hardships we faced, mechanical and otherwise, I’m glad it all worked out” added Tregembo, who commuted all-season-long between his high school alma mater, the racetrack, and current classes at the University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH). “I am really proud to be this year’s DGR-Crosley Rookie of the Year for the CRA Street Stocks, and look forward to being a great representative for the series and our school.”
Tregembo and team will be recognized at the 2018 CRA Awards Banquet on Friday, January 11th at the Crowne Plaza Union Station in downtown Indianapolis. They will also be returning to CRA Competition in 2019, with the schedule to be announced during the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show December 6th-8th at the Indiana State Convention Center in Indianapolis.
DRIVE One is a 501(c)(3) that provides Detroit At-Risk Youth with vocational training in automotive technology, machining, welding, and transportation design. Its Mission is to deliver students Grades 8-12 with “Professional, STEAM-driven education through collaboration with Industry”. In partnership with local school districts, small businesses, and large corporations, DRIVE One offers career training by means of instructors with industry experience, guaranteed job-placement for incoming seniors, extra-curricular trip to car shows and competitions, and the use of its 16,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art DRIVE One TechCenter (DOTC) in Roseville, Michigan. You can find out more about DRIVE One by visiting their website at www.driveone.net. You can like their page at www.Facebook.com/driveonedetroit, or follow them on Twitter and Instagram (@driveonedetroit).
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