High School Students Hit-The-Track for CRA Shootout

Detroit Youth and Their Late Model Stock Car to compete against the Best-in-the-Midwest

Roseville, Michigan— 7/28/2021 — After a long pandemic, schools are about to open their doors again to students, and for the kids at DRIVE One Career Technical High School, that also means a return to the racetrack.

“After a year of virtual learning, it’s nice to finally be face-to-face with our auto tech students,” said Paul Tregembo Jr., Program Director at DRIVE One Career Technical High School, “it’s even nicer to see their genuine excitement about getting the stock car back-out”.

Unlike traditional high schools, DOCTHS offers career and tech-minded students the chance to work on unique project cars. The most important of these project cars recently has been the #1D JEGS All-Star Tour Late Model driven by Auto Tech co-instructor and former CRA Street Stock Rookie-of-the-Year Brandon Tregembo. Since 2017, DRIVE students have built, tuned, and even pitted CRA stock cars for events at Lucas Oil Raceway, Salem Speedway, and even the high banks at Bristol. Sadly, it’s been nearly two years since students have had the chance to travel as a race team. “It’s been too long”, Tregembo said “but the first step towards normalcy this school year is getting the kids out of the shop classroom and back in the pits”.

During a two-week summer camp in July, students returned to the DRIVE One auto shop to prepare the #1D Troy Auto Care Centers-Mr. Gratiot Foundation Ford for this weekend’s CRA Shootout at nearby Birch Run Speedway. It’ll be the first time since Toledo last fall that the car has competed, and the first-time students have traveled with it since Spring of 2019.

“I first started working on the Late Model before COVID”, said senior Steve Monroe. “DRIVE gave me a lot of opportunities to work on the [CRA Street Stock] Nova and other race cars. It’s cool to get to work on the late model and see it race too.”

“The goal of these project cars is to have students learn the mechanics and fundamentals of your basic streetcar in a way that instills those skills for life” Tregembo Jr. added. “If [the students] can adjust camber, toe, and even tire pressure on the late model, it’s no different on their mom’s car, and knowing how to conduct those tasks can just as easily lead to a high-paying career in the automotive industry”.

This weekend’s 100-lap event will be the first time many of the students have ever seen a short track, most of whom weren’t even in high school the last time the #1D raced at Birch Run. As they prepare the Late Model for Saturday’s race, all the students say they’re excited despite the unknowns. 

“I’ve only seen the Nova Race at Birch Run”, said Monroe, “I don’t know what to expect with the Late Model, but I do know it’ll be a memory I won’t forget.”

The #1D Troy Auto Care Centers-Mr. Gratiot Foundation-DRIVE One Career Tech H.S. Ford will be one of the over 20 late models competing for this weekend’s CRA-JEGS All-Star Tour Shootout at Birch Run Speedway. For Ticket Information, please call Birch Run Speedway’s Front Office at (989) 624-9778 or visit www.birchrunracing.com for starting times and other event information.

 DRIVE One Career Technical High School is a free, public high school authorized by Ferris State University. DOCTHS specializes in every student’s individual skill and needs, from scheduling that works around their life and career, to career and college placement that’ll kickstart their future. Since 2012, 100% of DRIVE One students have graduated, with 84% of graduates either employed in industry, enrolled in a post-secondary institution, or serving in a branch of the armed forces. To find out more information, or enroll the student in your life, visit www.docths.net or follow @driveonecths on Facebook and Instagram.