Real World: COUGARS RACING CLUB DIALS IN RECRUITS
10/18/2007
We began our racecar program at Camden County College, Blackwood , NJ, in 1999, although I had been trying to start a program seven years earlier. My perseverance eventually paid off.
We started with a donated 1981 Chevrolet Malibu station wagon with a V6 engine and an automatic transmission. A student donated a 305 cubic-inch engine, and our class purchased a 1985 GMC mini school bus van from a local school bus company for $250 to be used as the tow vehicle. We also purchased a former tow-along camper that was gutted to just the trailer frame and used that as the trailer for the racecar.
From this point we formed a college club called the Cougars Racing Club, since the cougar is the college mascot.
The next step was letter-writing time. We sent letters to local businesses, speed shops and manufacturers of performance parts requesting donations or deep discounts. Our efforts paid off as we received help from many of them. I believe the fact that this was a community college effort helped us acquire the support.
Over about a two-year period the students, instructors and I put together the racecar, the tow vehicle and the trailer. The car is designed to race in the NHRA M/SA class. I wanted to have a class record to shoot for where there were limits to what modifications could be done and that record is achieved through precision machining and knowledge of physics and science. In this way, the students would be putting into practice some of the theories they were learning in school. My initial intent was to have the students drive the car, but the insurance company went nuts over that idea, so I am the designated driver.
The 305 engine was built to NHRA specs by Jasper Engines and Transmissions. Four local repair shops that install Jasper engines chipped in to pay for this rebuild. Jere Stahl, the father of the four-tube header design, donated a set of headers. The TH350 transmission was built in our automatic transmission class with some parts supplied by Trans Specialties and a B&M shifter. The rear axle is from a 1972 Chevelle and we adapted it to the car with custom control arms that houses 5:13 rears on a spool.
We are running Hoosier slicks on the rear and drag tires up front on Weld Wheels. Many other components on the car were fabricated by us, or adapted from other cars as we have a very limited budget.
Our intent for the racecar program was recruiting, not competing. So, we take the car to high schools when we visit them to recruit for our automotive programs. We have taken it to car shows, and the college sponsors a high school challenge night at Atco Raceway, Atco, NJ, the local drag strip.
One night a month throughout the season, high school students from the area are invited to race their cars. This is part of the NHRA high school challenge program that is a national event. The seasonal winner at each track gets to represent their home track at a regional event and the regional winners get to represent their region at the NHRA World Finals in Pomona, CA, to compete for the title of world champion and receive prize money and a scholarship.
At the local high school challenge nights, we make exhibition passes with our car and get to speak with the high school students who are in attendance. The car is also seen by all who are in attendance and the general public as we tow the car back and forth to the track, which is about 15 miles from the college. It is like a rolling billboard.
To date the car has run a best time of 13.91. It will run a consistent 14.20 all day long. This is with a legal stock 305 cubicinch engine, a TH350 transmission and 5:13 gears. Most importantly, we have had about zero tune-up time. It is our feeling that with some time devoted to the tune-up, the car should run low 12s. The class record is in the 11.80s. Each year new students in our programs join the club and new ideas emerge. We have considered racing competitively in addition to using the car for recruiting. It will take a great deal of time to do this successfully.
Since we have the GM-ASEP and Toyota T-TEN program, we have been considering building a Toyota racecar to represent that program and use the car to appeal to the import racers. This idea will be up to the new members of the club and will depend on how much time they can contribute to the effort.
TEXTING AND DRIVING DON’T MIX
By William E. Van Tassel, Ph.D.
AAA Traffic Safety Programs
Text messaging with cell phones has become a popular activity. Sending text messages is a quick, easy way to communicate with family and friends. However, when you try to combine text messaging and driving, it’s like oil and water—they just don’t mix.
Nearly 80% of collisions involve some form of inattention, and your risk of being in a crash increases by 400% or more when you use a cell phone. That’s because distractions like text messaging can affect every element of safe driving.
When it comes to safe driving, it’s all about prevention. AAA recommends three steps to help to lower your risk of being in a crash. 1) Turn your cell phone off. Let voicemail pick up your messages, both voice and text and retrieve your messages once you’ve completed your journey. 2) If you have to call or text, pull off the road safely and stop. Complete your call or texting, and then safely return to the road. 3) Be a role model! Because of your interest in and expertise with automobiles, your friends and family look to you as a credible source. Demonstrate safe driving behaviors and let them see you in action modeling safe practices. For more information, visit www.aaaexchange.com.