The first day of spring marked the opening of the 49th Annual Summit Racing Equipment I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama Presented by Rad Air Complete Car Care and Tire Centers at Cleveland’s I-X Center March 20-22, 2015.
More than 1,000 custom cars, trucks, bikes, tractors, military equipment and vintage aircraft were displayed throughout the more than 1 million square feet of the show floor. Also part of the show were a swap meet, a toy modeler area and Thunder Row, which featured 40 Cruisin’ Times All-Star cars that competed for top prizes. Performance parts and accessories manufacturers displayed their latest products in the Summit Racing Manufacturer Showcase.
Members of the Tomorrow’s Tech team attended the show on Friday, which was the designated Student Career Day. During the welcome reception, renowned car builders, key industry representatives and sponsors, spoke to the students about opportunities in the aftermarket.
“Pursue your passion with effort and enthusiasm,” said Tom King of Ohio Technical College, encouraging the students to set higher goals for themselves. “Don’t be average; be the best at what you do… Put 10 times the amount of effort you think is necessary. And don’t settle!”
More words of encouragement came from Brian Hinkins of Strong Arm Customs in Flint, MI, Jesse Srpan of Raw Iron Choppers in Chardon, OH, and Jesse Castill of Lordz of Kustomz in Los Angeles. Castill works with kids in gang-infested areas and advised the Cleveland-area students to take advantage of the opportunities they’re given.
After the reception, students were allowed to walk through the show to get an up-close look at the vehicles and have an opportunity to speak with car owners and the sponsors.
The Student Career Day program was developed, in conjunction with the ISCA, the International Show Car Association, in an effort to introduce high school, vocational and college automotive students to the aftermarket hot rod industry.
Students were also given challenged to participate in competitions to test their diagnostic and repair skills as well as display their talents, meet with employers and compete for prizes.
For more information on the Summit Racing Equipment I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama Presented by Rad Air Complete Car Care and Tire Centers, visit www.pistonpowershow.com.
For more photos from the show, visit www.facebook.com/TomorrowsTechnicianMag.
