The Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge crowned Team Vibrant Performance of Burton Center for Arts & Tech in Salem, Virginia, the winner of its 2018 Dual Championship during the PRI Show in Indianapolis.
From Dec. 7-8, 17 teams from across the U.S. competed to become one of the Top 4 teams to move on and compete in the Elite Eight playoffs against the top four SEMA Show teams. A total of 44 teams competed at SEMA and PRI to get to the Elite Eight competition.
The Top 4 teams that moved on to the Elite Eight from the PRI Show were:
- Team Vibrant Performance from Burton Center for Arts & Tech in Salem, Virginia, 18:12 Time
- Team Allstar Performance from Forsyth Central High School in Cumming, Georgia, 21:16 Time
- Team RHS Racing Heads also from Forsyth Central High School in Cumming, Georgia, 24:04 Time
- Team Engine & Performance Warehouse from Elkhart Area Career Center in Elkhart, Indiana, 24:13 Time
The Top 4 teams from the SEMA Show were:
- Team Custom Automotive Network (CAN) from Eastern Oklahoma Technology Center in Choctaw, Oklahoma, 18:35 Time
- Team Canton Racing Products from Lakeshore High School in Stevensville, Michigan, 19:57 Time
- Team Mr. Gasket from C D Hylton High School in Woodbridge, Pennsylvania, 22:42 Time
- Team Edelbrock from Hunter High School from West Valley City, Utah, 23:57 Time
Elite Eight Competition
During the Elite Eight playoffs, teams competed for the best time based on three important parts. First, the average of the three times the teams competed; second, the penalty minutes added for mistakes made during dis-assembly and re-assembly; and third, 50-question written test on parts and tools identification along with general engine and rules knowledge.
According to Hot Rodders of Tomorrow, it was a close competition as all of the Elite Eight teams flew around the Chevy 350 high performance engines tearing them apart and then re-assembling them. All eight teams had at least one perfect engine build. Teams Engine & Performance Warehouse, Vibrant, and Edelbrock each had two perfect engine builds during the Elite Eight Playoffs. The total time difference between first and fourth place teams was only 2 minutes and 8 seconds.
Team Allstar Performance from Forsyth Central High School placed fourth with at time of 20:11.
For Team Edelbrock from Hunter High School, this was the second year the team made it to SEMA, but the first competing at the Elite Eight Playoffs where they placed third with a time of 19:34.
“This is a Roller-coaster of emotions,” said Coach Tyler Perkins, of Team Edelbrock. “Each run felt like a runaway freight train that could derail at any moment.”
Team Canton Racing Products from Lakeshore High School took home second place with a 18:47 finish.
In the end, Team Vibrant Performance won with an average time of 17:26. This is the third victory for Burton Center’s coach Chris Overfelt.
“I am in shock all over again,” said Coach Overfelt, adding that during the Elite Eight Championship, “I was not nervous because the team has kept their composure all week.”
Each student from teams winning a Top 4 Dual Championship spot, earned scholarship opportunities ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 from Ohio Technical College, School of Automotive Machinists & Technology and Universal Technical Institute.
For more information about the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow, visit hotroddersoftomorrow.com.
