Hands got dirty and adrenaline was high at the annual Oxford High School Brake Competition on Thursday, February 16.
Students in Daniel Balsley’s Auto Technology Class spent 80 minutes completely disassembling and reassembling the rear drum brakes on at least two different vehicles in the fastest time possible.
Under the watchful eye of a judge with a stopwatch, the two best times on both vehicles are averaged together to determine the top three winning groups.
Although the students need to be quick, Balsley said they must be accurate too.
‘Any errors in craftsmanship will cause that timing to be disqualified,? he said.
For the first time in the competition’s 17 year history, two females, Shelli Lindsey and Jessica Kovl, took first place with an average time of 1 minute, 31 seconds.
The girls even made pink T-shirts that stated ‘anything boys can do girls can do faster? to help boost their confidence.
The shirts also said ‘B4? which stood for ‘Balsley’s Bodacious Brake Babes.?
Second place went to Justin Burton and Brian Wagner who’s average time was 1 minute, 40 seconds.
Mike Lawrence and Dan Dzialo took third place with an average of 1 minute, 52 seconds.
Winners received prizes which included a tool set, toolboxes, floor jacks and savings bonds donated from local sponsors? Rotary Club of Oxford, Oxford Bank, Oxford NAPA, Wright Tool Co., Steve’s Auto Parts and Oxford McDonald’s.
At the end of the competition, Balsley told the group of students they’ve been ‘a pleasure to work with? and that he ‘appreciates? their ‘effort and dedication.?
Balsley said he started the competition to get students ‘motivated to become better trained in the service braking systems.?