Motorvation

  Four years ago, WOODS Vocational Teacher Richard Dudding had an idea. Why not introduce his students to a lifetime hobby of his that he had enjoyed since he was even younger than they were? Finding no reason not to, Dudding initiated his students into the world of Demolition Derby.

  Perhaps not the most attractive or alluring of all the variations of motor racing in the world, but Demolition Derby racing gave Dudding the perfect opportunity to meld three important concepts into a single cohesive activity: teaching auto mechanics, recycling, and fun.

  Certainly, the auto mechanics teaching component would easily fit into the world of demolition derbies. But what about recycling?

  Dudding and his students build their race cars from donated automobiles that their former owners are ready to park on the junk heap. Essentially, having them demolished is almost an improvement for some of these ‘junkers’. Once an old clunker is dragged or pushed into Dudding’s shop, the first stage of recycling is over and the mechanics instruction kicks into high gear.

  "We bring in an old car and totally dismantle it. The only thing left inside is the steering wheel, the shifter, the brake and accelerator pedals. Then we install a safety cage which protects the driver," explained Dudding.

The body comes completely off the car and then the frame is inspected for rust damage and structural weakness. Designed weak spots, called crush points, are reworked to take away their flexibility and give the vehicle frame more strength and additional protection for the driver.

  Then work begins on the engines.

  "We completely tear down the engines and transmissions and make sure all the components are good. If not, we put in new rings, bearings, timing components, and rebuild carburetors. Transmissions get new clutches and new differentials; plus the gear ratio has to be changed," said Dudding.

  While Dudding could, and has, taught all these same skills in a more traditional vocational manner, he finds that since the students are working toward the definite goal watching their work driving around the race ring, not only does their motivation increase, so does their satisfaction in completing their work.

  "The main thing I try to stress to the kids is just have fun. Actually, they get a lot of hands on learning that they wouldn’t get anywhere else. When they tear a car down they get a complete knowledge of the internal components of a vehicle. Most people can’t even change the oil."

  Dudding’s students learn enough about automobiles and how they function to perform all the basic maintenance on their own vehicles someday. Furthermore, some students learn they have a great affinity for this type of work and plan to pursue auto mechanics as a career. At that point, they will need to enroll in a program with greater resources than WOODS offers. Vehicles today have many advanced computerized systems that WOODS is not equipped to teach. However, the basic overview Dudding provides does give his students a good head start.

  Students frequently recycle their attitudes during the course of the class. Many of the WOODS residents have anger management issues to contend with. Dudding has found that wrestling rusty fenders off old cars and freeing up frozen nuts and bolts provide healthy outlets for pent up anger and aggression.

 

  "After the car is finished and it accomplishes something, the kids feel better about themselves. They have the great experience of starting something and finishing it. This gives them a sense of pride. Some of our kids come in angry at the world. They’ve never done anything besides sit behind the remote on a television or a video game. Once they get into this program, some really shine. Some will go on to trade schools," said Dudding.

  Once the cars have been rebuilt, it’s time to race. Dudding, who has driven in demolition derbies for years, climbs behind the wheel while his students cheer from the sidelines. The class has built four cars in four years and each car has reached the finals multiple times over the course of their ‘season’.

  With trophies, photos, and memories to show for their time and effort, not to mention a far more detailed understanding of how an automobile functions, Dudding’s students are then ready for the next round of recycling. When the season is over and the car is finished, the students take out their tools once more and completely dismantle the vehicle and sell it for scrap. Any parts that are still in good enough condition to re-use go on a shelf to await new life in the next car. Everything else gets sold. Proceeds from each car help pay for any parts needed for the next vehicle the class revives for demolition. Students learn and practice new skills, vehicles destined for the junk heap are utilized far beyond what their previous owners would have imagined, an already respectable program gains a new way of improving the skills it teaches participants. Certainly, a combination worthy of a checkered flag.