Sturgeon /Four Sturgeon Composite High School students are racing towards promising careers through a partnership between the school and Stratotech Park International Raceway. Grade 12 students Ryan Brown, Rob Dyck, Colin Clark and Jonathan Bartlett have been chosen to take part in a six-week work term at the racetrack in Sturgeon County. Under the partnership, the boys have already assembled more than $250,000 worth of go-carts for people throughout the province, said Dr. Vincent Cullen, who heads the automotive program at Sturgeon Composite. “Very few people in the Edmonton area know how to do this. Our guys will have the leading edge now. They feel like they are relevant now because all of a sudden there are people out there willing to pay them for their knowledge, " said Cullen.

When the multi-million-dollar racetrack first opened in the spring of 2002, Cullen, an experienced motocross racer, said he knew he had to take advantage of its proximity to the. school. “It seemed with this brand new facility just up the road, we had to create some kind of link. We just never knew it would work out so well for everyone.”

Partnership

Dan Beith, owner of Stratotech Park International Raceway, said it is extremely difficult to find mechanics who know how to assemble, maintain and race go carts in the Edmonton region. The partnership has not only given him four very competent workers but has increased the number of volunteers at the track ten-fold, he said. “They are so enthusiastic and it's contagious. Their friends are now coming out and I'm getting loads of volunteers to help make the races run smoother.”

As a way of thanking the boys and the school, Beith donated a new $5,000 go-cart to the automotive program this week. The school plans to race the go-cart and all the maintenance will be done by the students in the program.

“There are many things you can do to make them go faster. It's a science and a lot harder than people might think. It will be interesting to see what the students can do with it,” said Beith.

Brown, Dyck, Clark and Bartlett all said they feel lucky to be gaining experience in such an up-and coming field of work. In the past three years the number of go-cart racers in the Edmonton area has tripled from around 25 to 75.

“It's very difficult to get into the business. You need a lot of connections and we have those connections now,” said Clark. “We are the envy of everybody-everybody wants to do what we are doing.”

After graduation, all four boys hope their experience will lead to a career in the racing pits, whether it - is locally, part of the Indy Racing League or for NASCAR. “It's a very select community and it's hard to get in. We all think this will give us all a big foot in the door,” said Bartlett.

Sturgeon Composite High School students Colin Clark, Jonathan Bartlett, Robert Dyck and Ryan Brown are leaming to build go-karts in their automotives class.

Photo: April Bartlett/Gazette

By Tara Norton, Staff Writer
St. Albert Gazette

tnorton@stalbert.greatwest.ca