WHAT:           AAA/Ford Student Auto Skills Contest. A fast-paced, hands-on contest to diagnose and repair identically “bugged” vehicles for a record $10.7 million in scholarships at the state and national level combined. The contest will decide Arizona’s top high school automotive technology team, who will earn scholarships, prizes and advance to the national finals held June 16 in Dearborn, Mich.

WHEN:          Friday, May 1, 2009

                    9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

WHO:             Twenty of Arizona’s best teenage automotive technology students

                     (10 teams of 2) representing high schools across the state.  

                     This year’s participating schools include:

                     Centennial, Peoria

                     East Valley Institute of Technology, Mesa

                     Flowing Wells, Tucson

                     Kofa, Yuma

                     Prescott, Prescott

                     Rincon, Tucson

                     Sahuaro High School, Tucson

                     Sunrise Mountain, Peoria

                     Yuma High School, Yuma

WHERE:       Firebird International Raceway

                   20000 S. Maricopa Road, Chandler, Ariz. (take I-10 East to exit 162)

WHY:             The U.S. Department of Labor expects the need for qualified automotive technicians to grow by 14 percent through 2016, accounting for 110,000 new jobs. Today’s auto technicians must be well educated and continue training to stay on the cutting edge of advances in computer and electronic technology. Through the Auto Skills contest, AAA Arizona seeks to inspire talented students to get the necessary training so that they can embark on promising careers and become the best professionals in the automotive repair industry.

NOTE: Interested media professionals should contact AAA to arrange interviews and live shots. Media unable to attend may contact AAA prior to the event to arrange interviews.