America's Next Top Auto Technicians

Chris Howell, NewsOn6.com

OKMULGEE, OK -- Twenty Oklahoma auto technology students tore into ten Ford Focus cars Thursday, trying to become America's Next Top Auto Technicians.

"These guys are the best auto tech students in Oklahoma," said Chuck Mai, VP of Public Affairs for AAA of Oklahoma, which is co-sponsoring the Student Auto Skills competition with Ford Motor Company.  "All ten Ford Focuses, '09 models, are identically bugged.  We're seeing which two person team can find those bugs quickest and most accurately."

Winning teams will receive scholarships and prizes and will represent Oklahoma at the National Finals in Dearborn, Michigan June 14th.

"It's worth a lot of scholarship money," said winning team member Jack Gibson, from Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center.  "It will help me out a lot, get me in somewhere-get some good schooling in, it's really important."

The first-place winning team was Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center, second place was won by Mid-America Technology Center, and Tulsa Technology Center students took third place.