OBHS team races to get the motor runnin' Two in automotive program take fourth in state competition BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer SCOTT PILLING staff David Haggiag (l) and Justin Lehr of the Old Bridge High School automotive class work on an engine outside the school May 11 in preparation for the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition. The two-man team placed fourth in the state, winning scholarship money for each student. OLD BRIDGE - Two Old Bridge High School students recently took part in a different sort of car race. David Haggiag and Justin Lehr, both seniors, took fourth place in the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition May 15, each securing $8,000 in scholarship funds. "We have been staying here after school to get ready for this competition," automotive teacher Steven Pasqua said. "When was the last time you voluntarily stayed after school with a teacher?" Haggiag and Lehr even took time off from their respective jobs to prepare for the competition, staying at school sometimes until 8 p.m. To qualify, they had to take an online, written exam and score within the top 10 in the state. The competition consists of 10 teams vying to troubleshoot and repair a car within a two-hour period. Whoever finishes first takes home the top prize. "I can definitely use the scholarship, and it's good experience," Lehr said. Lehr said he will most likely become a police officer in Old Bridge, but would like to open a garage on the side. After graduation, Lehr said he plans to attend Middlesex County College, and attend night school to hone his mechanical skills further. "I've always worked on my own cars," Lehr said. "Me and my friends, we all work on our cars together." Haggiag also works on cars in his leisure time, doing oil changes on his brother's friends vehicles to make extra money. He will attend the Universal Technical Institute in California, and plans to become a mechanic in a high-end dealership, he said. "My dad is a mechanic, and I've always liked cars," Haggiag said. "I'm just good at it, so I practice at it and try to do better." For Pasqua, the competition held special significance. A 1989 graduate of Madison Central High School, he also made it to the state finals of the competition during his senior year under teacher Robert McClure. Now, the two work together at the school. "Here he was my mentor back in 1989 as a teacher, and now he's my mentor as my colleague," Pasqua said. "He was the guy that got me started on my career in the first place. Now that we're working side by side, we're having a good time." Over the years, McClure, a 31-year veteran teacher at the high school, has taken many teams to the finals, and two teams to the national level of the competition. "As a teacher, it's really satisfying to see the teamwork involved, and everyone working together," McClure said. "I believe very strongly in providing opportunities. This is their chance to shine." Old Bridge was the only nonvocational school participating in the event. Their automotive program is the largest in the state with about 265 students enrolled, according to McClure. "Vocational kids have several hours [each day]," McClure said. "These guys get a lot less time." Thanks to the Straub dealership, the boys were able to get an edge on the competition by practicing on the car that would be used in the contest. Senior students who made it to the competition last year helped the students prepare. The competition has been held since 1949, McClure said. "It helps them accomplish some of their goals," McClure said. "Trophies and hats and jackets are nice, but if you throw $100 on the ground, nobody is going to walk by it." It is not only the students who have goals they would like to accomplish. Pasqua has one of his own. "Before I retire, one of these days, I want to place first in the state," Pasqua said. "These guys are technicians. My job here is to get them ready for the field if they want to pursue it."