Heading to nationals

Like many young teenage men, Dustin Arnstad and Garth Hagen are short on words when it comes to describing how they feel about something.

The two 2009 Williston High School graduates are about to embark on the opportunity of a lifetime, as they become auto technician competitors in the 2009 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills nationals in Dearborn, Mich., next week. Their task is to find and fix intentional problems placed in their assigned vehicle, then drive the repaired vehicle to the finish line.

Their hands-on score is combined with the results of a written exam that tests their vehicle knowledge. The total determines the top 10 teams in the nation.

Hagen is looking forward to the competition, and Arnstad is excited about the challenge and getting the opportunity to fix the car. Their high school automotive technology instructor, Dave Bauer, sums up the anticipation of the competition with more descriptive words.

He’s been told by other instructors who’ve taken students to the nationals that, “it’s an experience you’ll never forget.”

“It’s an honor to be able to represent North Dakota,” Bauer added.

In May, Arnstad and Hagen earned the title of North Dakota’s best student auto technicians in a state competition. They’ve prepared since the beginning of the school year for the competitions. The students recently practiced getting the kinks out of a 2009 Ford Escape that was lent to them and Bauer by Williston’s Select Ford Mercury.

Last Tuesday, the team was working hard to de-bug the car at the school’s automotive technology center. Bauer had bugged it and on occasion, he would observe as the students tinkered under the hood and asked them questions.

The front lights flickered on at one point, and Arnstad tested the horn while sitting in the front seat. When it blasted, he said, “Horn still works.” Hagen then found another bug in the system.

“You mean there’s another problem?” asked Bauer teasingly, with emphasis on the word “another.”

Bauer has taught at Williston High School for 19 years. He’s taken students to the state competition, but this is the first time he’s been to the nationals.

“You’re against the best there is. I’m hoping to break the Top 25.” He then paused for a few seconds. “I’d like to win,” he said with a smile.

The winning national team has the opportunity to job shadow the defending Daytona 500 champion No. 17 Dewalt NASCAR Cup Series team� in July, according to the AAA News Room Web site, http://www.aaanewsroom.net/main/Default.asp?CategoryID=4&ArticleID=685