AHS Student Races Toward Future in Racing

One of Avon Community School Corporation's three strategic goals is: "In cooperation with our community, we will create systemic and purposeful innovation opportunities to develop critical thinkers." Avon High School junior Ike Coleman recently embraced a real-world engineering challenge that has helped him accelerate toward a career in the auto racing industry.

Avon High School Counselor David Thompson is involved in the racing industry in his free time. He approached AHS Robotics and Engineering Teacher Chris Hill to see if his students would be interested in helping him solve a problem with which he and his racing colleagues had been struggling. The scale they used to weigh race cars after qualifying was cumbersome and prone to malfunctioning. Chris Hill recruited a student Ike Coleman, who he knew had an interest in racing, and he embraced the challenge.

We conducted the following interview with Mr. Thompson, Mr. Hill, and Ike via email. It has been lightly edited for length and to fit this format.

ACSC: Mr. Thompson, tell us about your involvement in racing. What was the problem that you were trying to address?

David Thompson: I work for United States Auto Club (USAC) as an official and chaplain. My officiating responsibilities include weighing cars after qualifications. Our previous setup was 15-20 pieces put together. Sometimes, the drivers would hit the scales wrong and then we would have to readjust them or set them back up again. Through this frustration, the group of people I work with and I kept trying to think of a way to build something that would only need to be set up once and not be adjusted throughout the night or the event. I brought an idea to Chris and asked him if his students would be interested in designing and building a project. Chris had his students create designs and present them to my boss outside of school. The students then built the chosen design and we had them come to the racetrack and install [what they built] for use.

ACSC: Ike, how did you learn about the need? How did it feel to be involved in this real-world, extracurricular project?

Ike Coleman: I learned of this opportunity through Mr. Thompson and Mr. Hill. USAC was looking for a student team to design a new universal set of scales that could be used for multiple classes of race cars. It was an honor to be presented with this opportunity, and it was awesome to collaborate on a project with friends that would serve a real purpose and would be used for many years to come. It made it even more special that it was for the benefit of the sport we love. It provided excellent insight into the engineering and design process in the real world and how problems are solved along the way.

This opportunity provided some excellent connections and great experience I will be able to use in my career. Ike Coleman

ACSC: Tell us about the process, what you built, and what has happened since.

Coleman: Our team (Rexton Kemp, Patrick Tiernan, and I) sat down with Mr. Thompson and discussed basic parameters, dimensions, and elements to be kept in mind during the design process. Then we researched materials and made rough sketches of designs that would balance weight, strength, and cost, as well as fitting the scale pads that USAC provided. We consulted Mr. Hill and [AHS Teacher Gary Ayers] to help us design and choose materials that would be strong and effective. The scales were welded by Mitchell Moles of Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports, a USAC sprint car team. It was an eye opening and very enjoyable project. Since it was completed, we have received recognition at USAC events and have received free pit passes. I also got the chance to talk to Mitchell Moles in the pits at a race in 2023.

ACSC: Mr. Thompson, how has Ike's work benefitted USAC? How has it affected Ike and his partners?

Thompson: I just love the idea of students being able to be involved in projects that have real world implications and hopefully help them figure out what [career paths they want to take] and why they want to be involved in the career that they are choosing. Ike and a couple of the other students involved have been coming to some of the local USAC races to see the scales in person and see how they work. It has been a great project and I am hoping to help Ike get connected with a race team this year so that he can utilize that connection as he enters college and moves forward in life.

ACSC: Ike, how has this experience impacted your education and your plans for the future?

Coleman: It was a very enjoyable project that gave critical insight into the motorsports industry and engineering in general. I am very thankful to have participated. In terms of the effect on my future plans, this opportunity fits right in with my career plan. I aim to go to Purdue Indianapolis, earn a dual degree in Motorsports and Mechanical engineering, and work for an Indycar or NASCAR team. This opportunity provided some excellent connections and great experience I will be able to use in my career, and potentially even as soon as next year. It has also focused my education in mathematics and engineering.

ACSC: Mr. Hill, what is your perspective on this experience as Ike's teacher?

Chris Hill: Any time we can get opportunities for our students to have real world experiences and make connections, we need to take full advantage. With having students that are interested in a career in the racing industry, [this project was] a win-win.