“The children are our future.” Phrases like that may seem trite and corny but few industries embody them as fully as the performance aftermarket. One such organization that is devoted to the future of our industry’s youth is Hot Rodders of Tomorrow.

Created by Jim Bingham and son Rodney, the nonprofit organization was established as a way to help high school and trade school students develop an interest and ultimately pursue careers in the automotive field.

“It gives students a jumpstart in their career in the automotive trade,” says Jim LaFevers. “Every advantage that we can give these students nowadays to give them a start in a career is a fantastic opportunity.”

At this year’s PRI show, there were 110 teams competing in ten qualifying events. On those ten teams were 770 students all vying for the prize of scholarship money to automotive trade schools.The competitions take place between high school kids from varying walks of life and they travel all over the country competing for scholarships.

Teams disassemble a small-block Chevy down to a bare block and rebuild it in as quick of a time as possible. The engines should theoretically be able to fire up if they were given oil and gasoline. Five judges watch the teams, making sure every component is installed correctly and that proper torque specs and orders are followed to the letter. Competitors learn team work, dedication and obviously gain vast amounts of insight on how an internal combustion engine operates.

For more information about the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow initiate, visit them online.