SUPERIOR — Superior High School students took their mechanical skills for a spin Thursday, racing custom-built go-karts made from donated lawn mowers for the school's fourth annual Mario Kart Race.
The event is the culmination of a year's worth of work by small engines and automotive students, who fabricate their creations entirely in-house under the guidance of teacher Matt Doughty.
WATCH ZACH VOLHEIM'S REPORT BELOW:
"Today is our fourth annual Superior High School Mario Kart Race where our small engines and automotive students are going to take their projects from the year where they've honed all their knowledge and they're going to race in a Le Mans style 30-minute race. The most laps wins. Pit stops are allowed and repairs can be made during the race. So it comes down to them and their technical knowledge for the win," Doughty said.
Students don't just build the karts — they learn the science and mechanics behind the engines that power them.
"They have to learn in the book all the things they need to know about four-stroke engines, how they work, the science behind them, the mechanical aspects of the parts interacting. And then they apply them in a lab environment here in our classroom to actually repair donated broken machines to build their creations to race," Doughty said.
For senior Reily Tweed, the class has been about more than just engines.
"I really like that it's taught me a lot about mechanics because I've been able to work on my own car too, an ’86 Grand Wagoneer. It's become my daily and it's helped me figure out what I want to do for a career because now I'm going to WyoTech to become a diesel mechanic," Tweed said.
The hands-on experience has also shaped who Tweed is as a person.
"I'm more sure of my decisions and I don't know, I just became more of myself," Tweed said.
Tweed said the class also teaches students to trust their own instincts and problem-solving abilities.
"He lets go a little bit. You start making design tips for a build, you have to rely on yourself to get on," Tweed said.
