Now in its seventh year of existence, Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) enables young automotive enthusiasts to develop and show off their mechanical skills while being exposed to the automotive specialty-equipment industry. The organization’s purpose is to replenish the aging automotive field with essential future talent by expanding high-school education programs and providing career guidance to students while promoting the value of teamwork.
“We started out recruiting high-school and college students and soon realized where the need was,” said Jim Bingham, HROT chairman and president/CEO of Winner’s Circle Speed & Custom based in Joliet, Illinois. “At the high-school level, we can get kids pointed in the right direction; we’re actually changing lives. It sends a chill down your spine when you see what you’ve done for these kids; we’re getting them to go to school.”
Facilitators of the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge have introduced a new dual championship format so that qualifying teams will face off at one of the two top industry trade shows—SEMA or PRI. The top two teams from the SEMA Show in November will take on the top two teams from PRI in December in the finale to crown the 2014 Engine Challenge Champion.
Hot Rodders of Tomorrow is a nonprofit organization that hosts nationwide Engine Challenges, where high-school teams compete against each other in complete engine rebuilds. All of the teams work hard to complete the regular season to reach the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Championship.