Oskaloosa, Kan. -- -The students from Oskaloosa High School, with the help of numerous local businesses, have restored a 1979 6.6-liter Pontiac Trans AM to participate in the Hot Rod Power Tour, considered one of the best automotive tours in the world, said Vocational Instructor Dave Tenpenny. The seven-day, seven-city tour will wind its way through the Midwest and should generate a nationwide buzz in the automotive enthusiast market. 
"This is a project that has involved our entire community," Tenpenny said. "Our students have been invited to join with Year One to participate in this event with them. The concept of this is for the students to use this car as an educational tool.
"The students have completed a frame-up restoration," he said. "During the race, they will have to monitor how the vehicle is operating, what kind of fuel mileage the car is getting, and operation expenses. The chaperones will follow in a motor home and a restored Chevrolet pickup truck. The entire crew of 10 students and three chaperones will camp out each night.
"This project has a lot of community and industrial support," Tenpenny said. "BG Products of Wichita, Kan., Custom Coatings and Metal of Lawrence, Kan., D&D Tire of Lawrence, Kan., Year One of Braselton, Ga., Fabulous Firebirds of Fredericktown, Mo., have all donated much of the materials we have needed to restore this car."
"Mr. Tenpenny is meeting the needs of some students that many of our other teachers don't reach," said Douglas Beisel, principal of Oskaloosa High. "Some students who are not as strong academically in the core subjects will go out into the shop and succeed. Then what happens is the success will filter back into the other classrooms because of what is being accomplished in the shop, and that is very helpful. This is my second year in Oskaloosa. I think most of the success stories are yet to come from programs like this." In 1995, the staff of Hot Rod Magazine came up with the idea to take a cross-country road trip with project cars and invited friends to go along. That first route stretched from Los Angeles to Norwalk, Ohio.
"This year's race will start Saturday, June 2, at the I-X Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and the 10 students, along with their three chaperones will leave a few days earlier," Tenpenny said.
The route "will go through seven cities and end up at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds in Little Rock on June 9. On Sunday, June 10, the students and chaperones will assist with the Vintage Car Auto Rally in Branson, Mo. We will be the technical support team and help fix cars going back from 1917 to 1948."
The four day rally takes place June 11-15.
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