Teams

Nav-wingers

Garage Headquarters: Houtzdalde, PA

Driver: Dennis Goldman

Mechanics: Josiah McClure, Chad Matthews, Jim Wymer

Nuts and Bolts:

Whether or not the Nav-wingers team manage to build the fastest racer for the contest on October 13, they should at least be able to navigate the course efficiently: teammates Dennis Goldman, Chad Matthews, and Jim Wymer work as airways transportation system specialists for the Federal Aviation Administration. They’re highly skilled technicians who maintain navigation and communication equipment used by the aviation industry. In other words, if you fly in to see the event in Providence, you might want to give them a nod of appreciation for your safe arrival.

The three Pennsylvanians are extremely serious about safety at work; but off the job, they’re serious only about having a good time. “We’re all over the age of 30 but are kids at heart,” smiles Goldman. “We still like to climb trees – or should I say radio towers over 100 feet?” Maybe that’s why their fourth team member, Josiah McClure, fits right in. He’s not in aviation, but because he’s still in his 20s, he’s literally as young as his teammates feel. The inspiration for the Nav-wingers’ winged racer is the Lear 60 aircraft used in their line of work, which flies just ten feet off the ground coming down the barrel of the runway to allow them to check their equipment. In homespun soapbox tradition, the teammates are building their vehicle in a barn.