Planes and automobiles were involved, and so was lots of training. And it has all paid off for the Chatelech Secondary School drag racing team, because on June 27 – the same day as graduation – the team raced well enough to qualify for nationals.
“Everyone was pretty excited, especially Brenda because she’s never had a team go there,” said lead driver Tyler Muryn. Brenda Masich, who has coached drag racing for years, called it a “once-in-a-lifetime, bucket-list event.”
The team started the day at Mission Raceway in first place and competed in two heats. In the first race, they came in second and in the second race they were eliminated in the second round. Despite the elimination, they placed second overall, based on the points they accrued over the season, qualifying them for the national competition at the Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho.
The team’s 1992 Ford Ranger created some drama in the lead-up to Mission. “It’s a pretty quick truck,” said Muryn, but when they tested and tuned it at the local track the day before the race, the rear differential broke down.
“We rolled the pin in there so a bunch of metal was going around … making clutches slip, so only one wheel was spinning,” he said. It meant the team had to scramble for hours to find parts to ready the vehicle for the next day’s competition. In the end, the father of team member Tori Martin loaned parts from his truck.
The Ford drove well, but Muryn was less enthusiastic about his placement despite a solid performance. “I’ve gotten second place three times in a row now so it’s kind of annoying losing in finals, but I felt like I drove really well,” he said.
That disappointment was disrupted with another surprise – and another method of transportation. At the end of the day, Muryn, who’d decided to forgo attending high school graduation in order to make the last push for nationals, was taken on one last drive, this time to the Pitt Meadows Airport.
“We were driving for half an hour and then I realized, oh God, I’m getting flown to grad,” said Muryn. Masich arranged the flight with the help of Cathy Gordon, the district’s career coordinator, and her husband, Luke. The private flight gave Muryn enough time to get home and throw on some formal wear before the ceremony, where he received four bursaries and two awards, including most improved student, which Muryn said is thanks in part to his passion for racing and automotive mechanics.
With the race and grad behind him, the team will be looking to replace the parts they borrowed from Martin’s father, as well as gearing up for the Coast’s Summer Race Sunday in August. They are also looking for sponsors and will be fundraising in the run up to Boise.
Those interested in donating can get in touch with Masich at [email protected]
