Berks Career and Technology Center Students and Staff Fuel Their Passion for Racing

[Editor's note -- This story was written by Mrs. Parks, BCTC Outreach Coordinator and shared from a digital newsletter and photos published by the Boyertown Area School District.]   

RJ (Robert) Mitchell, a Masonry student from Boyertown, was hooked on racing at age six after watching Disney’s Cars. “Since then, I’ve always wanted to race,” he said. After trying a dozen different sports, none of them clicked until he and his dad found a go-kart online. Since then, Sundays have meant one thing: race day. RJ now races weekly on various tracks up and down the East Coast. “There’s no suspension on the car, so I feel everything on the track,” RJ shared. “There are always nudges and bumps going on while racing. I’ve had a few close calls, but I’ve always been able to control the car.” His favorite course? New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP), where the go-kart track sits inside a larger race car circuit. “Sometimes I get to watch the big races after I finish mine—it’s awesome.”  

Logan Watt, another PCMT student from Boyertown, also comes from a proud racing lineage. “My dad’s side of the family raced—he started at 16—and my mom’s dad raced a little. My great-grandfather bought me my first car when I was five, and I started with quarter midgets,” he said. Now, Logan competes in the modified division, racing every weekend from March through November at Grandview Speedway and Big Diamond Speedway. “It’s a blast,” Logan said. “I get to be with my family, a bunch of crew guys, and race with my friends.” He maintains his own car, which he transitioned from crate racing to the more competitive modified division this year. He recently placed second at Big Diamond in a close race against fellow PCMT alum Louden Reimert. “I was leading halfway through, but Louden pulled ahead. We were really close.” Logan operates a small machine shop for his race team and credits his passion for machining to both his dad, a machinist at Globus Medical, and his experience at BCTC. “I worked on the lathe a little at home but learned a lot more at BCTC,” he said. As for the future? “You’ve got to have a little of both. You still need health insurance and a 401K. Racing is a hobby, but having a steady job in the machining industry is key. If an opportunity to go big in racing comes up, we’ll go from there.”

Colton Gerber, another PCMT student from Boyertown, has been racing since he was five years old and currently runs a 600 micro. “I think I could drive a car before I could write my name correctly,” he joked. His family introduced him to racing, and he quickly fell in love with both the sport and the mechanics behind it. “I like working on cars and the race itself. If there’s a problem, I can fix it—which is fun too.” Originally, Colton applied to the Electrical Occupations program, but it was full—so he gave PCMT a shot. “It’s pretty cool. I was a little confused at first but remained persistent and confident and kept working on it.” His dream is to become a professional race car driver, but he appreciates having PCMT as a strong backup. His first race this season was in February on an indoor rink in New Jersey. “I’ve raced a few times since, but many of the races were rained out.” Colton considers racing a part-time job, investing in his racing business but saving some for himself. “I love meeting people, going fast, and traveling around the country.”

Gavyn Krupp, a Heavy Equipment Operations student from Boyertown, fell in love with racing at age four after his dad took him to a track. “I asked if I could race too,” he said. His first race was at Blue Mountain, and he’s been hooked ever since. Gavyn prefers dirt over asphalt and began racing a 602-crate last year at Grandview Speedway. “My second week in the car I won—and in the middle of the season, I won again!” After each Saturday night's race, Sunday is for washing the car, and weekdays are for maintenance and prep. Gavyn says working in heavy equipment is his dream job, but racing will always be part of his life. His father also works in the industry.

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