Seth Aston, winner of the 2009 TSA Dragster Design Challenge (middle school)
Seth Aston is someone who knows the importance of details. This was a lesson learned the hard way – at a CO2 dragster competition earlier this year, his car was disqualified due to a single measurement being a mere millimeter outside the boundaries that are allowed by the event rules and specifications.
While the experience was disappointing, Seth was undaunted as he prepared a different car – turquoise in color – for the National TSA competition in Denver, Colorado. This time, he was acutely focused on every detail. He spent untold hours on his car, sweating the details – even sanding the car body while at home sitting in front of the TV.
His hard work paid off – Seth’s car blazed its way to 1st place in the national event. Not only was it fast but it also met every single TSA specification. Danny Pruett, Seth’s TSA advisor and teacher at Oologah-Talala Middle School in Oklahoma, was obviously proud of Seth’s achievement. He told us that he enjoys having Seth in his class – he asks lots of questions and is eager to learn. True to form for TSA competitors, he demonstrated excellent sportsmanship. Pruett said “He’s probably one of the most polite and respectful students I’ve ever had.” Way to go, Seth!
