Diesel students rev up to recruit at Motorama

Published 02.29.2024

Photos by students Marcayla Lutzkanin & Brandy Heron

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Penn College's Diesel Performance Club officers and their 1959 B-61 Model Mack drag truck at the recent Motorama. From left: Gio A. Barbarossa, of Bridgeville, vice president; Marcayla M. Lutzkanin, Port Carbon, president; TJ Buck, Warminster, treasurer; and Cody J. Sky, Myerstown, secretary.

Penn College's Diesel Performance Club and its 1959 B-61 Model Mack drag truck were revved up to return to Motorama, the annual motorsports extravaganza held Feb. 17-18 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex. The students enjoyed sharing their passion for Penn College and its diesel technology major with event attendees and showing off their treasured truck. With more than 5,000 participants and 50,000 motorsport spectators, there was plenty of networking to do.

"Motorama has always been a great experience for me," said Marcayla M. Lutzkanin, club president. "I get the privilege of talking to alumni who come by our booth, and I get to talk to high school students who are interested in the diesel programs. Motorama is a great way for the Diesel Club to show off our truck along with our program."

Lutzkanin, of Port Carbon, is earning a bachelor's degree in applied management to add to her two associate degrees in diesel technology and heavy construction equipment technology: Caterpillar equipment emphasis.

"We have always had great success while attending Motorama," she added. "In 2019, we won Best In Show and our trophy is displayed at the Earth Science Center in the cabinet next to Nature's Cove."

For more information on the club's vintage Mack road tractor, a rolling Penn College lab for more than 25 years, read this Fall 2023 Penn College News article.

At the 33-acre event, the drag truck, appropriately nicknamed "Accelerated Learning," settles in for the long haul.

Barbarossa gives two thumbs-up to the truck's sponsors.

Sky sells Diesel Performance Club merchandise.

On hand for the college's Service Technicians & Operators Association were Brandy A. Heron (seated at table left) and Jake M. Spinosa. Heron is a diesel technology student from Coatesville. Spinosa, of Wood Ridge, N.J., is dual-enrolled in heavy construction equipment technology: operator emphasis and technician emphasis. They are also members of the Diesel Performance Club.

A little guy gets an insider's view of the big truck.

A brush with royalty! The Penn College crew poses with Miss Motorama 2024.

A shout-out to "Unkel Mark," the nickname for the students' beloved diesel technology instructor, Mark E. Sones, who has been a longtime benefactor of the drag truck.

Also at Motorama was Penn College collision repair technology student Luke M. Stitt, of New Cumberland. His 1972 Ford Gran Torino Sport won the "Promoter's Pick" trophy. He is active in the college's Classic Cruisers club.