'Accelerated Learning' nabs second at East Coast Truck Nationals

“Accelerated Learning,” the 1959 B-61 Model Mack drag truck operated by the Diesel Performance Club of Pennsylvania College of Technology, notched a second-place finish at the East Coast Truck Nationals, held recently at Numidia Dragway in Columbia County. It was an impressive showing for the truck’s first sanctioned, competitive event.

Jake M. Spinosa, a dual-degree student from Wood Ridge, New Jersey, drove “Accelerated Learning” throughout the competition, making the final round of eliminations, only to lose the overall bracket win by one-tenth of a second, according to Mark E. Sones, a club adviser and diesel equipment technology instructor.

“Jake and the truck were both extremely consistent all day in the tremendous heat and excitement, running tight times of 14.16, 14.18, 14.22, 14.24 and 14.20 – all in the 103-mph range,” Sones explained. “In the amateur drag-racing world, those are impressive times when the objective is consistency – all five passes covered by eight one-hundredths of a second!”

The instructor notes that there was “quite a flurry in the pits between rounds, keeping the truck cool, as well as containing the exhaust heat and pressure.”

In addition to Spinosa, pitching in to keep the truck competitive were: lead fabricator Jake C. Beatty, of Grove City, a 2022 graduate of the automated manufacturing technology and machine tool technology majors; TJ Buck, of Warminster, the Diesel Performance Club vice-president who is enrolled in diesel technology and heavy construction equipment technology: technician emphasis; Benjamin F. Pennings, of Williamsport, a 2023 diesel technology graduate; and Michael J. Sormilic, of Southbury, Connecticut, a 2023 graduate of both building automation engineering technology and electric power generation technology: diesel emphasis.

Also assisting at the event was Brandy A. Heron, of Coatesville, a 2024 diesel technology graduate who performed social media duties. Staffing the Diesel Performance Club’s “swag tent,” which supports the club’s efforts, were Marcayla M. Lutzkanin, of Port Carbon, former club president and three-degree graduate (applied management, ’24; diesel technology, ’22, and heavy construction equipment technology: Caterpillar equipment emphasis, ’22), and Christian Olivieri, of Whitehall, a student enrolled in heavy construction equipment technology: Caterpillar equipment emphasis.

The vintage Mack road tractor has served as a rolling lab at Penn College for 26 years. The truck continually reflects the latest industry technology available to diesel students at the college’s Schneebeli Earth Science Center.

“Our project would not have survived its 26-year journey without the support of our industry partners who donate time, countless technical phone calls and monetary donations,” Sones added. “Special thanks to Bergey’s Truck Centers, Limitless Diesel & Repair, Antrim Diesel, Kenworth of Pennsylvania, Apex Diesel, Weller Truck, Penn Power Group, S&J Tire Recycling and the unlimited ambition of our club members.”

The diesel club’s heavy lifting has not stalled. In anticipation of the next big event – Maple Grove Raceway’s Keystone Truckin’ Nationals on Saturday, Sept. 21, Spinosa, Beatty and Gio A. Barbarossa, of Bridgeville, a building automation engineering technology student and graduate of electric power generation technology: diesel emphasis, are redesigning the triple-turbo system on the 1,129-horsepower powerplant to increase the truck’s efficiency. The trio is putting in 12-hour days and working late nights to achieve their mission. (A Penn College News article published last month also detailed their tireless efforts.)

“With the air-handling system redesign and anticipated further electronic tuning on the big Allison transmission, our goal is to push the old Mack into the mid-13-second range,” Sones said. “Come support us at Maple Grove!” (Maple Grove Raceway is located near Mohnton, just south of Reading.)

Spinosa, who serves as president of the college’s Service Technician & Operators Association, has petitioned to graduate Aug. 3 with degrees in heavy construction equipment technology: operator emphasis and technician emphasis.

For more information on diesel truck, heavy equipment and power generation degrees and other majors offered by Penn College’s School of Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520.

For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free at 800-367-9222.