Bluff mechanic qualifies for regional ACDelco competition

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Imagine receiving some of the best news of your life -- and yet when you receive it, there is no one around to tell.

Ralph Hanna, owner of Hanna's Garage in Poplar Bluff, was recently in this predicament when he learned that he qualified for the regional tryouts of the ACDelco Technician of the Millenium III competition.

"I about fell through the floor," said Hanna. "My wife was at a doctor's appointment" and the other two employees were at lunch.

Hanna said he was teasing the FedEx girl before he opened the letter, because the business received mail from ACDelco a lot.

"When I opened it up, I was just like, 'Ah! There's nobody here!'" he said.

100-question test

Hanna, and two other technicians from his garage including his wife, Denise, participated in the 100-question written test administered by the American College Test and designed and timed by ACDelco. The test is given every two years and covers all automotive aspects, with the exception of automatic transmissions.

Nearly 500 people from the South Central United States region, including Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, took the test the same day. In order to qualify for regionals, Hanna had to be among the top 10 scoring individuals.

Hanna and his wife will travel March 28 to Mesquite, Texas, to take place in the regional finals -- a hands-on test administered at the Resistol Arena.

According to Hanna, 10 cars will be lined up in the arena, one car for each of the competitors who scored in the top of their region. Each car is programmed with the same problems.

"What I like about this test is that even though it is a timed test, it's not the first one done gets first place," said Hanna. "What they do is look at how you go about finding the problem."

Hanna compared the test to that of a long mathematical equation.

"You can't just put down the answer," said Hanna. "You have to show how you came about fixing the problem."

Specific strategy

According to Hanna, General Motors, parent company to ACDelco, has a specific diagnostic strategy that is to be applied to fixing a vehicle.

"We have to do it the proper way," Hanna said. "We get demerits for not doing something the right way or extra points for doing it the right way. But you only have two hours to get it finished."

Hanna explained that the scoring can get so technical, that at the last national competition it took judges an entire night and half of the next day to tally the scores.

If Hanna were to make first at the regional test in Texas, he and his wife would then travel to Las Vegas for the national championship.

Hanna's Garage is at 112 N. C St. in Poplar Bluff. Business hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.