Texas Motor Speedway is a big racetrack in Texas where many car races happen. It's a popular place for fans to watch exciting races and enjoy the atmosphere.
The Chevrolet Silverado is a large truck that people often use for work or towing. The 2025 version has new features that make it easier to drive and more powerful.
The Honda Civic is a small car that many people use for daily driving. The 2009 version is known for being dependable and good on gas.
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Welcome to another Inhe Time podcast.
Let's get to our guest and he is Henry
Silva. Henry, good morning.
>> Good morning to you. Thanks for having
us on the show.
>> Well, thank you and I see it is us and
she'll have to introduce the the fellas
that you got there with you.
>> Well, these are my students uh from
Plankine Automotive. Uh this is um Mr.
William and Mr. Avery and Mr. Samuel.
There are technician students that are
now seniors. They've been with the
program four years and they've um in the
competition that they just won at the
Houston uh dealers association.
>> Yeah, congratulations.
>> Yeah, exactly. That's a big event. So,
what's the next step going to state?
>> The next step is North Texas. So, uh
we're here at Parkway Chevrolet today
and they helped us. They sponsored us.
uh my three uh student technicians
teamed up with their uh master tech and
he taught them the ins and outs of
diagnosis and taking care of the
customer and writing the story. Uh so we
won that event in Houston. There was 23
high schools that that we were able to
come in first and now we're heading to
Dallas here in uh Wednesday and we're
going to be up against 60 high schools.
Uh so hopefully with their hard work and
their knowledge and the four years that
they've been in the program that they're
now going to be able to compete with
those schools and hopefully take a home
first place.
>> Well, it's all a testament to you
because if it weren't for you, my guess
is that that you wouldn't be doing all
of this.
>> It it's the environment. It's kind
of we're all about the students. Uh you
know, we have a a promise to purpose
here. we have where we promise them that
they're going to do whatever they want
to do that we're going to be able to
enable them to do that and they have the
purpose and then they go and and take
that career whether being uh working
here at Parkway Chevrolet which we're
hoping that some of them can do that or
going to college or doing whatever else
they want to do. Well, I have to tell
you that um my career started at
Richardson Chevrolet in my junior year
of high school and uh it took me through
my senior year of high school and uh
then I became a service advisor. What a
bad choice to what a bad choice the
dealership made on that. But at any
rate, so I went on to become a service
adviser and did that for quite some
time. didn't make a whole lot of money
doing it, but I did get a free chance to
go to uh General Motors tech school and
learn about certain things. And uh it
was a great experience and it's taken me
a very very long way. I've always been a
car guy. Started in drag racing uh when
I was in high school about that same
period of time and hung out with the
drag racing guys down at Houston
International Dragway on the Gulf
Freeway. There's a Walmart there now.
Let's hope the rest of the world doesn't
go that way. But so I was just going to
say so with with what they've done, with
what these students, these these three
gentlemen have done, their doors are
open. They don't necessarily have to go
with a dealership. They can get into the
management. They can get into the
finance end. They can get into NASCAR,
NH. So their doors are wide open, I
believe.
>> Well, absolutely. And and let's hear
from them. Uh this is Samuel. And Samuel
can tell us what he's going to do right
after high school.
Yeah. So after high school, my doors are
definitely open like y'all said. So I do
have different ways I could go. Uh
definitely a way of I kind of am
interested in maybe staying with Park
Chevy and going that direction or maybe
a Porsche as a car I very much like. And
then there's other opportunities out of
um out of the automotive industry that I
also So definitely a lot of options like
you guys said. And I'm going to pass the
mic to Avery.
Yeah, I mean I've been I've been really
looking at, you know, trade schools, but
the the one thing that's really been on
my mind is mechanical engineering. So,
I'm looking at a four-year college, and
I'm just trying to get my degree in
mechanical engineering.
>> Do you know you where you want to go
when you graduate from high school?
>> Uh, yeah. So, I am I'm looking at Purdue
University up in West Lafayette,
Indiana.
>> Yes.
>> Wow.
>> Yeah. Real good program there. I mean,
it it'll be uh amazing.
>> Very good.
>> So, you want to become a Boiler Maker?
>> I'm sorry.
>> Isn't that Purdue Boiler Makers?
>> Is it the Purdue Boiler Makers? Isn't
that what it is?
>> Boiler Makers.
>> Yeah, you need to know that information
if you want to hit there. Yeah,
>> I'm really I'm really into the uh Boiler
Maker atmosphere. My dad went there and
most of my family lives up there. So,
>> Well, I didn't mean to put you on the
spot. Sorry, Dad.
>> No. Yeah, it's always been a part of our
family. So,
>> good. Good for you. Good for you.
>> It'll be amazing. All right, I'm g pass
the mic to William.
>> My name is William. Uh, after high
school, I plan on going to biotech. I
want to get into diesel work, be
technician. So, uh, work on heavy
machinery.
Uh, yeah, I've always had a passion for
fixing things and I think this is like
the best path for me. Uh
yeah.
>> Let me ask uh uh Mr. Silva if I may. Uh
do you have any boys in in in want to
expand on a racing career? Maybe uh be a
a mechanic with a race team or crew.
Yeah. On the crew.
>> I have a lot of students who who wish to
do that. They they uh you know that's
all we really talk about you know and
our time off is racing and you know
NASCAR and you know talking about maybe
going to NASCAR NASCAR school and so
forth. So uh a lot of students a lot of
different options they have they all
have different you know wish wishes to
go to after high school.
>> That's excellent. So, do the do do you
have a a comparable program like in
computer programming that the boys take
a second course in that as well?
>> We do uh cover diagnostic advanced
diagnostics. We use oscilloscopes. We we
know we're using scanners. We have all
types of scanners uh that are available
to us and we get into the computer
systems of the vehicle so we could
diagnose them. As you know to nowadays
cars have, you know, many many modules,
you know, 50, 60, 100 modules sometimes
and they have to know computers. So,
right,
>> it's high technology there. We, you
know, have all the equipment that we
need.
>> Well, good. Maybe you could d-tune my
Corvette to run better. I
>> was going to say I could use some help
myself.
>> We do tail. So, yes, our basic class, we
do go through detailing and and uh all
that other stuff, too. So it just it's
just not for the for the automotive
enthusiasts. It can be for somebody who
just wants to learn the basics and then
move on to something
>> a little hands-on backyard work.
>> Yeah.
>> So So do you have any young ladies in
your
>> organization? Uh in my advanced program,
we have four young ladies. Uh they're
one of them is is going to work at a
dealership. She's a senior and the other
three are are younger and their
aspirations are to work in the industry.
Uh in our basic class, we have about 30
uh young ladies that do very well. Uh
and as you know, I I love the young
ladies because they are very detailed
and great in customer service and and
they can diagnose cars like nobody else
can.
>> And you know, those boys will probably
learn that the hard way a little bit
later on in life.
>> There you go.
>> She told me what to do. Yes, she did.
And always will.
>> I think you missed it. Don Don wanted
y'all to detune his Corvette, not
>> detail it.
Dune
>> need to d-tune. It was too powerful.
>> But doesn't make any difference. So,
what are we looking for? We'll look
forward to when we go up to the Dallas
Fort Worth area.
>> Well, it's a great competition. We're at
the Texas Motor Speedway. So, for anyone
out there who's never been there, you
have to go. It's a wonderful facility.
Uh it's amazing when you stand there uh
and look at the facility. But we do have
uh two days of competition. The first
day is uh what we call stations and
there's about 15 stations and they're
sponsored by different companies,
electrical and permiteex and other
companies like that. And they do that
for a whole day where they go and and uh
do an interview with uh professionals.
And then the second day is when they're
hands-on. So they have a three-hour time
period. It's a two-man team and they are
bugged. The vehicles are bugged. like up
there we're going to have a Chevrolet
Chevrolet Silverado that they've been
working on here at Parkway Chevrolet uh
2025 I believe and they bug it and then
the students have to figure out what's
wrong with it. So they're using the
computers and they're figuring it out
and then they gain points and the team
that has the most points at the end of
the day is going to win the competition.
>> Very good. That's that's always fun to
watch too because it could be something
is a loose wire
>> or or a deprogramming to that they have
to fix or Mike in your case it probably
has a a headlight burned out. They can
fix that, too.
>> Oh, yeah. So,
>> take the whole front end of it off.
>> So, I guess so y'all are doing that up
there in the garages.
>> Yes, in the NASCAR in the
>> That's cool. That's cool.
>> Yes. In the in the garages, the
professional garages there. So, they get
to see all the the professional areas.
>> Yeah, that's a really neat place.
>> Very good.
>> That's fantastic.
So, as after they come back from this
competition, where where do you just
finish out the school year or is there
something else down the road?
>> Oh, absolutely. We we uh are part of the
skills uh US way at USA Automotive uh
organization and so they have
competitions. So, we have a district
meet here in February and then we've
also made states who will be on state in
Corpus Christie which that's an amazing
program, an amazing event, too. Uh we
have different competitions. We try to
do as many competitions as we can
because that gets our students
comfortable. They understand the
industry and they can go out there and
and when they get their job, they know
what they're doing.
>> Very good.
>> You guys
>> an opportunity for like scholarships or
anything involved in any of this?
>> Yes.
>> They're all three shaking their head a
little bit.
>> Yes. We last year we we uh earned about
$25,000 in scholarships just in our auto
automotive program. Um, this competition
we're in has has scholarships and the
competitions that we go to, everybody
offers scholarships.
>> Very cool.
>> For our students and they can use them
at tech schools, at trade schools, they
can use them for college, too. So,
>> nice.
>> Very nice.
>> Yep. So, do you guys have anything to do
with the Houston Livestock Show and
Rodeo? I know that they have a
mechanical a thing competition out there
at the rodeo uh once a year and it's
always a well attended event.
Uh, no. We don't do the Houston rodeo
although our a team at Pine Kane High
School does uh Houston rodeo. So they
have a mechanical a program there too.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Well, so at least you can
wave across the fence.
>> There you go.
>> Yes. Absolutely.
>> And support your your your fellow
mechanics out there. Well, it's What
kind of cars do you guys drive?
>> I I drive a a 2017 Chevy Silverado,
which is an excellent truck. I love it.
Uh, I drive a 2021 WRX.
I drive a 2020 uh Chevy Silverado that
was actually came from Parkway Chev
2009 Honda Civ.
>> Very good.
>> Okay. Got a couple of little cars in
there. A little hot rod there. The WRX.
>> Yes.
>> Very good.
>> Well, I have gentlemen. Well, thank you
very much for joining us today and
congratulations on your first place win
uh sponsored by Parkway Chevrolet and
thanks to them for doing that for all of
us because one way or the other you sir
are our sers are going to be our uh
ticket out ticket out off the back of a
record sometime down the road I'm sure.
>> Sad but true.
>> Yeah.
>> Or become a record driver. There you go.
>> Nothing wrong with that either. All
right, gentlemen. Thank you very much.
It's great to talk to you. appreciate.
>> Good luck to you.
>> Thank you. Thank you for having us on.
>> Thank you very much. That's uh the Klein
Cane High School and Parkway Chevrolet
gentlemen uh HADA um student tech
competition presented by Ally. All
right. Well, very nice.
That's it for this podcast episode of
the In Wheel Time Car Show. I'm Don
Armstrong inviting you to join us for
our live show every Saturday morning 8
to 11:00 a.m. Central on Facebook,
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listening and we'll see you soon.
About this episode
Henry Silva and his students from Klein Cain High School share their journey in automotive education and competition. After winning a local event, they prepare for a state competition at Texas Motor Speedway. The students discuss their future aspirations, ranging from working at dealerships to pursuing mechanical engineering. The conversation highlights the importance of hands-on experience and the opportunities available in the automotive industry, including scholarships and advanced diagnostics training. The episode showcases the dedication of both the students and their mentor in shaping the next generation of automotive professionals.
Ever wonder what a dashboard really says about a car? We take you on a fast, design-first journey from the brute clarity of American muscle gauges to the handcrafted elegance of vintage European cockpits, the sculpted glamour of Art Deco luxury, and the software-rich arenas of today’s supercars. Along the way, custom hot rod clusters remind us that the best instrument panel can be a mirror of the builder’s personality.
With the design lens focused, we pivot to planning a joyful holiday road trip through San Antonio. Think River Walk lights cascading from the trees, boats glowing under the arches, and a soundtrack of carols riding the current. SeaWorld layers live theater, the state’s biggest light display, and Santa in a cowboy hat while merry mariachis roam the paths. Add cocoa-fueled trolley tours, the San Antonio Zoo’s illuminated trails, and ice skating at Hemisfair for a loop that blends movement, music, and memory. We also dive into the refreshed Alamo experience featuring narration by Phil Collins and a reimagined plaza that helps you visualize the mission’s original scale.
To close, we put the 2025 Subaru Forester Wilderness through its paces. Expect a clean, integrated touchscreen, water-friendly materials with copper accents, white-letter tires, and trail-forward styling. The 2.5-liter boxer and CVT deliver practical mileage near 26 mpg, while comfort, visibility, and playful cabin Easter eggs make daily drives easy and weekend gravel inviting. We compare it with the Bronco Sport Badlands, CR‑V TrailSport, and Rogue Rock Creek to help you sort value from vibes.
If design stories, holiday lights, and smart adventure rigs are your thing, you’ll feel right at home. Listen, subscribe, and leave a review to tell us which dashboard era steals your heart and where you’re driving this holiday season.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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