More than 60 technicians competed in the inaugural event.
The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey’s (AASP/NJ)’s flagship event, the NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show, always brings forth the best in education, innovations and equipment, and this year was clearly no different. This year’s event also brought some of the best in the industry out to the show floor to test their skills in the inaugural Bodywork Bowl Competition.
NORTHEAST 2023 Bodywork Bowl Collision Repair Skills Competition winners (L-R): Al Nunez, Danny Mosquera, Nick Kiernan, Mike Navarra, Hunter Jenkins and Kelly Bauer. (Not pictured: Anthony Demao, Shawn Maher and Harry Gangadin.)
The fun and friendly competition drew more than 60 technicians to the NORTHEAST show floor at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ to test their skills in the areas of estimating, welding and painting. Winners took home cash and/or prizes for first, second and third place in each category!
Modeled after the Auto Body Association of Texas’ (ABAT) Big Shots competition, held at their annual Texas Auto Body Trade Show, the Bodywork Bowl was manned by ABAT Executive Director Jill Tuggle.
“Everyone who competed had fun, and so many came by the booth to watch others compete,” shares Tuggle, who truly wore the part, sporting a referee outfit throughout the day. “It was a huge success, and the Bodywork Bowl is certain to be a new NORTHEAST tradition.”
Winners are as follows:
- Estimating – First place: Anthony Demao; Second place: Shawn Maher; Third place: Kelly Bauer.
- Painting – First place: Al Nunez; Second place: Harry Gangadin; Third place: Hunter Jenkins.
- Welding – First place: Mike Navarra; Second place: Danny Mosquera; Third place: Nick Kiernan.
Multiple vendors took part in the competition by sponsoring materials, equipment and prizes. CCC sponsored the estimating equipment, while Danny Gredinberg of the Database Enhancement Gateway was on hand to collaborate and judge the estimating portion of the competition. AkzoNobel sponsored the virtual spray booths and guns which allowed auto body pros to test their talents by spraying panels and demonstrating blending techniques. Chief Automotive Technologies, Collision Equipment Consulting, Inc., GYS/Chisum USA, Innovative Solutions and Technology, Pinnacle Automotive Equipment, Reliable Automotive Equipment, Solidus Equipment and Spanesi Americas sponsored the welding competition equipment.
“We are so appreciative of all the collaboration, support and participation that helped make our first-ever Bodywork Bowl a success,” shares AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee. “It was thrilling to see so many talented professionals come through the competition area, and everyone involved had a great time. Special thanks go out to all of this year’s sponsors, and of course to ABAT’s Jill Tuggle for her efforts. We’ve already got a ton of ideas in mind to make next year’s installment an even better experience for all – stay tuned!”
AASP/NJ is already hard at work on NORTHEAST 2024, scheduled for March 15-17, 2024.