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NHRA Professional Racer and team owner Steve Johnson visited with Waubonsee Community College automotive students and presented five students with the "Be a Technician" (Bat-man) national scholarship.
On May 13, 2026, National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Professional Racer and team owner Steve Johnson traveled to Waubonsee Community College to present his 2026 Be A Technician (BAT-man) Scholarships to students enrolled in Waubonsee’s Automotive Service Technology Program. The BAT-man Scholarship is a national program made possible by the support of partners like Peak Automotive, Snap-on Tools, Wings and Warriors and ASE Education Foundation, who understand the value of using motorsports to promote skilled trades. Waubonsee students were selected out of 25 colleges across the United States.
The surprise scholarship awards ceremony opened with an introduction by ASE Education Foundation Vice President George Arrants, who highlighted Johnson’s thirty-nine-year career. As a two-time U.S. Nationals Champion in Pro Stock Motorcycle racing, Johnson has built a career and is famous for covering a quarter-mile in 6.7 seconds at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour.
“Once you get the foundational skills here at Waubonsee, you can go anywhere,” Johnson said. He followed those remarks with an interactive workshop entitled, “Marketing Your Brand After the Diploma” for students to understand the importance of identifying their passions and seeking out the resources to build a career path around doing what they love, similar to what he has done in his racing career.
“With the help of Associate Professor of Automotive Technology Guy Tiberio and college leadership, as well as the ASE Education Foundation and industry partners, we’ve put together a great program for these young people that should help them to think about their careers, their purpose, and what it means to compete and even win at life,” said Johnson.
Four Waubonsee students, Fernando Anaya, of Montgomery, Eric Cruz, of Aurora, Gavin Lorentzen, of Somonauk, and Jovanny Marron, of Lyons, each received a $500 stipend for Snap-on Tools, as runners-up for the BAT-man Scholarship.
The BAT-man Scholarship winner, Waubonsee student Elvis Chau, of Batavia, received a starter Snap-on tool set valued at $4,500 to help him transition into the workforce.
Waubonsee’s Automotive Service Technology program is nationally certified, ASE accredited, and has been recognized nearly 20 times by national, regional, and local organizations. Learn more at waubonsee.edu/automotive.
Applications for the National BAT-man Scholarship program remain open year-round to bridge the gap between education and the professional racing and automotive sectors. Learn more at SteveJohnsonRacing.com.
