Fun and Friendly Competition at NORTHEAST's Fourth Annual Bodywork Bowl
The fourth annual Bodywork Bowl at AASP/NJ’s NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show was a fan favorite at the Meadowlands Exposition Center on March 21 in Secaucus, New Jersey, according to a news release.
The fun, friendly competition allowed estimators, painters and welders the opportunity to showcase their skills right on the show floor for the chance to win a variety of prizes worth thousands of dollars to build out their skill set and tool kits.
Winners of the Bodywork Bowl are:
Estimating
- First place: Tyler McNee
- Second place: Jeremy Davis
- Third place: Owen Rodriguez
Painting
- First place: John Lemos
- Second place: Kelly Bauer
- Third place: John Hermann
Body/Welding
- First place: David Chicalza
- Second place: Chris McFarland
- Third place: Michael Keehan
The competition was friendly but fierce as competitors came from across the country to show off their skills. Sparks flew from the body work section of the event as technicians showed off their soldering and welding prowess. The result of this hard work brought the third-place winner a Reliable Automotive Equipment (RAE) jacket and the second-place winner a new Telwin puller. Ultimately, David Chicaiza of CARSTAR Auto in Brooklyn, New York took home the grand prize welder donated by Chief and Collision Equipment Consulting Inc.
The painting competition featured a similar attention to detail and great deal of talent as contestants color categorized paint samples and textured images to their corresponding match. The second and third place winners took home cash prizes and Pelatec paint suits. The first-place winner received a new INDASA polisher. First place winner, John Lemos of Ray’s Automotive, Waterbury, Connecticut, initially didn’t plan to compete, making his victory even sweeter.
“It was almost like a last-minute decision [to compete] yesterday. We just said ‘This looks cool, let’s go for it,’” Lemos said. “I loved it, and I actually needed a buffing kit.”
The quietest part of the competition was the estimating section, an area where contestants circled the wrecked vehicle, focused and took in every little detail. The third-place winner received a swag bag, and the second-place winner won a one-on-one class with DEG Administrator Danny Gredinberg. The first-place winner is no stranger to the Bodywork Bowl’s estimating first place cash prize as Tyler McNee of Ultimate Collision Repair, Edison, New Jersey, returned to reclaim his crown for the second year in a row.
The competition is presented by AASP/NJ with the help of a variety of generous sponsors. This year’s painting competition was supported by INDASA USA, BASF and Pelatec with Matthew’s Auto Supplies also providing 3D printed color samples for the competition. The estimating portion of the competition was supported by CCC Intelligent Solutions, Collision Advice and Enterprise, who donated the vehicle used for this section. The body work and welding competition was sponsored by Telwin, RAE, Spanesi, Chief and Collision Equipment Consulting Inc.