Back to the Bricks is just around the corner, ready to celebrate its 20th anniversary of bringing the roar of cars, music and more to the Vehicle City!
Tune-Up Week August 5-10 is scheduled throughout Genesee County, taking over six local communities. And the Main Event, a showcase for classic, custom and collectible vehicles of all kinds, starts August 12 at the Birch Run Speedway, and continues with events all week, until Saturday, August 17 when the BIG car show takes over Downtown Flint.
This year, Back to the Bricks has partnered with the University of Michigan-Flint’s College of Innovation & Technology to offer participants and spectators a dazzling display of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) through racing. The partnership was established by Back to the Bricks Executive Director Amber Taylor and Assistant Professor E. Shirl Donaldson, Ph.D., PMP. Their idea of attracting more youth to the event through the power of STEM was “hatched” – a tribute to event Founder, Al Hatch – that would honor classic cars and motivate youth to be more engaged. The partnership was fully backed and supported by the Back to the Bricks Board of Directors, Committee, and Chairman of Events, Kevin Murphy.
Downtown’s Flat Lot is the main display area of the 20th Anniversary festivities. Through this newly formed partnership, Back to the Bricks welcomes celebrity guest and TV superstar, Sage “DONKMASTER” Thomas to Flint!
A “donk” is typically a ’71-’76 Chevrolet Caprice or Impala modified for big-wheel racing. Thomas created the world’s first sanctioning body for the sport, using classic cars and STEM technology – the National Donk Racing Association. The NDRA organizes and scales big-wheel racing to create a truly national competition. Racers participate in a fixed number of sanctioned races around the country and at the season’s end, champions are crowned in each class.
“Bringing this type of display and celebrity to Flint is not only going to mean more spectators, but also more youth, inspiring them to learn more about these amazing automobiles and the power they can have through a little ingenuity and creativity,” stated Murphy.
“Donks exist at the intersection of informal STEM and cultural relevance. Exploring these vehicles will engage the inquisitive minds of youth in Flint and Genesee County,” added Donaldson, who went on to say, “Racing is STEM in action! These cars go fast because of applied math and science. We hope that becomes more obvious to people.”
Executive Director Taylor is excited about the addition to the Main Event. “Working with Professor Donaldson has been a real treat!” she exclaimed. “We wanted to bring someone to Flint who could bridge the age gap between spectators and participants, STEM and technology, with horsepower, racing and classic cars. I can’t wait to see the amazing display and see the spectators and participants enjoying the show together.”
Meet DONKMASTER Sage Thomas and see the other special displays with UM-Flint’s College of Innovation & Technology featuring the Flint Soap Box Derby, RC Racing Cars for the kids, and the UM-Flint Baja Team. It’s a full display of fun, mobility and technology that will be exciting for all ages!
More info and registration for the August events, as well as all Back to the Bricks info is available at backtothebricks.org.
