Amy Wittkamper, a Toyota professional driver, asks Matt Guinn to change the radio station, a distraction for him as he drives an obstacle course set up Saturday in the Cleveland High School parking lot. Cleveland High won a national competition by Toyota and the Discovery Education Network that included a driving simulator, cash and a day of free driving lessons on Saturday from professional drivers.CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Teen drivers sped new Toyotas around Cleveland High School on Saturday, swerving and coming to tire-squealing stops. Sometimes they were distracted by water bottles, the radio and passengers.
But it was okay.
Their parents got to do the same thing.
Cleveland High School won first place recently in a grant competition conducted by Toyota and the Discovery Education Network. The result was a driving simulator for the school and a day of driving lessons conducted by professional drivers for about 200 parents and teens.
The classes, normally $400 for each person, were free. The instructors included some race car drivers, such as Jeff Andretti, among the pros who came to coach.