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North Wales Chronicle

North Wales College students build Targa rally car with NAPA

Coleg Menai has teamed up with automotive parts giant NAPA UK to give motorsport engineering students practical training, technical support, and exclusive access to professional racing environments. The collaboration includes the donation of original equipment (OE) quality parts and technical guidance to help students build a Targa rally car—broadening their understanding of motorsport engineering from the classroom to the track. Daron Evans, motorsport programme lead at Coleg Menai, said: "The NAPA partnership is supporting our learners here at Coleg Menai in many ways. "They are providing OE (original equipment) quality parts for our Targa rally car, have allowed our learners to support them with their own marketing campaigns, and more recently gave our students the opportunity to visit Oulton Park as guests of NAPA Racing. "Activities such as those provided by NAPA and NAPA Racing enrich the learning experience for our learners and also give them insight into possible career paths for the future. "We are very grateful for these opportunities and the current partnership." The NAPA Racing UK team talking to Coleg Menai motorsport students at Oulton Park race track (Image: Coleg Menai) During a recent visit to Oulton Park, students toured team garages and paddocks, participated in a Q&A with drivers and mechanics, and watched the British Touring Car Championship and other motorsport events, including the Porsche Sprint Challenge and British Formula 4. They were also given a guided tour of NAPA Racing's pit facilities, where they learned about the technical and logistical operations behind a professional racing team. The visit and ongoing partnership were made possible after Mr Evans invited NAPA UK representatives to the Llangefni campus, where they were impressed by the programme and facilities. Motorsport engineering students working on a Targa rally car at Coleg Menai in Llangefni (Image: Coleg Menai) A key focus of the collaboration is the construction of a Targa rally car, which allows for limited modifications to a road-going vehicle. NAPA has donated braking, suspension, and chassis components, as well as engine and workshop consumables, all supplied through its Llangefni store. READ MORE: Anglesey school to close for funeral of 'excellent' teacher who died suddenly Students are also benefiting from technical resources and hands-on training delivered through TechMate, NAPA's educational partner. Adam McNaney, marketing manager at NAPA, said: "We are proud to support Coleg Menai in nurturing future talent through quality resources and training. "This partnership aligns with our commitment to excellence and investing in the development of skilled professionals who will drive the automotive sector forward."