Alto Middle School math teacher goes full-throttle
Rachel Burrows wins contest by bringing NASCAR to the classroom
BY LELAND ACKER

Rachel Burrows reacts as she is named the winner of the "Full- Throttle Fan Contest" at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 4. Her audition interview aired on the jumbotron. PHOTO: LEANN JONES

When Alto Middle School math teacher Rachel Burrows began watching NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) races six years ago, she probably did not think her career as a teacher would take her to Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., or that her blossoming interest in NASCAR would fuel the education of her students. When her passion for NASCAR resulted in her winning Texas Motor Speedway's "Full Throttle Fan Contest," all of the afore mentioned effects were shifted into high gear.

"When I first saw a NASCAR race, I thought it was stupid," Mrs. Burrows said. "It was just a bunch of cars driving in a circle. Later I watched it with my sister and brother-in-law. You have to have a favorite driver to understand NASCAR."

She said by having a favorite driver, you learn about his allies, enemies and the strategies that come about as a result of those.

Alto Middle School fifth grade math teacher Rachel Burrows uses NASCAR themes to teach her students how to reduce fractions. Mrs. Burrows' inclusion of NASCAR helped her win the "Full-Throttle Fan Contest," bringing recognition to Alto ISD.

"It's more than driving in a circle," Mrs. Burrows said. "Think of it as 43 football teams playing against each other for one, overall winner. There's a 2.35 chance of your driver winning. I did the math."

She said her favorite driver is Dale Earnhart Jr. She selected him based on his personality (he is outgoing) and she began watching NASCAR shortly after the death of Dale Earnhart Sr.

"Dale Jr. is the most well-known driver," Mrs. Burrows said. She added while she regrets his leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc after disputes with his stepmother, the fact that his sponsor will no longer be Budweiser means she will be allowed to display Dale Jr. merchandise in her classroom.

Mrs. Burrows said she entered the "Full Throttle Fan Contest" hoping that she would meet the criteria, an average fan who did not fit the stereotypical NASCAR fan image. After she was chosen as one of four finalists out of more than 25,000 entries, the Texas Motor Speedway offered her tickets to the Nov. 4 Nextel Cup race.

There she was given 10 minutes to audition before a panel of judges, including Texas Motor Speedway General Manager Eddie Gossage.

"When I heard he was in there, I was like, 'Oh my gosh…this is worse than cheerleader tryouts (in high school,)'" she said. "I thought I blew it on my last question. The question was, 'Does NASCAR throw phantom caution flags?'

"I said, 'Yes.' I explained that when the field is spread out and the race gets boring, a caution flag for track debris is thrown out, but they never show the debris."

Mrs. Burrows further defended her opinion on the phantom caution flag by explaining that a cooler was thrown over the fence during a race she attended at Daytona, but a caution was never issued. Other times, cautions are thrown to help drivers who need to make a pit stop, she said.

"I told them, 'NASCAR is going to do what they are going to do, I am still a fan and will continue to cheer for my driver," she said.

In winning the "Full Throttle Fan Contest," Mrs. Burrows has been awarded a weekend for four at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. to watch the 2008 NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the CTC Pole Night Event, the CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 NASCAR Race and the Coca Cola 600 Nextel Cup race. Round trip airfare, hotel and transportation accommodations are included. She also wins four season grandstand tickets for all major 2008 events at Texas Motor Speedway, along with cold garage passes, VIP pit passes, memberships at The Speedway Club, four 10-lap driving school sessions and helicopter transportation to and from each NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway.

"I do have to pay taxes on all that," she said.

A major factor in Mrs. Burrows contest victory is the way she incorporates NASCAR into her teaching.

"This year, I haven't been able to use it as much as last year," she said. "Last year, I had the same kids all day long."

Last year, Mrs. Burrows said each of her students drew a driver number. Then, they put that driver number on all of their papers.

"The kids would get into it and tell me how their driver did over the weekend," she said. "There was one kid who loves Dale Jr. When he drew his number, it was Dale's #8. He was so proud. Once he realized that we had (mutual admiration for Dale Jr.) in common, we had that connection. Once you get that type of a connection with a student, everything changes."

One of her goals is to get Dale Jr's autograph for that student.

Creative word problems to

learn math skills

This year, NASCAR lends itself to Mrs. Burrow's word problems.

"If a NASCAR race is in a certain town this week, and it's in another town next week, we compute the mileage between the towns," she said. "We also use it to deal with fractions and probability."

Mrs. Burrows said she also uses Casey Cane math worksheets.

"One question might be, if this driver's pit stop lasted this long, and the next driver's pit stop lasted that long, how far ahead is this driver coming out of pit row?" she said. They also compute how many laps a 500-mile race will require if the track is 1.5 miles long.

The NASCAR-themed math questions help fifth-graders grasp concepts they must understand in order to pass the TAKS test in April and the various benchmark tests conducted by Alto ISD throughout the year.

"I hate how the state puts that much stress on children," Mrs. Burrows said. "They know it's hanging over their heads.

"I have so many mixed emotions. We have to be accountable, but there is so much pressure applied so early, the kids may get burned out.

"(Teaching) is a hard profession to be in. I challenge anyone to try it for a day, but at the end of the year, it's all worth it."

Mrs. Burrows shared her confidence that the students would perform well on the TAKS test.

"We'll get there," she said. "This campus is so awesome. We've come so close to being 'recognized.'"

In addition to teaching fifth grade math, Mrs. Burrows coaches the art, memory and social studies UIL academic teams, performs tutorials one afternoon per week, coaches the high school cheerleaders and, when time permits, takes in a NASCAR race. She is a 1998 graduate of Alto High School who was active as a cheerleader, student council and National Honor Society member.