By Hanna Singh
It’s a friendly family fued when Heath and his son Carter Tims hit the eco-car track.
Heath serves as the advisor for Louisiana Tech’s eco-car team, while Carter is a key part of Ruston High’s Bearcat Motor Sports team.
And Saturday, the two suited up for competing teams, with Carter excited to compete and not prepared to back down just because he was up against his dad. He spent the last decade-and-a-half watching his father and his advisor compete, while developing an interest of his own.
“It’s definitely still a competition even with family involved,” Carter said. “It makes it even more exciting to go against him. My dad’s super supportive of my team, though, so it’s great to have him there.”
Teams from Louisiana Tech and Ruston High School traveled to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Shell Eco Marathon Americas 2024. Here, STEM students push the boundaries of energy efficiency by constructing and racing cars designed for fuel efficiency.
Upon hearing about the competition 17 years ago, Louisiana Tech team adviser Heath Tims wasted no time in assembling a team for the following year. At the time, his son Carter was only 1 year old. Fast forward to today, Carter competes for the Ruston High School team, the Bearcat Motor Sports. Despite the friendly rivalry, the father-son duo competes while showing support for one another.
Both teams returned home triumphant, with Louisiana Tech securing fifth place and Ruston High School receiving sixth place as both team cars achieved reaching above 300 miles per gallon during the race.
Regardless of competing on different teams, Heath was proud to see his son following in his footsteps with eco-car development.
“Now we’re seeing these students that have grown up around this kind of thing following a similar legacy,” Heath said. “It’s really cool to see the family connection.”
For Ruston High’s side on Bearcat Motor Sports Team, coach and father Randall Elliott was proud to watch his son Jack excel in the competition.
“It’s really rewarding to see your kids grow into something that you enjoy,” Randall said. “It’s cool to see how much they have grown and how much they can really accomplish.”
He added that school and teacher support aided in the team’s success.
“The team is only successful because of the hard work and dedication of each and every student on the team and a school board and school who believe in what they are doing,” Randall said. “Every teacher that they have impacts the success of these students. Also, none of this happens without the support of our sponsors and school board.”
In return, Jack expressed how his father’s tireless dedication over the years inspired him to join the team when he entered high school.
“Working with my dad every day on a project of this size has been a joy,” Jack said. “It has taught me how to be a strong and resilient worker just like him and the many other students that my dad has taught.”
The heart of eco-car engineering was passed down from fathers to sons, inspiring a new generation of students to pursue this opportunity. The development of both teams will be exciting to witness in years to come.
