Meet the 60 Piston Scholars of 2026: Turning Passion Into a Profession

Young Enthusiasts Are Ready to Build the Future

One of the biggest misconceptions about the future of car culture is that young people have lost interest in classic and collector cars. This year’s scholarship applicants told a very different story.

Piston’s 2026 scholarship program attracted 365 participants from 41 states and 100 schools, creating the largest and most competitive applicant pool in the Foundation’s history. The 60 students selected as Piston Scholars represent 19 states and will attend 15 colleges and technical schools across the country.

They are mechanics, craftspeople, problem-solvers, and automotive historians in the making. Most importantly, they are ready to turn their enthusiasm for great cars into rewarding careers.

As Piston Foundation President Jeff Mason said, “They didn’t need convincing—they needed a pathway.”

Meet the 2026 Piston Scholars

The 2026 Piston Scholars come from communities across the United States, but they share a common purpose: learning the skills needed to preserve, restore, and care for the cars that connect generations.

Some found their passion through a family project or a mentor in the garage. Others discovered it in an automotive classroom, at a local car show, through a first project car, or during their first job in a shop. Each brings a unique story, a willingness to learn, and a commitment to automotive craftsmanship.

Nearly half of this year’s scholars will attend McPherson College, home to the nation’s only bachelor’s degree program in Automotive Restoration Technology. Other scholars will pursue their education at automotive and technical programs across the country.

Piston’s Largest Scholarship Investment Yet

The growth of the 2026 scholarship class was made possible by increased support from across the collector car community.

A $75,000 grant from the LuLuMa Foundation provided significant new scholarship funding. Individual donors stepped forward through Piston’s Sponsor a Piston Scholar campaign, and donated collector car auctions conducted with Bring a Trailer and 1600Veloce generated record proceeds for the program.

Together, these supporters made it possible for Piston to double the number of scholarships awarded in a single year.

Their investment also sends a powerful message to this year’s scholars: the collector car community believes in their talent, values the careers they are pursuing, and is ready to help them succeed.

Five Years of Building Career Pathways

Since launching the scholarship program in 2022, the Piston Foundation has awarded 144 scholarships totaling $425,000.

Piston Scholars are pursuing careers as collector car technicians, restorers, fabricators, and automotive specialists. Program graduates are already putting their skills to work at restoration shops, museums, private collections, auction companies, and specialty automotive businesses dedicated to preserving automotive history.

That progress matters because the collector car industry faces a growing need for qualified technicians. As experienced craftspeople retire, valuable knowledge and highly specialized skills are at risk of being lost. Giving young enthusiasts access to education and training is essential to keeping those skills—and the cars that depend on them—alive.

The dedication, craftsmanship, and passion demonstrated by this year’s scholars give us tremendous confidence in what comes next.

From the Classroom to a Career

A scholarship can open the door to an automotive education, but education is only the first step toward a lasting career.

As more Piston Scholars prepare to graduate, the Foundation is expanding its focus through Piston Jobs, a new initiative designed to connect them with employment opportunities throughout the collector car industry.

Piston Jobs will help graduating scholars build relationships with restoration shops, museums, private collections, auction companies, and specialty automotive businesses seeking talented new technicians. It is the next stage in Piston’s work to create a stronger, more direct path from the classroom to the shop floor.

We are not simply funding education. We are building the talent pipeline that will preserve automotive heritage for generations to come.

Powered by the Car Community

Every Piston Scholarship begins with someone who believes that preserving great cars starts with developing great technicians.

To the foundations, individual donors, Community Partners, auction bidders, car donors, volunteers, educators, and industry professionals who made this class possible: thank you. Your support is helping 60 young enthusiasts move closer to the careers they want—and helping ensure that automotive craftsmanship continues to thrive.

Congratulations to the 2026 Piston Scholars. We can’t wait to see where your talent, dedication, and passion take you.

List of 2026 Piston Scholars