cougar strong racing 555
​6th grade team

Coaches: Matthew Graham & Chris Morris
Cougar Strong Racing 555 Team Photo
2023-2024

amaya acuna-martinez
​team position:
​Gopro manager & Assistant  pit manager

My name is Amaya Acuna-Martinez. I'll be in 6th grade at LCMS this year. It’ll also make me brand new to the team, but it’s my third year doing Greenpower. I've been selected to be on team 555. The reasons I wanted to join CSR is because I enjoy doing Greenpower. I have peace of mind when I'm driving the car, watching other cars race, or even working on the car. The positions I would like are driver or editor. I feel like I would be good for either one of these positions. 

FUN FACT: I love nature and all types of animals.

jacob bradfield
​team position:
​Pit crew

I’m Jacob Bradfield, and I’m a rising 6th grader. I wanted to join Cougar Strong Racing for a few reasons. First, it seemed like something that I would enjoy, second I like fixing things and figuring out how to make them better, and third I enjoy learning different things. The position I am most interested in is the Data Manager. I am new to Greenpower, but I feel I will fit well on the team.
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FUN FACT: Last year I got first place in the Daughters of the American Revolution Essay contest. 

charley elder
​team position - DRIVER

Hello my name is Charley Elder and I am in 6th grade and I am brand new to Cougar Strong Racing. The reason I wanted to join Cougar Strong Racing is I enjoy building and working on things and I wanted to try something new. I am most interested in being a driver, but I am also interested in being part of the pit crew. I am excited for the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.

​FUN FACT: I enjoy gardening. This year my personal garden includes watermelons, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, squash and jalapenos. ​

piper graham
​team position :
​team manager & ALTERNATE DRIVER

My name is Piper Graham. I am currently in 6th grade. The reason why I wanted to be on the team is so I can do Greenpower with my dad, and I think it will be fun and amazing. This is my first year on the Cougar Strong Racing Team. I am ambivalent on what position I want to be. 

FUN FACT: I am on the competition cheerleading team at LCMS.

maylee highland
​team position:
DRIVER & media team

My name is Maylee Highland, I am in 6th grade at LCMS. I wanted to join this year all because of Talladega Superspeedway. Watching those cars race until their heart's content. I love to build and fix things, you just look cool doing it. I’ve learned how to drive go carts, golf carts, and many more similar vehicles. I cant wait to start this year at LCMS!!!
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FUN FACT: I am a flyer for the LCMS blue team\competition cheer. 

nicholas kim
​team position:
​data manager

My name is Nicholas Kim, I am in 6th grade and I am new to Cougar Strong Racing. I wanted to join Cougar Strong Racing because I really enjoyed my time in Greenpower during 4th and 5th grade at Rosemont Elementary. I am interested in being a driver. I had a great time driving and being part of a team. 

FUN FACT: I play baseball.

miles maxwell
​team position :
DRIVER & trailer manager

My name is Miles Maxwell and I am in the 6th grade. Being selected to be on the Cougar Strong racing team has been a dream come true. I am new to the program this year and I am looking forward to having fun, building problem solving skills and new friendships. I am interested in driving and being a part of the pit crew.
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FUN FACT: My Dad and my brother both raced when they were my age. Also, I have two different color eyes.

cash morris
​team position:
​pit crew chief

My name is Cash Morris. I am in 6th grade and this will be my first year as a member of Cougar Strong Racing. I wanted to be a part of Cougar Strong Racing because I like racing and I like being part of a team. I love to compete and work together with my team members to win.

I would like to be Crew Chief or pit crew because I like to work on the car and learn how the car works. I like working with my hands and working with tools. I was a captain, driver, pusher and pit crew for Power Surge Racing at Long Cane Elementary in 4th and 5th grade. Most people want to drive the car but I would rather be the person working on the car. 

FUN FACT: I have played sports since I was 4 years old. I play baseball, basketball and football for West Point Parks and Rec. 

joshua ngafoe
​team position:
​pit manager

My name is Joshua, and I wanted to join the team to get a practice job for when I grow up. I am brand new to Cougar Strong Racing, but I have worked as pit crew chief on the Country Cub Racing team at Rosemont Elementary School. I am interested in becoming an assistant pit crew chief.  I make a good leader, and I like working on mechanic-based projects. For example, this summer I made a working prize machine entirely out of cardboard.
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FUN FACT: 

aiden pike
​team position:
​battery manager​

Hello, my name is Aiden Pike. I am 11 years old and I am just starting middle school in the 6th grade. This is my first year joining the Cougar Strong Racing Team. I am super excited to learn everything about the cars. I am most interested in driving or working with the pit crew. I love playing racing and airplane games and I know a lot about both of them. 
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FUN FACT: I know a lot about cars and how they work. 

arianna rebennack
​team position:
​marketing maanger

My name is Arianna. I'm in 6th grade and I wanted to join CSR because I really enjoyed Green Power last year on my fifth grade team and I wanted to join another team. I'm brand new to CSR and I am glad I got on the team. I really want to be a driver, marketing manager, or an assistant marketing manager. I'm very excited for this new school year to make friends and have fun!

FUN FACT: Sometimes I can be very outgoing and other times I'm very quiet. ​

brooklyn riggins
​team position:
​assistant pit crew chief

Hello, My name is Brooklynn Riggins, I am in the sixth grade and I want to join Cougar Strong Racing because I love to race and engineer on different things. I am brand new to Cougar Strong Racing and a position I am interested in is being a driver. 

FUN FACT: I like to roller skate.

noah rumbel
​team position:
tool manager

My name is Noah Rumbel and I am going into the 6th grade. This is my first time doing GreenPower but I have watched my brother do it for four years and ever since he started I have been interested and wanted to do it. I like to work on things and learn new traits and make new friends  and I feel I can do that by participating in GreenPower. I am interested in being a driver or being on the pit crew. 

FUN FACT: I spend most of my time taking apart and learning how things work and building them back. ​ 

tate schmitt
​team position:
​pit crew

My name is Tate Schmitt and I am a sixth grade student at LCMS. I wanted to join CSR so that I can learn about cars and stuff related to cars. Although I was not a part of the elementary team, I decided to join CSR and would like to become a pit crew member. 

FUN FACT: I also enjoy basketball, baseball, and chess.

christian swanson
​team position:
f24 pusher

My name is Christian Swanson and I'm in the sixth grade. I want to be on the CSR team because I love to drive the cars. I am a good driver and have always loved driving anything. I also love going to different places to race. This will be my first year on the CSR team, however I was on the team at Rosemont Elementary last year. The position that I am most interested in is a driver, but if not selected as a driver I would enjoy being on the social media team. In my spare time I enjoy gaming and playing baseball with my friends. My older brother, Anthony, will be apart of the 999 8th grade team this year. 

FUN FACT: I am half Mexican.

blake wilson
​team position:
​media team

My name is Blake E. Wilson and I’m in sixth grade and I wanted to be on the CSR team because I love to travel, race, build, make new friends, and have fun. And I have not been on the CSR team before. I'm interested in being a pusher, pit crew chief, and if I could I would like to be a driver.
FUN FACT: I like old cars. One of my favorites is a 1950 Studebaker. Another is a Model T ford made in 1909, and a Model A Ford made in the 1930s.  

 Team coach / teacher - Matthew graham

Mr. Graham created the very first Greenpower Tech class and GreenpowerUSA team in Troup County in the fall of 2017. Over the last 7 seasons the program has grown to 3 teams and emerged as the most dominant middle school GreenpowerUSA program in the United States. His teams have earned the following honors...

999 Team - Started Fall 2019
  • National Champions: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 - Intermediate Modified Division
  • Season Points Champion 2022, 2023 - Int. Mod. Div.
  • 2nd place national finish 2022 - Int. Mod. Div.
000 Team - Started Fall of 2017
  • National Runner up 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023 - Int. Modified Div.
  • National Champions 2022 - Int. Mod. Div.
555 Team: - Started Fall of 2020
  • National Champion 2021 - Intermediate Stock Div.
  • 3rd place National Finish & Season Points Champion 2022
  • Season Points Champion 2023 - Intermediate. Stock Div.

Mr. Graham's goal is to serve as an ambassador for GreenpowerUSA in Troup County and the surrounding areas to increase awareness & participation in this exciting and engaging STEM program for elementary, middle, & high school students. He looks forward to building on last year's success to achieve even greater goals for year 7 of this program at LCMS!

 assistant coach - chris morris

Chris Morris got involved with Greenpower in the fall of 2017 when his daughter Chloe joined the team as a 6th grade student. He began volunteering in various capacities and quickly became an integral part of the team. His contributions have made a tremendous impact on the success of our program across the three years in which his daughter Chloe was a member. After she moved up to the high school Chris decided to continue serving as an assistant coach with Cougar Strong Racing because he believed in the value of the experience for our students. He is solely responsible for all the modifications and upgrades found on the inside of our race trailer, and he has been a great mentor to our team members. The 2023-2024 season will be the seventh season for our program and he has been there every step of the way, having never missed a race event in 7 years. We are thankful for the time he has invested in our program and hope he stays with us for many years to come.