Dan Schrokosch
Title: HVAC Mechanic.
Duties: To provide uninterrupted service for science,
including upkeep of the cold rooms, vacuum lines, and plumbing.
"Preventive maintenance is the main goal. We aim to catch
problems before they become emergencies."
Background: 20-plus years in the field. Apprenticeship
in plumbing, EPA certification on handling refrigerants.
Comments on the Job: "I love my job. There's a great
atmosphere and great people. I don't know any better situation—other
than being independently wealthy!"
Extracurriculars: "For me, it's pretty much work
and cars," Schrokosch says. Schrokosch is a serious competitor
in index drag racing, a legal sport where drivers endeavor
to match as closely as possible a pre-assigned time, in this
case 8.60 seconds, to complete a quarter-mile course.
"A lot of the race is on the starting line," explains Schrokosch.
"You have to 'cut the light' [get off to a good start] and
'run the number' [come close to the assigned time] by reading
the conditions of the track." Schrokosch, who competes in
25 to 30 meets a year, recently won the closely fought Goodguys
Vintage Drag Racing Association West Coast Championship title
by 0.001 seconds.
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Dan Schrokosch at work as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
mechanic at TSRI. (Photo by Kevin Fung.)
Dan Schrokosch at play with his 700-horse-power
front-engine dragster at a recent meet. (Photos
courtesy of Robert Briggs.)
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