West Aussie technicians shine at Isuzu’s Global Technical Competition.
Connor Gillam of Major Motors and Jason Lee of Road Runner Mechanical Services were selected last year to compete in this year’s competition after undergoing a series of tests on-line and at the Isuzu Melbourne head office.
With more than 80 Isuzu outlets in Australia, the challenge of qualifying for the internationals was a serious competition.
Training for the international event involved a three-week intensive diagnosis course at Isuzu Australia’s head office in Melbourne, led by Isuzu Australia’s team coach Dan Gorfine and IAL technical training developer, Alex Redsell,
David Ireland, Major’s Service Division Manager went to Japan with the team and said he was thrilled with their performance.
They finished 6th out of 35 competitors, and he said, they were extremely unlucky not to have been among the winners.
The 35 competitors represented countries from across the world. The team from Indonesia won the event.
David said the event consisted of the competitors encountering a truck with three faults – non starting, a tail-light fault and an instrument cluster fault.
The challenge was a test of their diagnostic skills and to then rectify the faults within 40 minutes which they very nearly did.
‘I was particularly proud of how this team performed, he said.
‘They did an outstanding job and received strong praise from the Australian Isuzu head office representatives.
The event was held at the Pacifico Convention Centre in Yokohama.
After the event the team stayed on to see some of Japan and visited Isuzu’s manufacturing plant.
Conner said it had been his goal to reach the event in Japan and compete in the I-1 Grand Prix, but he did not honestly expect to take out one of the top spots.
‘Working with trucks is my thing and I want to stay in the game for as long as possible … This event has been really motivating and I am stoked to have had the chance to compete’, he said.

