Bradley Aydelott, the 2025 Windshield Repair Competition (WRO) Grand Champion, says that winning gave him a new perspective on competition and on life.
The owner of Glass Monkey in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, took home WRO gold at last year’s Auto Glass Week™ (AGW) in Reno, Nevada.
“I worked hard for four years to get that medal,” he says. “Now that I have, the effects of that victory permeate my life.”
Aydelott came in second place during the 2023 WRO, but failed to medal during the 2024 competition. After that defeat, he knew he had to change his mindset in 2025.
“I decided not to worry about what the other competitors were doing and just focus on the task in front of me,” he says. “That gave me a sense of calm and confidence that I’d never had before.”
Aydelott says that attitude helped him to “loosen up” noticeably in his day-to-day life.
“I tell more jokes in front of customers, and I’m a lot better at public speaking now,” he says.
Aydelott used his prize money from the win to enjoy time with his family.
“We went to Universal [Studios Florida] right after Christmas,” he says. “It was awesome.”
While Aydelott doesn’t intend to compete again at the 2026 WRO in San Antonio, he does have some advice for this year’s competitors.
“Lean into yourself as much as possible; don’t compare yourself to other competitors. Plan for the pressure and challenge to expose your weaknesses, and, if you do fail, take that as an invitation to try again,” he advises.
Competitor registration for the 2026 WRO, Auto Glass Technician Competition (AGTO), Auto Glass Calibration Competition and Customer Service Representative (CSR) Competition is still open for anyone interested in vying for the “Grand Champion” title on a national stage. Competitors can register HERE or contact the competition coordinator, Sarah Bauder (sbauder@glass.com), with questions. Competition slots are first-come, first-served until they reach capacity, or until July 15, 2026 (the CSR Competition registration closes July 1, 2026).
Auto Glass Week™ 2026 will take place Aug. 27-29 (with pre-event education on August 26) at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio. Register to attend today to save your spot among the best and brightest in auto glass. For more information surrounding the event, or to sign up for show updates, visit https://autoglassweek.com/.
