World Class Wednesday: Michael Mastalski: Applying ASE Certifications to Modern Automotive Technology

Earning the title of Automotive Service Excellence World Class Technician is no small accomplishment. To be recognized as World Class, these individuals have obtained ASE certification in 22 specialty areas: A1-A8 (automotive), T1-T8 (medium/heavy truck), B2-B5 (collision repair), and L1-L2 (advanced).  

Not only is achieving certification in these areas impressive, but as of 2026, only 2,000 technicians have achieved World Class status.  

In this Q&A, Motor Age sat down with Michael Mastalski—an ASE World Class Technician at Classic Buick GMC in Painesville, Ohio—to learn more about his journey in the automotive industry and how gaining World-Class status has helped advance his career.

Motor Age: Please introduce yourself and tell us about your experience in the automotive industry. 

Michael Mastalski: I have spent over 50 years in automotive repair, specializing in electric vehicles, ADAS, electrical diagnostics, and drivability. I have worked on everything from early-'60s carbureted vehicles to modern electric vehicles. I achieved ASE World Class status at 64 years of age in 2024.

Motor Age: What’s the most memorable repair you’ve ever completed? 

Mastalski: Every day is a new challenge with modern technology that is constantly evolving. I find the automated driving systems a challenge at times due to the complex nature of all the sonar, radars, and cameras involved.

Sometimes the most challenging part of the job is duplicating exactly what the customer's concern is when it is intermittent and not obvious. This is where my experience and training are used to hone in on the issue.

Motor Age: One thing we can’t guess from your certifications. 

Mastalski: My wife and I enjoy participating in Sports Car Club of America and other club track events with our performance cars. Pushing these cars to the limit provides the knowledge needed to maintain and keep the vehicles at their top performance and safety levels.

This is transferable to my job because of the level of detail needed for safety awareness and customer satisfaction. I am lucky that my job is basically my hobby.

Motor Age: What automotive technology trend are you most excited about/ most concerned about?

Mastalski: The newest technology is great when it is working, but it is difficult to detect intermittent customer concerns or when an unrelated system affects the operation of others. With technology advancing so quickly, I fear that hardware or software obsolescence may be a problem soon. Cars aren’t meant to be disposable.

Motor Age: How has ASE certification helped advance your career?

Mastalski: My ASE certification is a major part of GM training. This training and my ability to interact and satisfy customer concerns allowed me to also become a GM World Class Technician in 2008. Because of these distinctions, I have received many perks such as trips, monetary awards, and recognition.