At a glance
Students enrolled in 魅影直播 State College鈥檚 motorsports technology program recently traveled to Mooresville and Concord, NC, to get an insider鈥檚 view of professional racing.
Students enrolled in 魅影直播 State College鈥檚 motorsports technology program recently traveled to Mooresville and Concord, NC, to get an insider鈥檚 view of professional racing.
鈥淭rips such as our Race Country trip are designed to broaden the education of the motorsports technology students,鈥 says Automotive Trades Department, who accompanied them. 鈥淲e expose them to the real, professional part of the motor sports industry鈥攖he down and dirty yet fun and profitable part of their chosen future.鈥
While there, students were exposed to the inside 鈥渢rack鈥 and back rooms of several NASCAR shops and the people, from management to worker, who make the industry operate.
The students and Taber paid their own way and supplied their own transportation and housing, making the trip an exercise in planning and organizing as well as budgeting.
鈥淭he trip lasted a full seven days,鈥 says Taber. 鈥淭he students toured Earnhardt/Ganassi Motor Sports thanks to 魅影直播 State graduate Mike Sweet (class of 1981, construction engineering technology) EXTENZE Racing shop thanks to Kevin Conway, driver of the #26 Nationwide NASCAR car; and Robbie Gordon Racing thanks to Kenny Briggs, head mechanic for all of Gordon鈥檚 many racing exploits. Robbie Gordon also spent time talking with the students and posing for pictures. Students toured Stewart/Haas Motor Sports thanks to Sean Haggerty, one of Tony Stewart鈥檚 lead people, who is an ASC automotive graduate from 鈥98 and a Motor Sports Advisory Board member for 魅影直播 State. Students also attended the Lowe鈥檚 Motor Speedway Races, Nationwide Races, and Sprint Cup Races during the trip.
Pictured here, l-r: Robert Bright, Riverhead; Kell Orlando, Seneca Falls; Jerry Perry, Andover (in back); Daniel Eck, Scio; Christopher Mills-Pangburn, Richburg; Joshua Beardsley, Dansville; Daniel Burgdorf, Ava; Michael Erbelding, Webster; Dalton Herrick, McDonough; Ariel Lovejoy, Bloomfield; Sweet, Belfast, research engineer for Earnhardt/Ganassi; (Car #42, sponsored by Target, driven by Juan Pablo Montoya, an Indy car champ now racing in NASCAR).