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Motor racing has certainly evolved over the years into a highly technical and professional field. Anyone seeking to make a career in the sport must now show some type of formal education.
These days if you want to break into the racing business it’s much more then knowing how to turn a wrench or drive a car. Virtually every professional race team, from the IRL to NHRA to NASCAR, won’t even consider taking on hired help unless they have some type of degree.
There are a number of colleges and technical schools that now offer curriculums for motorsports and that includes right here in Northeast Pennsylvania.
At Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) in Nanticoke, they have been providing advancement for students who wish to make a career in auto racing through their highly acclaimed Motorsports Technology course.
In 1975, the school started an Automotive Technology program and by 1993 enrollment had swelled to over 300 students. The Motorsports Technology curriculum was created one year later by a group of dedicated professionals in the high performance field.
It is designed to prepare students to gain a basic knowledge of the motorsports industry through study. What started out with just twelve students has now grown to over 100 currently and there seems like no end in sight. It is one of 38 Technical Career programs offered at LCCC.
Although several colleges have introduced similar course’s, at the time when LCCC started the program, it was the first school in the country to offer and associate degree in motorsports technology.
According to school reports the program continues to see a yearly influx of new students taking the course and since its inception they have exceeded their expectations as evidence by the enrollment.
The number of students in each class is limited in order to offer a hands-on nature of the specialized courses. Through nineteen semester hours of course directly related to the study of motorsports, graduates will receive an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree when completed.
Like anyone obtaining a degree, students of the LCCC Motorsports Technology program will have the advantage when trying to gain entry in a career based in racing. Just about everything needed to know in the motorsports field is covered with emphasis on engines and chassis’.
The course doesn’t necessarily mean a student will take a job in racing. But the teachings are vital and can get you aimed in that direction if one chooses so.
By attaining an AAS degree you are preparing for entry-level employment in such fields as aftermarket manufacturers of products and equipment, engine and power-train research and development, chassis and body designs and fabricators, motorsports electronics, retail or wholesale high performance, vehicle safety equipment, parts and equipment sales/service, high performance engine shops, top-notch pit crews and motorsports marketing or public relations.
As you can see the process covers all aspects of high performance as well as safety practices and strategic marketing skills needed to be successful in a very competitive field.
The course has varied the scope of the program by having equal amounts of drag, road and oval racing involvement.
The staff consists of some very influential instructors with excellent credentials associated with racing.
Contributions to the college for the program have come in either monetary or educational products from such national sanctioning bodies as NASCAR, NHRA, CART and SCCA. Also major auto manufactures such as Ford and GM contributes through product use.
The NHRA is the biggest supporter of the program. There is a scholarship through NHRA at the school that students can apply for. They also have internships with NHRA where students can go work in the tech department with NHRA for the summer if they so choose. They also train NHRA technical people in electronics and chassis certification.
And, teaching is not limited to the classroom. Whenever the occasion arises, field trips are made to either race shops or even race meets so students can further grasp what is being taught.
Over the years the class has attended national events at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading and Englishtown in New Jersey. There they go through the tech trailer and work with select crews to see how all the inspections are done on the vehicles.
Students who have gone through the program have been able to apply themselves in virtually all forms of the motorsports business. Graduates of the class are currently working in several levels of NHRA, NASCAR, and SCCA. Alumni have also found their way into working with some of the country’s top high performance manufactures.
All prospective students and their families are invited to spend the day on the LCCC campus during the Annual Fall Open House on November 3.
For more information on the Motorsports Technology Program, call 1-800-377-LCCC, ext. 383.
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