Visions in Leisure and Business

Volume 19 Number 2 Article 3

2000

An Accelerated Learning Curve: Understanding the Benefits of Motorsports within Academic Disciplines

Mark D. Howell Northwestern Michigan College

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Recommended Citation Howell, Mark D. (2000) "An Accelerated Learning Curve: Understanding the Benefits of Motorsports within Academic Disciplines," Visions in Leisure and Business: Vol. 19 : No. 2 , Article 3. Available at: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/visions/vol19/iss2/3

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Visions in Leisure and Business by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@BGSU. AN ACCELERATED LEARNING CURVE: UNDERSTANDING THE BENEFITS OF MOTORSPORTS WITHIN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES

BY

DR. MARK D. HOWELL, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

FACULTY IN COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGLISH COMMUNICATIONS DISCIPLINE NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE 1701 EAST FRONT STREET TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN 49686

ABSTRACT tional" or canonically-directed English de­ partments at professional conferences listen This article examines the growing need for to my presentations and wonder--sometimes college and university programs focusing on out loud--how someone could actually keep the motorsports industry. Many institutions a teaching position while engaging in such fight against the age-old academic debate "lowbrow" research topics. Many of my between classical or "high" culture and colleagues from colleges or universities that popular or "low" culture. Since motorsports recognize popular culture as a significant affect large, general audiences, they are tra­ part of everyday life, however, listen to my ditionally deemed "low" culture. As this ar­ lectures and nod in interpretive and/or ana­ ticle states, however, the need for college­ lytical agreement. They, too, admit to feel­ educated engineers, designers, and business ing like academic lepers in institutional envi­ people in the rapidly expanding motorsports ronments based on the eternal influence of industry is slowly pushing automobile racing classical works and the valuable lessons they into the arena of an established and necessary teach. academic discipline. The benefit of such a discipline is that graduates are successful in The debate between "high" culture and finding jobs with many of the biggest and "low" culture has been raging since the word best racing teams in the sport. As racing "culture" was ever used to describe influ­ grows in popularity and sophistication, so ences upon human behavior. "Society is will the number of jobs requiring university­ driven by the values instilled through cul­ trained team members. ture," a scholar of the "mainstream" disci­ plines will say, "so it is vital that we concen­ trate on educating people from the best cul­ INTRODUCTION tural elements that a society can offer." Taxpayers and civic leaders will respond As an English professor and an active popu­ with an enthusiastic "Harrumph!" The gen­ lar culture scholar, I often find myself walk­ eral public, believing in the rationale that a ing a tightrope of academic acceptance. degree-carrying, gainfully-employed profes­ Most of my colleagues from more "tradi- sor cannot be wrong, is certain that the tui-

7 tion they pay for their children's courses physical and social mobility, mass pro­ each and every semester must go toward the duction, abundance, anxiety. The defi­ task of creating well-educated future citi­ nition is protean (4, p. 9). zens. Meanwhile, the children of these con­ cerned taxpayers sit at home with friends de­ Fishwick's attitudes toward popular culture bating the meaning of the latest video on reflect what can be called a "modernist" MTV or the merits of violence in the new school of thought, the fact that popular cul­ blockbuster "slasher" film they saw at the ture is often considered to be a product of local shopping mall the previous evening. contemporary life. Ray Browne, on the other hand, takes more of a "classical" ap­ Welcome to the world of popular culture proach. The "classical" school of thought studies. Criticism about the value of learning ascertains that popular culture is not just a from "everyday" artifacts like movies, televi­ product of our here and now, but rather that sion, fashion, music, professional sports, the some form of popular culture has always internet, and other elements of consumer­ been present within civilization. An Eddie oriented mediums that affect a worldwide Murphy movie of today can be seen as mass audience has been at the center of a popular culture, but so may an Irish reel philosophical firestorm since the topic was performed in a cabin on a Saturday evening organized into an academic discipline by Ray in 1870. The debate between these two Browne in the 1970's at Bowling Green modes of philosophy, as outlined by Jack State University in Ohio. Nachbar and Kevin Lause in the early 1990's, has been over the significance of the changes which took place in Western life THEORY around the eighteenth century and not over the fundamental nature of what it means to Traditional scholars find nothing of use in be 'popular.' The Classicists argue that an popular culture. Real lessons are learned old culture changed while the Modernists from reading classic works of literature, not believe that a new one was created. Both trashy paperbacks with ripped bodices and groups agree that we need to examine that heaving bosoms on their covers. Life is which is (or has been) accepted or approved meant to be contemplated through the lilting of by large groups of people .... (10, p.12). melodies of Beethoven or Bach, not from the sampling of lyrics and thumping rhythms of Even though the rhetoric within these two hip hop or rap music. It is the timeless na­ schools differs, their principle focus remains ture of "higher" art that educates, not the the same; academic discourse should not crass commercialism of the here and now. ignore the elements that affect the customs, As popular culture scholar Marshall Fishwick behaviors, beliefs, and values of a mass audi­ once wrote: ence while concentrating on the ideals es­ poused by what has been relegated to the Pop is now--faddish--in: the emphasis canon of Western civilization. Both sides of is on time. It's vernacular--folksy-­ this cultural spectrum must be studied and earthy: the emphasis is on place. It's understood to better recognize how and why universal--electronic--instant: the em­ humans live according to the guidelines they phasis is on technique. Pop is rooted in do. socio-economic factors of our time:

8 One of the most popular and influential as­ similar in comparison to what might be found pects of human life is the world of sports. It in more "sophisticated" levels of racing or is a multi-faceted world, one where simple endurance contests. games can assume significance within the areas of business and industry, entertain­ The highest level of motorsports in America ment, fashion, and technology. An event is NASCAR competition. This form of involving a ball and a stick can be raised to automobile racing has been the most popular the pinnacle of national mythology, as we spectator sport in the United States since the can see with baseball in America or golf in mid-1990's. What makes NASCAR--as in Scotland. Something as childlike as running the National Association for Stock Car and kicking a ball can be transformed into a Automobile Racing--such a big part of cultural and social fixture, such as the World popular culture is its appeal with a huge na­ Cup for soccer and its effect on millions and tional (and international?) audience. Televi­ millions of people around the globe. sion ratings for NASCAR events during Whether it be the Olympic Games or the Su­ 1999 increased to record numbers, as did the per Bowl, the traditions and folklore of numbers for total attendance at all Winston sports are at the center of our world's Cup races. According to ESPN The Maga­ popular consciousness. zine writer Peter Keating:

As an automobile historian, it is the role of Attendance at Winston Cup races has motorsports within this popular conscious­ almost doubled this decade [the ness that is of special interest to me. Even 1990's] to more than 6.3 million fans. this form of popular activity, however, re­ Retail sales of official NASCAR mer­ flects an inherent division between aspects of chandise have rocketed 1, 100% since racing that might be considered "high" and 1990 and are now a $1.1 billion busi­ "low." Sports are a unique way to study ness. And since 1993, Winston Cup how cultures operate; by looking at how TV ratings have increased 19% on the differentclasses of the same basic activity are broadcast networks and 33% on cable defined by the public, we can see how barri­ (7). ers might be built to insure implied social stratification. National television coverage of every Winston Cup event has been the biggest factor in NASCAR's popularity explosion. OBSERVATIONS AND ANALYSIS Early effortsto televise NASCAR races were limited to taped and edited coverage of Formula One racing from Europe is seen as whole races, or portions of races televised the highest form of technologically-advanced live. Programs like ABC's "Wide World of motorsports competlt10n. State-of-the-art Sports" carried the NASCAR Winston Cup machines piloted by daring young men are Series in an "after-the-fact" format, editing a the highest link in the automobile racing four-hour event at Atlanta Motor Speedway chain. A slightly lower link in this chain down into a one-hour highlights film and might be endurance racing like that of Le sandwiching the footage with sports like fig­ Mans or Sebring. At the bottom of the so­ ure skating or something more spectacular cial stratification "chain" might be a link to a like cliff diving from Acapulco. A car that motorsport like demolition derby, which in­ did not smack the outside retaining wall or volves an automobile, but little else that is

9 catch fire would likely not make the broad­ larity during the 1980' s, the network devel­ cast reel. If you were lucky enough to win oped new ways to make the races more visi­ the race, you were lucky enough to be seen ble. The in-car camera became a staple of on national TV. ESPN telecasts, as did the use of computer telemetry to show a car's speed and engine The breakthrough for N ASCAR Winston performance ( even though, in an ironic twist, Cup racing on national TV was CBS Televi­ such telemetry is illegal in NASCAR compe­ sion's February 1979 presentation of the tition). The network developed a broadcast Daytona 500. This event marked the first team of racing experts, including retired time an entire NASCAR race was aired live, drivers Ned Jarrett and Benny Parsons, and flag-to-flag in its entirety on a broadcast matched them with a reporting team that network. A major snowstorm had crippled featured such knowledgeable people as Dr. the Northeastern part of the United States, Jerry Punch and John Kernan. By the so ratings for the broadcast of "The Great 1990's, ESPN had become the flagship net­ American Race" were especially good. What work for NASCAR coverage. In the mean­ made the race even more successful with while, CBS continued to air the Daytona 500 viewers and programmers alike was its Hol­ while adding events to its ever-popular lywood-type ending. A last lap wreck near NASCAR schedule. the end of the backstretch took out the two leading cars of Cale Yarborough and Donnie All of the momentum generated by ESPN Allison. As the two leaders crashed and and CBS shifted in the fallof 1999, however, spun into the infield grass, the third-place car as a new multi-year television agreement was of Richard Petty led the field through the announced that joined NASCAR and a com­ final two corners and won the race, finishing bined broadcast package made up of NBC, just ahead of a hard-charging Darrell Wal­ FOX, and Turner Broadcasting. The agree­ trip. As "King Richard" and his STP­ ment, which will take effect in 2001, sold the sponsored team celebrated in victory lane, an rights for NASCAR coverage to the afore­ amazed viewing public got to watch as the mentioned networks for a six-year period. wrecked Yarborough and Allisonsquared off The sanctioning body will receive roughly against each other in a fistfight before CBS' s $460 million a year for Winston Cup Series live cameras. The 1979 Daytona 500 was a events, while CBS, ESPN, and their sister wild debut for CBS's experiment. By the networks (TNN and ABC, respectively) will next morning, all of America recognized the have to fill in the holes left in their Sunday NASCAR Winston Cup Series. afternoonschedules.

Cable television coverage of NASCAR rac­ NASCAR hopes that this new television ar­ ing was instigated by ESPN, a fledgling net­ rangement will carry its events to a larger, work out of Connecticut that saw the poten­ more national audience. Winston Cup races tial for NASCAR as a major ratings attrac­ carried over major "free TV" networks like tion. This 24-hour sports network aired CBS and ABC attracted a new base of fans events that other networks felt were not at­ from a vast array of backgrounds. No longer tractive to broadcast, such as short track was NASCAR stock car racing limited to its races at North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, traditional, more regional exposure; the ad­ and Richmond, Virginia. As ESPN' s vent of a national TV audience meant an in­ NASCAR coverage grew in national popu- fusion of nationally distributed NASCAR

10 racing fans. This meant more NASCAR the Flock brothers (Bob, Fonty, and Tim) team sponsors received more television cov­ and Curtis Turner (3, p. 824). erage, and this contact with newly-created race fans meant more sales--and profits--for North Wilkesboro was also home to Junior the companies who paid for the privilege of Johnson, the "daytripper" (another term for a having their name and/or logo splashed moonshine hauler) immortalized by journal­ across the hood or fender of a Winston Cup ist/author Tom Wolfe in his May 1965 Es­ stock car. quire magazine article, "The Last American Hero is Junior Johnson." Wolfe told the Such economic growth frightened NASCAR story of Junior Johnson to a national audi­ "purists" in the media and throughout the ence who had never heard of the Wilkes garage area, however, because they believed County farm boy who turned his ability to that all this new sponsorship and added na­ outdrive federal agents on the rugged back­ tional exposure would result in immediate roads of rural North Carolina into a career as and overwhelming changes within the sport. one of NASCAR's greatest racers and car More money could result, as some within owners. Johnson's story was eventually re­ NASCAR felt, in inordinate pressure from printed in Wolfe's 1965 volume of essays "Fortune 500" firms that demanded victories about automobile culture of the 1960's enti­ over and above strong top-ten performances. tled The Kandy-Kolored, Tangerine-Flake The stress level on drivers, pit crewmen, car Streamline Baby, which made Johnson's ex­ owners, and crew chiefs would become as­ ploits the stuffof respected American litera­ tronomical, and attention toward the race car ture. might be diverted toward new sponsor­ directed responsibilities like personal appear­ The NASCAR of early North Wilkesboro ances, commercials, and other public rela­ was, however, much different from the tions-related non-racing events. As seven­ NASCAR that held its finalevent at the track time NASCAR Winston Cup champion in the fall of 1996. Junior Johnson was no "King Richard" Petty once told a reporter longer a competitor, having sold his race from The New York Times, "A man don't equipment and retiring from the sport a year want to get above his raisin's, you know" (5, earlier. The tiny oval had been paved with p. 97). asphalt in 1957 in hopes of attracting the new cars and stars driven by NASCAR's Unfortunately, NASCAR rose above its "rai­ newfound attention toward what would be­ sin's" as early as 1996. On September 29th come known as its superspeedway era. By of that year, the Winston Cup Series ran its 1959, NASCAR would be running its inau­ last race at the famed North Wilkesboro gural Daytona 500 for Grand National (what Speedway in North Carolina. The facility, a are today called Winston Cup) cars on the part of NASCAR competition since the high-banked, two-and-a-half mile paved tri­ sport's inception in 1949, was at one time a oval located near the shore of the Atlantic .625-mile dirt oval carved out of the red clay Ocean. North Wilkesboro Speedway, like foothills of an area known for its role in the several of the facilities that hosted NASCAR moonshine industry. Built in May of 1947, races, prepared for stock car racing's antici­ the small "bullring" (racers' slang meaning a pated growth by insuring itself a spot on short, oval-shaped, dirt track) was home to NASCAR's annual competition schedule. such bootleggers-turned-racing-drivers as As a result, North Wilkesboro remained a

11 constant link between NASCAR's pioneer making the right contact with the right car past and its popular present. owner. This "open door" policy toward automobile racing was what made NASCAR It was the explosion of NASCAR Winston so unique. Cup coverage nationwide, mainly because of an increase in television broadcasts during Tighe Scott of Pen Argyle, Pennsylvania, the decade of the 1990's, that ultimately was one such aspiring NASCAR driver who sealed North Wilkesboro's fate. With the benefited from the Winston Cup racing's final event at the North Carolina short track simpler days. Scott began his racing career in September of 1996, race fans witnessed during the late 1960s on dirt tracks in New the dawn of a new era in audience-driven Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. He motorsports. It was this new era that ush­ started driving a Big Block Modified, a ered in such modern, fan-friendly facilities as small, low racer with open wheels, no fend­ Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada, ers, and a large eight-cylinder motor, in Texas Motor Speedway near the city of Fort 1968. Tighe's first race car had a "big Worth, and California Speedway in Fontana. block" 301 cubic inch Chevrolet engine NASCARinterpreted its popularity with race which produced plenty of horsepower forthe fans and TV viewers alike as a sign that the dirt "bullrings" where local talent competed Winston Cup Series required more super­ against regional heroes every weekend. A speedway events and fewer short track races discussion with a fellow racer led to Tighe at places like North Wilkesboro. Subse­ driving a stock car for car owner Walter quently, the .625-mile paved track in Wilkes Ballard in the 1976 Daytona 500, and that County was sold to Bruton Smith, chairman experience led to Scott's 89-race, six-year of Speedway Motorsports, Incorporated, and NASCAR Winston Cup career. Bob Bahre, who built a new race facility in New Hampshire. Since the track was sold to Despite NASCAR's rich history as a Horatio Smith and Bahre, both of North Wilkes­ Alger-type of sport--a business where any­ boro's Winston Cup weekends have been one with a solid work ethic and plenty of distributed to the Texas and New Hampshire courage can make it to the highest levels of speedways. success--today's motorsports climate is anything but a "do-it-yourself' exercise in This is typical of how NASCAR racing is outrunning your competition. The newest changing. As the Winston Cup Series and generation of NASCAR comes into the sport other NASCAR divisions reach out for a from the halls of academia; today's race new, broader base of fans, many of teams are comprised of specialized staffwith NASCAR's traditional methods are getting a number of college degrees from an always­ replaced by a more specialized, corporate­ increasing number of respected university influenced style of operating procedure. A programs. Motorsports in the twenty-first mechanic used to build a race car in his century will be the domain of highly trained backyard, tow it to a regional speedway, and engineers, designers, computer technicians, compete against the biggest guns in profes­ and business people. The era of the shade­ sional stock car racing. Up through the mid­ tree mechanic will be replaced in full by an to-late 1970's, drivers who were interested influx of race team members carrying mas­ in running Winston Cup events could get a ters degrees--and even doctorates--in spe­ chance at making the big time simply by cific fieldsof motorsports-related study.

12 Several colleges and universities throughout ing" their standards to address such base, the United States are already offering degree utilitarian skills. The argument, at least ac­ programs in motorsports subjects. While cording to my own personal and professional most of these programs involve engineering experience, has always been one where the education, there is the potential for degree merits of, let's say, late-nineteenth century programs in other motorsports areas like British Victorian poetry outweigh the educa­ marketing, advertising, public relations, tional benefits of understanding the social communications, journalism, computer sci­ and/or cultural ramifications of the automo­ ence and/or information systems, and busi­ bile within American civilization. Again, as ness administration. It takes more than engi­ was stated earlier, the emphasis is on the neering to make a racing team successful; eternal, timeless, "classical" canon, not the success rides on a team having the ability to pragmatic knowledge that shapes the current function effectively in all aspects of the environment in which we live. sport's evolution. This is the struggle those of us concerned I recently attended the 2000 meeting of the about the future of motorsports wrestle with Society of Automotive Historians in Los almost everyday. For every established and Angeles, California, where scholars and ad­ respected academic program regarding mo­ ministrators from all over America gathered torsports as an industry in need of qualified to discuss the need for motorsports-based personnel--like those found at Clemson Uni­ college curricula. As a college professor versity in South Carolina or at the University who works and writes within many areas of of North Carolina at Charlotte--there are motorsports, I see the need for specialized dozens of similar institutions across America courses aimed toward students who are in­ that willingly ignore the potential for student terested in playing a future role in the sport placement as either interns or graduates with of automobile racing. Many of these roles successful, corporately connected race require more than the ability to turn a teams. wrench and replace faulty parts; most jobs in modern motorsports require candidates with Many colleges and universities ignore the highly developed critical thinking, analytical, need for comprehensive motorsports educa­ and problem solving skills. These are the tion out of ignorance. While attention is kinds of skills best taught by university pro­ placed on the study of sports marketing and grams, and these are the skills that need to be management within the more traditional ar­ addressed by college faculty members at all eas of "mainstream" sports like baseball, levels. football, or basketball, the sport of automo­ bile racing--in all of its forms--is routinely It is the stigma, however, about motorsports overlooked as being too closely aligned with and other "lowbrow" topics that keeps col­ entertainment than with athleticism. As a leges and universities from pursuing these result, students miss out on potential jobs topics as part of a forward-thinking curricu­ tied to major corporate sponsors simply be­ lum. While community colleges that offer cause their degree program emphasized coursework to train certified automobile "stick and ball" sports that imply a higher technicians are found to be well within their rank of social status and acceptance. boundaries of appropriate subject content, larger universities are criticized for "lower-

13 Academics working within the field of mo­ dicative of what just one sanctioning body torsports, however, see a much different needs to keep going. picture. We recognize the rapid and consis­ tent growth of professional motorsports, es­ The key is qualified personnel. This means pecially within the various divisions run by more than simply being a mechanic or a press NASCAR. The sanctioning body organizes agent; this means having the skills necessary and officiates the Winston Cup Series, the to work with new technologies and changing Busch Grand National Division, the Crafts­ demands on race car performance. Aerody­ man Truck Series, the Slim Jim All-Pro Se­ namics is one area currently under specula­ ries, the Winston West Series, the Featherlite tion in NASCAR. In the early years of Modified Tour, the Goody's Dash Series, NASCAR, during the days when stock cars and a number of regional racing divisions still resembled cars you saw on the street, associated with the NASCAR Winston Rac­ aerodynamics were an afterthought. Some ing Series hosted by a number of regional of the more crafty teams concentrated on speedways scattered throughout the United cutting the air cleanly with sharp lines on a States and Canada. well-designed car, while most teams focused on horsepower and chassis setup. Racing a If we consider just the basic mathematics 1965 Ford Galaxie at Daytona was like behind NASCAR--staffing each of the teams driving a railroad boxcar; the car required a competing in each of the aforementioned se­ talented driver who could manhandle the ries--we are looking at a huge number of po­ racer for 200 laps in traffic. As sheer horse­ sitions needing to be filled by qualified per­ power gave way to body styling--in part be­ sonnel. The average NASCAR Winston Cup cause body styles were changing on produc­ team usually has somewhere around thirty tion cars--attention was shifted toward such members. Many team members work every­ concepts as drag and downforce. These day in the race shop where a stable of maybe kinds of aerodynamic concepts demanded eight or more cars are built and maintained more engineering expertise, which required a for future events. Several of the team's staff more specialized background. will work on the car at the race track, mak­ ing necessary adjustments or repairs for both NASCAR races today are won or lost in a qualifying and the race itself. Some team wind tunnel as teams work toward the clean­ members double as pit crew personnel on est, most efficient body shape that still falls race day, changing tires and refueling the car within NASCAR regulations. Much has during the event. There are other team been written about NASCAR aerodynamics members working behind-the-scenes in such in recent months, especially with the intro­ areas as media communications, marketing, duction of two new body designs for the promotion, and public relations. Take thirty 2000 Winston Cup racing season. The Ford people and multiply them by the forty-seven Taurus and Chevrolet Monte Carlo have or so teams that attempt to qualify for a been the subjects of great debate, mainly Winston Cup event, and you need a mini­ about unfair advantages of one body type mum of 1,410 people to staffjust one racing over the other. Despite a 2000 Winston Cup division. Granted, not every team running in season that has seen eight different winners every NASCAR series requires as many in eight different races, and victories for all people, but the numbers shown here are in- the body types currently running in

14 N ASCAR, there is still a constant rumble thinking skills taught and developed by a about who has the best aerodynamics. college education. When matched with the ability to use the latest in computer technol­ This is the kind of argument where special­ ogy, such competitive advances equate into ized personnel play the largest role. Team big dollars for race teams through corporate engineers coming out of bachelors, masters, sponsorships and on-track success. and even doctoral programs in motorsports technology are at the center of such a battle, An example of how universities can benefit and the demands on such specialists will students by educating them for ever­ grow with the advent of NASCAR's new increasing specialized jobs in automobile proposal to level the high-banked playing racing is the Motorsports Engineering Pro­ field of Winston Cup racing: the use of a gram at Clemson University in South Caro­ common template to equalize the shape of lina. The program is part of the Robert H. cars running in NASCAR competition. Brooks Sports Science Institute, which grew Gaining an aerodynamic advantage will be out of a $2.5 milliondonation from Clemson put into the hands of team members who un­ alumnus Brooks following the death of his derstand not only the mechanics of aerody­ son in a 1993 private plane accident. Mark namics, but more importantly the theory be­ Brooks was en route to Bristol, Tennessee, hind aerodynamics as well. Knowing "why" with 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup champion will now mean more than merely under­ Alan Kulwicki when their aircraft crashed standing "how." while attempting to land. Kulwicki's primary sponsor was a business owned by Robert Unfortunately, the majority--if not all--of Brooks. university curriculum committees would bristle at the thought of implementing The Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Insti­ courses aimed at educating engineering, tute at Clemson "combines the interdiscipli­ marketing, and business students in motor­ nary studies of sports engineering, manage­ sports-related areas of study. People in­ ment, marketing, and communications." (2) volved with motorsports see the need for What makes the Institute's program so inter­ specifically trained college graduates, espe­ esting is that it places students in "real life" cially since the current era of an international racing situations. This at-the-track experi­ "Information Age" requires more and more ence gives students the opportunity to learn ability to handle and master sophisticated in an environment where a premium is placed computer technology. Whether it's an engi­ on decision making, the ability to deal with neer designing chassis components using a people, and the ability to deal with the un­ CAD system (Computer Aided Design) or a certainties of motorsports competition. The team's public relations representative distrib­ Clemson University classroom or laboratory uting up-to-the-minute press releases via an is replaced by the grime, noise, and stresses e-mail network, the ability to utilize com­ of pit road--the place where program gradu­ puter hardware and software is critical to the ates will be plying their skills and expertise. efficiency of a racing operation. An added advantage is having personnel with the ana­ Recent developments within the world of lytical and humanistic skills to communicate motorsports make an effort toward organ­ and innovate effectively. Advances in race ized and accredited curricula even more team performance come from the higher- critical. NASCAR' s announcement on May

15 8th that the 2001 Winston Cup schedule The proliferation of colleges and universities would expand by two events ( one in the with motorsports programs is amazing at this greater Chicagoland area and the other near current time. Four-year schools, two-year Kansas City) raised questions of how teams community schools, and graduate programs could staffpit crews and race shops. Given are all embracing the need for specialized that Winston Cup teams are looking at more technical education. NASCAR crew chiefs than forty weeks per year on the road with took the initiative during the summer of either points-paying events, specialty races 1999 and searched for fabricators and as­ like The Winston Select, or testing sessions semblers educated in the Bobby Isaac Mo­ at various speedways, it appears that torsports Technology Program at Catawba NASCAR teams will go to a "double team" County Community College in Hickory, strategy. North Carolina (6). This program has placed eighty percent of its graduates with race In this situation, a Winston Cup race team teams, a sign of the success that such motor­ will have two pit crews. The crews will sports-based programs can enjoy in today's work a split schedule, meaning that one crew era of rapid growth. will work on the car at two or three events, then a second crew will work the next two Other options for motorsports training may or three races. This on-again/off-again ar­ be found in any number of training facilities. rangement will force teams to hire more Some of these facilities are meant to prepare qualified people. With new technologies in students for careers as automobile techni­ stock car racing always on the increase--such cians, with the added potential for graduates as computer diagnostics, the use of teleme­ to possibly finda job in racing. In the spring try, and in-house chassis design--educating of 1999, NASCAR announced its association young people to fill these forthcoming new with Universal Technical Institute of Phoe­ positions willbe of the utmost importance. nix, Arizona, to build and operate the "NASCAR Training Institute." The seven­ New, educated personnel will also be needed milliondollar facility in Charlotte will be part by Indy Racing League (IRL) teams and of a network of such training schools across competitors running the Championship Auto America, providing practical education in a Racing Teams (CART) circuit. With two­ '"NASCAR-oriented environment."' (1) car teams like Chip Ganassi Racing running both the full CART schedule and the IRL's Programs such as the one done in conjunc­ Indianapolis 500, additional engineering and tion with NASCAR and UTI are another computer staff will likely be required. Get­ way to supply the ever-expanding motor­ ting the right people for these jobs means sports industry with qualified employees. looking to colleges and universities for the The difference between these programs and best in highly-trained and experienced peo­ the ones at major universities like Clemson, ple. With colleges supplying the education, the University of North Carolina at Char­ and race teams providing on-track experi­ lotte, and the University of Central Florida is ence, the next generations of motorsports the fact that the major university programs professionals will be ready to face the chal­ teach the theory that leads to the innovations lenges of innovation, dedication, and compe­ that are then put into practice by the crew or tition. shop personnel. Whereas graduates of these major university programs research and ere-

16 ate many of the developments that might can provide. The National Football League soon become part of racing technology, it is does not add new teams each year, nor does the graduates of the training programs that Major League Baseball divide one ballclub often put the new ideas into motion on a car into two or three separate organizations. at the track. The important fact we need to The National Basketball Association can remember is that both elements of motor­ only take so many players, yet racing divi­ sports education--the theoretical as well as sions like NASCAR, CART, the IRL, the the tangible--are required to secure a team's SCCA, and the NHRA are in almost constant competitive advantage. need of fresh talent with the latest in training and education. Race teams have many jobs that must be filledwith educated staff. Personnel working Motorsports education is more, however, on a N ASCAR team must handle such criti­ than just time spent at a desk or a drafting cal and diverse day-to-day tasks as aerody­ table; racing involves a solid hands-on com­ namics, CNC (Computer Numerical Control) ponent at speedways and in race shops all machining, data acquisition, engine assembly, over the nation. Research opportunities CAD drafting, cylinder head preparation, abound, as do internship and fellowship pro­ fabricating, and gear specialization. Other grams with teams, speedways, corporate jobs away from the shop floor, such as mar­ sponsors, and even sanctioning bodies like keting, bookkeeping, and business manage­ NASCAR itself. In the case of NASCAR, ment require specific education as well. As the summer of 2000 marks the debut of its race teams expand into multi-car operations, Diversity Summer Internship Program, eight and as racing schedules increase with new weeks of paid, practical experience for multi­ events in more widespread locations, the ethnic coed students following their junior need for such specialized personnel will only year of collegiatestudy (8). grow. For technical programs, colleges, and universities to ignore this kind of demand is Such practical education is what universities irresponsible. There is no better way for an want fortheir students, especially when there academic or technical program to gain are positions for them to fill within the in­ placement for graduates and public recogni­ dustry. Mary Beth Marklein, in a recent arti­ tion than by getting actively involved in the cle for the on-line version of USA Today, high-profile, media-saturated arena of mo­ found that schools "can't produce graduates torsports. fast enough." Whereas traditional programs in engineering and automotive technology The essential aspect of this entire situation is are often considered as being too textbook­ to make sure that college and university ad­ oriented, the new programs in motorsports ministrators understand that education pro­ provide students who "can actually relate to grams in motorsports technology and/or the real world" (9). When your laboratory is business is not simply a fast track to the a NASCAR Winston Cup stock car capable "dumbing down" of American academia. of running 200 miles per hour at tracks like Just the opposite is true: an institution that Daytona, Talladega, or Michigan, your edu­ pays close attention to the demands of an cation experience better prepares you for the ever-growing motorsports industry is pro­ rigors and requirements of a career in big viding a path to jobs and opportunities that time, corporate sponsored, professional no other sport within the collegiate sphere sport.

17 CONCLUSION sport into innovation while carrying the po­ tential for good jobs, positive university pub­ As the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup season lic relations, international corporate market­ progresses, suddenly the subject of motor­ ing, and prospective students wanting to de­ sports education in colleges and universities velop the unique skills they need to fill a doesn't sound as "lowbrow" as it once may niche in the rapidly-growing arena of motor­ have. With ever-increasing demands for sports. It looks like 6.3 million NASCAR highly-trained specialists in automotive engi­ fans can't be wrong, regardless of how neering, aerodynamics, and computer tech­ "lowbrow" their favorite sport may appear. nology, the academic community has begun to recognize automobile racing for what it is: a aspect of our popular culture that turns

REFERENCES

1. D. Boraks, NASCAR to Open Technician Training Facility with UTI, That's Racin' (web site affiliatedwith The Charlotte Observer), http://www.thatsracin.com/99/0530/0527institute.htrn,May23,2000.

2. S. Dees-Baker, In The Driver's Seat, Clemson World, http://cworld.clemson.edu/fall97/seat.htrn,Fall 1997, Feb 5, 1998.

3. G. Fielden and P. Golenbock, editors, The Stock Car Racing Encyclopedia, Macmillan Pub­ lishing Company, Inc., New York, New York, 1997.

4. M. Fishwick and R. B. Browne, editors, Icons of Popular Culture, Bowling Green State Uni­ versity Popular Press, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1970.

5. M.D. Howell, FromMoonshine to Madison Avenue: A Cultural History of the N AS CAR Winston Cup Series, Bowling Green State University Popular Press, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1997.

6. Jayski's Silly Season Site, Racing/Driving/Mechanic Schools, http: //www.jayski.corn/pages/school.htrn, May 23,2000.

7. P. Keating, Family Business: NASCAR's Best Team is in the Front Office,ESPN: The Magazine. 2000 Winston Cup Preview Special Issue, p.20.

8. B. King, NASCAR Summer Internships, Speedvision Online, http://speedvision.com/network/jobs.htrnl,May23,2000.

9. M. B. Marklein, Speed Powered by Smarter Crews, USA Today Online, http://www.usatoday.com/life/lds022 .htrn, May 25, 2000.

18 10. J. Nachbar and K. Lause, editors, Popular Culture: An Introductory Text, Bowling Green State University Popular Press, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1992.

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