The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Marketplace
    • Autos
    • Jobs
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Shopping
    • Dining Out
    • Education
    • TWT Store
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • National

    HOLMES: Miscalculating engagement

  • National

    NORRIS: The Senate and the START treaty

  • National

    Obama: U.S. 'forever grateful' to veterans

  • Business

    Employers pitch in on pet health care

  • World

    Jordanian sees Jerusalem as a powder keg

  • World

    Report finds dirty money, water in China

  • Politics

    Silicon Valley executives take up politics

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Racing to school

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos

More Stories

  • Swift wins entertainer of year award
  • TWT reporter recounts sniper's last moments
  • Obama wants Afghan war exit plan clarified
  • Dobbs leaves CNN before contract ends

By

INDIANAPOLIS -- Inside Panther Racing's mobile command center at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Mike Sheridan reads reams of data from 75 sensors mounted to the team's race cars.

The 27-year-old junior at IUPUI, who is studying mechanical engineering technology with an emphasis on motorsports, hopes his specialized degree and 50-hour-a-week internship will help him become an engineer for a racing team.

"It helps that I won't have to work for three years taking out trash," he said. "Hopefully, I'll have my foot in the door."

But he'll have competition. Dozens of colleges and universities are responding to the racing industry's growing popularity by creating motorsports programs designed to give students degrees in mechanics, engineering and management.

Motorsports programs began cropping up in the mid-1990s as NASCAR's popularity soared. Clemson and Charlotte, schools deep in the heart of NASCAR country, were among those leading the way. In 2002, NASCAR joined forces with Universal Technical Institute to open the $12-million NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C., to train automotive technicians.

Now, schools from Indiana to California to China are jumping into the fray. Industry experts and educators say the surge in motorsports degrees shows an acceptance of the industry in academic circles.

"I think that higher education is starting to realize that there are careers out there in significant numbers and we should develop programs to target them," said Joe Harder, a professor of management information systems at Indiana State, which will offer a motorsports minor starting this fall.

That recognition stems from changes in the industry itself.

"It's evolved from just a group of guys racing cars on an oval to an enormously large business that's generating billions of dollars in revenue," said Philip Bayster, chairman of the business department at Belmont Abbey College near Charlotte, N.C., which will launch a bachelor's degree in business management focused on motorsports this fall.

"It's become so sophisticated that there has to be an upgrade in the talent levels of people that are part of the industry."

12Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Commenting is disabled for this entry.
If you feel there is still something worth mentioning about this entry please contact the author or the site admin.

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Warner: Obama misplayed health care debate
  3. D.C. sniper executed in Virginia
  4. Airport rules changed after Ron Paul aide detained
  5. PRUDEN: Fatal reluctance to see evil
More Top Stories »
  1. Families meet as sniper's execution nears
  2. Michigan farm expert opens Marijuana U.
  3. DeMint tries to ban 'permanent politicians'
  4. High court refuses to halt sniper execution
  5. Kennedy's disability plan could snag health bill

Most Shared

  1. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
  2. Michigan farm expert opens Marijuana U.
  3. EDITORIAL: End Clinton-era military base gun ban
  4. PRUDEN: Fatal reluctance to see evil
  5. Airport rules changed after Ron Paul aide detained
More Top Stories »
  1. DeMint tries to ban 'permanent politicians'
  2. Kennedy's disability plan could snag health bill
  3. D.C. sniper executed in Virginia
  4. EXCLUSIVE: Warner: Obama misplayed health care debate
  5. Peace Corps' popularity jumps

Most Commented

  1. PRUDEN: Fatal reluctance to see evil
  2. DeMint tries to ban 'permanent politicians'
  3. Obama: 'No faith justifies' Fort Hood attack
  4. 'Fuzzy math' could drive health bill cost higher
  5. Kennedy's disability plan could snag health bill
More Top Stories »
  1. D.C. sniper executed in Virginia
  2. Defense nominee won't reveal potential conflicts
  3. EXCLUSIVE: GOPer Cao: Health vote may end career
  4. Airport rules changed after Ron Paul aide detained
  5. Jihadists in the military

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Blogs & Columns

  • POTUS Notes

    New Dem talking point on Obama approval doesn't wash

  • The Back Story

    12 arrested at Pelosi's office

  • Belief Blog

    New Vatican constitution released

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Redskins 360

    Veterans visit Redskins

  • Tara's Two Cents

    On their way to summer vacation..

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.