Motorsports Careers – Sample Communications Job Description

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When you’re preparing for a career in racing, it’s always helpful to know what the real-life requirements are for a variety of different motorsports careers.

Below, you’ll see the actual job description for a communications position at Richmond International Raceway. The position is the Manager of Communications and Creative Services, and not all tracks have this specific position but seeing the requirements for this job can help guide you in your studies and internships for positions like this in racing.

Job Summary:

Works in conjunction with the public relations, consumer marketing and corporate sales departments to oversee all internal creative, including Video Scoring Tower, website, consumer e-mails and fan guide. The Manager of Communications and Creative Services will report directly to the Director of Public Relations.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Manage all aspects of the Video Scoring Tower (VST). Coordinate race weekend production and schedule of VST broadcast with Sprint Vision, ISC IT team and PA Team and oversee operation on race weekend. Duties includes producing and managing content, including graphics, videos and logo treatments, scheduling and placement of ads and public address announcements, gathering sponsor commercials and logos, maintaining an accurate and up to date log on the ISC Sharepoint site of all related activities.
  • Maintain all aspects of Richmond International Raceway website, as well as Media section of website, which includes, but is not limited to placing press releases and related stories on main website, as well as media portion of website, providing audio files for media, maintaining updates of fan hospitality appearances. Also includes management of Richmond International Raceway mobile website.
  • Producing graphic design content for the web site and other collateral materials, including ticket sales and renewal advertisements, photos and logos.
  • Manage the public address log and schedule for race weekend. includes securing all sponsor and sanctioning body announcements, in addition to writing and editing track announcements. The PA log is then incorporated into the overall race weekend Video Scoring Tower broadcast schedule.
  • In addition to race weekend Video Scoring Tower duties, serve as point person on VST utilization for Richmond Raceway Complex and other events throughout the year. Duties include full operation of the tower and producing content for the tower.
  • Manage the production of consumer collateral, including fan guide, race weekend event guides
  • Manage track’s email campaigns, including content and timing.
  • Manage track content posted on the International Speedway Corporation Portal, including press releases, videos, audio, photos and employee profiles.

Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree or education/experience equivalency.
  • Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, InDesign and Acrobat preferred.
  • Strong background in technical aspects of web and social media.
  • Video and audio editing experience a plus.
  • Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
  • Flexibility and ease with juggling multiple responsibilities.
  • Ability to think creatively.

This description was taken directly from the following link: http://iscmotorsports.teamworkonline.com/teamwork/r.cfm?i=36346.

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Posted in Careers in Motorsports, NASCAR

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UNC Charlotte Motorsports Engineering

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Although UNC Charlotte does not offer a full motorsports engineering degree, the North Carolina school offers a motorsports concentration as an addition to the Mechanical Engineering degree program.

If you’re enrolling in the Mechanical Engineering program with a concentration in motorsports, you can expect to take the normal course load of mechanical engineering classes including chemistry, physics, English, math, economics, mechanics and other engineering basics courses in your first two years. As you become an upperclassman, many of your courses include the advanced engineering courses and motorsports technical electives.

The motorsports concentration requires participation in motorsports-specific technical elective courses, which include Automotive Power Plants, Road Vehicle Dynamics, Aerodynamics and many other choices depending on what is offered that semester.

In the fourth year of the Mechanical Engineering degree program, motorsports engineering students are required to participate in a two-semester Motorsports Clinic. The Motorsports Clinic is an intensive automotive/motorsports engineering related project.

In addition to the undergraduate program, UNC Charlotte also offers a BA in the new Sport Marketing and Management program in the Belk Business School. This won’t give you a motorsports engineering education, but a business approach to a motorsports education.

There are also four motorsports engineering competition teams available for students to participate in, and motorsports engineering students are strongly encouraged to participate in at least one. UNC Charlotte’s programs include Formula SAE, SAE Mini-Baja, Legends and Drag Car racing.

If you’re interested in a motorsports job, a motorsports education at UNC Charlotte will provide a great start. According to the school’s website, roughly 10% of NASCAR engineers are graduates of UNC Charlotte. You can view a video overview of the school and its resources here.

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Posted in Motorsports Education, Motorsports Engineering, Motorsports Engineering

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Motorsports Engineering and Formula SAE

By Motorsports Student 1 comment »

Are you working to become a motorsports engineer or pursuing a degree in motorsports engineering? Or interested in a career in racing? Then you’ve probably heard of Formula SAE. But do you really know what the program entails? Let’s explore Formula SAE and what it can mean to your motorsports engineering future.

Formula SAE and Motorsports EngineeringFormula SAE is a racecar design competition for students that is organized and run by SAE International (formerly known as the Society for Automotive Engineers). The original concept was that a fictional manufacturing company has contracted a design team to develop a small Formula-style race car. But today, the main undertaking is to design, produce, test and race a prototype race car at the annual competition in May.

There are two competitions each year – one in California and one in Michigan. The Michigan competition is the largest and longest running.

Chances are, the school that you are attending already has an existing Formula SAE team. If not, you can form one, but that’s a much more involved topic and will require contacting SAE International directly.

The great thing about joining an existing Formula SAE team is they already have a foundation laid for the organizational structure of the team – they have a faculty adviser, an established workspace and equipment, and upperclassmen that have already participated in a Formula SAE competition.

Both the faculty adviser and the upperclassmen are great resources for you, and should be appreciated and utilized as you begin your Formula SAE journey. They will be valuable both in terms of the competition and in the future, as they clearly have interest in motorsports engineering like you do (and it’s a very small industry!).

Preparation for the competition (designing and building the car) usually begins within the first few weeks of the semester so it’s important to identify the person in charge of the team quickly to sign up and get started. One of the first things the team does is identify potential team members and look for sponsorship. Getting in on the ground floor will expose you to a variety of aspects of motorsports education.

Before you enter into this process, you should also understand the safety risks of participating in the project. You will be exposed to a variety of machinery and tools in addition to the actual race car. Being careful and aware of your surroundings at all times is crucial to the success of the program overall.

Then comes the fun part: motorsports engineering! You design the car from the ground up. Very little on a race car is new, and Formula SAE isn’t the place to develop new technology. Unfortunately, teams do not have the time or budget to come up with technological breakthroughs. But that’s not a bad thing. Designing and building a car from scratch takes a lot more time and effort than it would seem, and it’s more important to understand the basic principles of motorsports engineering than jump directly into automotive technology breakthroughs.

No matter what function, if you are interested in motorsports engineering or a career in racing, you should be taking advantage of one of the few applied motorsports education activities that are available at some schools and participating in Formula SAE. Don’t worry – you’ll enjoy it!

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Posted in Motorsports Education, Motorsports Engineering, Motorsports Engineering

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Automotive Women’s Alliance Motorsports Scholarship

By Motorsports Student 5 comments »

The Automotive Women’s Alliance offers a scholarship of varying amounts (although the majority appear to be $2,500) quarterly to female students who show a passion for the automotive industry or are pursuing a motorsports education based on a written application.

While this scholarship isn’t specifically a motorsports scholarship, it certainly can be applied to motorsports education if the committee deems it fit. There is no age limit on the scholarship and it can be applied to any type of program as long as the applicant will be applying her education to the automotive industry.

The application is pretty straightforward. In order to apply, students must fill out the application and provide a college transcript or high school transcript and proof of college enrollment, a cover letter (essay-style), and a resume.

There is no deadline, although the description shows that it is awarded quarterly.

Scholarship winners must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA for the year in which they receive the scholarship.

Past scholarship winners have applied their awards to: Colorado School of Mines Mechanical Engineering, Oakland University Human Resource Management, Northwood University Automotive Marketing and Business Management, University of Northwestern Ohio Performance Motorsports and Automotive Management, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology Mechanical Engineering, Eastern Michigan University Graduate School Quality Management, Kettering University Mechanical Engineering and many more.

As you can see, it’s not necessary to be in a motorsports or even automotive technology program to qualify for the scholarship. It’s enough to show interest in the automotive industry and have the intent to apply your education to that field. This is a great way to help fund your motorsports education, even if you’re not attending a motorsports engineering school.

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Posted in Motorsports Education, Scholarships

Video Overview: UNC Charlotte Motorsports Engineering

By Motorsports Student 1 comment »

Today, we have a new video from UNC Charlotte’s Motorsports Engineering program. The video gives some insight into the motorsports engineering degree as opposed to a regular engineering degree and what that means: motorsports engineering projects.

The video takes a look into the The Alan D. Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory, which is completely outfitted with a complete engine shop and all of the tools used in major motorsports settings like NASCAR and the IRL. You can also see some of the project cars, including a drag racing car, NASCAR car of tomorrow, legends cars and a Formula SAE car that is completely designed and built by students.

Check it out:

For more insight into motorsports engineering programs, check out the videos on the program at Old Dominion University and watch here for more reviews!

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Posted in Motorsports Education, Motorsports Engineering, Motorsports Engineering, UNC Charlotte

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Job Posting: Designer/FEA Engineer for Red Bull Racing

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If you’re looking for motorsports engineering jobs or a career in racing, this may be the job posting for you:

Red Bull Racing, Inc., part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers, is looking for a Design/FEA Engineer.

Requirements: 3 years of racing experience, experience with Siemens NX, Chassis and Suspension Design.

Red Bull offers a comprehensive benefit program and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. For consideration, submit your resume via our career link at www.redbullracingusa.com or submit a resume to careers@redbullracingusa.com Please include the job title in the subject line of your submission.

Note: For those of you who are qualified and considering applying for this motorsports engineering job, you already know what an FEA engineer is. But if you’re here looking to learn more about careers in racing, here’s some help:

FEA stands for Finite Element Analysis. It is a type of engineering analysis – specifically it is one of the most powerful and commonly used function of the CAD software that is used by engineering professionals every day. By doing an FEA analysis, motorsports engineers can analyze components for stress-strain, heat transfer and many other properties.

If you want to learn more about AutoCAD software and how it is used, you can check out AutoCAD 2010 for Dummies or AutoCAD 2011 and AutoCAD LT 2011: No Experience Required.

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Posted in Careers in Motorsports, Motorsports Engineering, NASCAR

NASCAR Announces College Scholarship Program

By Motorsports Student No comments »

Daytona Beach, Fla. (May 12, 2011) – NASCAR today announced the return of the NASCAR Wendell Scott Scholarship Program and the University of Central Florida, DeVos School of Management Scholarship.

For a second consecutive year, the NASCAR Wendell Scott Scholarship Program is funded in part by long-time NASCAR partner UPS. The program was established to provide financial support to deserving African-American and Hispanic students currently enrolled in college who are pursuing degrees in areas of study related to motorsports, including marketing, engineering and public relations.

The scholarship program is part of NASCAR Diversity Affairs’ integrated initiative that includes a scholarship program, mentorship program and summer internship program.

“We are continually seeking ways to further engage students as fans and as future employees of the sport,” said Marcus Jadotte, NASCAR vice president, public affairs and multicultural development. “The goal is to create permanent employment prospects for diverse college students entering the work force through viable, real-world opportunities.”

The NASCAR Wendell Scott Scholarship Program provides annual scholarships administered by the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities (HACU) and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). In addition, NASCAR and UPS support a scholarship program for students attending the University of Central Florida, DeVos School of Management which offers a master’s program in sports management.

“UPS’s commitment to diversity extends beyond our workforce, and we’re excited to continue our support with NASCAR in this important initiative,” said Ron Rogowski, UPS vice president, global sponsorships & events.

The scholarships are based on the following award criteria:
§ 3.0 GPA requirement
§ Documented financial need
§ College juniors, seniors and graduate students with majors in: business, communications, engineering, mass media, public relations or technology
§ Participation in the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) is encouraged but not required

2010 UNCF NASCAR/UPS Wendell Scott Scholarship recipients:
· Dionna Shamecca Everett, Clafin University, Camden SC
· Barry Antoine Formey, Saint Augustine’s College, Raleigh, NC
· Latrice Rashon Levels, Huston-Tillotson University, Austin, TX
· Nerrissa Mitchell, Xavier University, New Orleans, LA

2010 HACU NASCAR/UPS Wendell Scott Scholarship recipients:
· Yesenia Arrovo, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
· Jocelyn Baez, Florida International University, Miami, FL
· Neida Ortiz, Florida International University, Miami, FL
· Vanessa Ramos, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

2010 University of Central Florida, DeVos School of Management Scholarship recipients:
· Caitlin Schneider, Class of 2011
· Cristina Ecks, Class of 2011
· Jesse Gardner, Class of 2011
· Kristin Hurst, Class of 2011

Facts about Wendell Scott
Wendell Scott was the first African American driver to win a NASCAR Cup race. He won in NASCAR’s premier series on Dec. 1, 1963, on a 1-mile dirt track in Jacksonville, Fla. Wendell Scott made 495 starts during his career and posted 147 top-10 finishes before retiring in 1973. Scott died in 1990. As part of an ongoing effort to recognize trailblazers in the sport, Wendell Scott was recognized during the Las Vegas Race the weekend of March 4-6, 2011, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of his first start – March 4, 1961 in Spartanburg, SC.

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Posted in Motorsports Education, Scholarships

Video Overview: Motorsports Engineering at Old Dominion U

By Motorsports Student 1 comment »

Today we’ve got an overview of the motorsports engineering technology program at Old Dominion University. Old Dominion, located in Norfolk, VA, teamed up with the New College Institute, in Martinsville, VA, to offer a join program in motorsports engineering. By completing the program, students will earn a B.S. degree in motorsports engineering from Old Dominion. The schools also offer a Master’s degree in motorsports engineering as well.

Here’s a video overview of the program, it’s goals and methods, narrated by Dr. Fred Lopez, the program’s director:

The program is designed to be flexible enough to apply to all realms of automotive technology and engineering, so students can pursue both motorsports jobs and other career paths. Motorsports scholarships are not officially detailed on their website, but general engineering scholarships are available.

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Posted in Motorsports Education, Motorsports Engineering, Motorsports Engineering, Old Dominion

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The Ricky Hendrick Scholarship Fund

By Motorsports Student 1 comment »

If you happen to have a parent who works for the Hendrick Automotive Group, you might be interested in applying for the Ricky Hendrick Scholarship Fund. The Hendrick organization is giving away up to 50 motorsports scholarships worth $2,500 towards higher education.

The motorsports scholarship is very easy to apply for: just provide a transcript, a personal statement and sign the terms of agreement. The Ricky Hendrick Scholarship can be applied to any college and any major. Motorsports engineering and mechanical engineering are both eligible, so if you’re interested in motorsports education this is definitely worth applying for. The scholarship application opens on April 1 and closes on May 31, 2011. Learn more here: https://www.scholarshipprograms.org/hendrick/index.php

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Posted in Motorsports Education, Scholarships

ASA Student Educational Series Sees Growth in 2011

By Motorsports Student 1 comment »

A program that started as a pilot program at Madison International Speedway in 2008, the ASA-Student Educational Series will grow in 2011 to offer students from Ohio Technical College, a motorsports school, the opportunity to extend their education outside of the classroom and earn a motorsports scholarship.

Ohio Technical College came into the program as a partner in the series, which is licensed by the American Speed Association, in 2010. Participants must first be enrolled at Ohio Technical College to be a part of the ASA-Student Educational Series.

ASA-Student Educational Series

Image courtesy of The ASA-Student Educational Series

Students that take part in the ASA-Student Educational Series are given the opportunity to earn points based on their participation in racing activities that determine the value of scholarships that are applied to their motorsports education at Ohio Technical College. A total of $135,000 in motorsports scholarships have been distributed.

In order to participate in the program and earn scholarships, students work with race teams during the summer as they compete weekly at participating ASA member tracks. They complete a log book of their hours, activities and responsibilities, and complete an essay assignment at the beginning and end of the summer detailing their experience, what they expect to learn,  the results of their training and how they will apply it to their motorsports engineering and automotive education.

Students apply the scholarships earned as a result of their summer experiences to programs at Ohio Technical College, including Automotive, Diesel, Auto-Diesel, Collision, Restoration, PowerSports, Manufacturing, and Welding.

The American Speed Association started as a single racing series in 1968 and is now a fast growing racing sanctioning body. The ASA Member Track program is comprised of asphalt and dirt short tracks along with road courses around the United States, as well as a variety of regional and national touring series. ASA-Student Educational Series expects to see growth in the number of ASA Member Tracks offering programs, as well as the number of student participants.

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Posted in Motorsports Education, Ohio Technical College, Scholarships

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