|
Auto racing is one of the fastest growing sports in America, second only to the NFL in network TV ratings. Therefore, it was not surprising that Panoz Racing School at Road Atlanta was experiencing growing pains. Having seen its fleet of 16 racing cars grow to more than 50, it was desperate for specialized motorsports mechanics to keep the cars racing safely. While in the past the racing school had recruited mechanics from local automobile dealerships, it now needed people already prepared for the professional and psychological demands inherent to the racing industry. On the recommendation of an employee and former student of Lanier Technical College, Steve Jenner and Chris Sperry of Panoz Racing approached Lanier Tech with a unique opportunity. Would the college be interested in collaborating with Panoz Racing School to create an accredited Motorsports Vehicle Technology program?
“The timing could not have been better,” says Dr. Joe E. Hill, president of Lanier Tech. The college’s previous automobile technology program had closed eight months earlier, and the facilities had yet to be assigned another use. Where to begin though? Not only would this program be unique to the state of Georgia, but it would also be the first of its kind in the country.
With help from Panoz Racing, Lanier Tech developed an 18-month curriculum. The first year entails study both in the classroom and in the field. On top of math, English and computer skills, students combine classwork and hands-on lab work in order to acquire the technological, marketing and psychological skills required by the sport. Says Hughes, “Racing is full of highs and lows and long hours. Part of being on a winning team is being able to handle those extremes.” After completing the first year, the students enter an intensive six-month apprenticeship program at the racing school. There, under the tutelage of a mentor, they apply the learned skills to real-life situations. “I am constantly amazed at how high tech the industry is,” says Dr. Hill.
When all is said and done, the program will represent an investment of more than $2 million, a large part of which is from donations. “Now that the sponsors see the quality of the students and curriculum, they are gung-ho,” says Hughes.
Lanier Tech is now in the final stages of developing an associate degree program that will offer graduates the economic, business and management skills necessary to open a high-performance engine shop. By fall 2001, the degree will offer yet one more opportunity in a career that many see as limitless and, with a salary range of $40,000 to $100,000, extremely profitable. Even if students decide that the racing lifestyle is not for them, the graduates will possess the technical skills desirable to many industries today. “We are teaching a transferable skill,” says Hughes. Besides motorsports mechanics, graduates will be prepared to succeed in many fields, including product research, design and development, facility management, racing publicity and industry sales.
|
The first step was to find an instructor. After launching a national search, the college found the perfect candidate right at home. Bud Hughes, a former teacher at East
Hall High School in Gainesville, has been a
racing enthusiast since childhood. Involved with all varieties of racing, from circle track to drag racing, Hughes thought the program would provide “a unique opportunity for people not previously connected with the industry to enter into this competitive sport.”
With the generosity of some of motorsport’s biggest names, Lanier Tech has been able to convert an out-of-date garage into a state-of-the-art automotive shop. Each student has a transmission and engine to work on; Panoz Racing School has donated not only several chassis and manuals, but also a race car for the college to use during promotional events. In addition, the program will soon receive a car from a Winston Cup Team, a Craftsman Series truck, and an Indy car.
The future certainly seems bright for the Motorsports Vehicle Technology program. Technical colleges from around the country have inquired about starting such a program; Lanier Tech continues to attract interested candidates from Georgia and around the world. For the inaugural class, which started in January 2001, the school faced the challenge of selecting 16 students from more than 40 applicants.
No matter where the program’s needs are five years from now, Lanier Tech will certainly rise to the challenge.
Notes Dr. Hill, “Lanier Tech’s mission is workforce development. In tune with that focus, we have to be responsive to, and proactive in, meeting the needs of businesses and industries. Development of the motorsports program is just one example of doing that. Our graduates will fill positions that currently have critical shortages and enable the racing industry to continue to increase its revenue.” 
