ABOUT THE NASCAR TECHNICAL INSTITUTE CAMPUS

John Dodson had worked in professional racing since the late 1970s. His father was a National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) driver and when John was a senior in high school, he started changing tires at the Daytona 500.

In 1989, John was the tire changer for NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace, and he worked for several hall of fame NASCAR drivers during his more than 20-year journey in professional racing as a NASCAR crew member and team manager.

When Universal Technical Institute (UTI) wanted to build a campus on the strength of an exclusive educational relationship with NASCAR in Mooresville, North Carolina, John became the school's first Senior Education Manager. After succeeding in a stimulating environment filled with race cars, checkered flags and lots of travel, John was open to a career change.

He used his NASCAR expertise to design the program that is now more than 20 years strong since the 2002 opening of the Mooresville, NC, NASCAR Technical Institute campus.

NASCAR Tech isn’t just focused on the NASCAR-specialized training program it offers. The school trains students in areas including UTI’s core Automotive, CNC Machining, Welding, HVACR and Robotics & Automation programs. The campus also offers two Manufacturer-Specific Advanced Training (MSAT) programs: Ford Accelerated Credential Training (FACT) and Mopar Technical Education Curriculum (Mopar TEC).¹¹

John is just one example of experienced faculty members who have brought their unique, real-world experiences to this campus. Just as NASCAR Tech has been on the cutting-edge of what it offers to those who want to work in NASCAR professionally, its well-rounded programs continue to provide innovative opportunities to students interested in learning in-demand trades and how to become a NASCAR mechanic.²⁴

Location, Location, Location

Mooresville is also known as Race City USA. The small community about 28 miles from Charlotte is home to many NASCAR professional teams and drivers. Charlotte is the home of NASCAR Plaza, which includes the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the site where NASCAR.com operates.

The Mooresville location enables students to become part of the NASCAR community by offering an honors course, an exclusive student-built Spec Engine program, in which a select number of students who qualify are able to build engines that compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East division.

In the professional day-to-day world of racing, the presence of the NASCAR Mooresville, NC, campus is strong.

Ready To Go Full Throttle

Because the NASCAR Technician Training program at the Mooresville campus is a student-paid elective, interested students will need to complete the core automotive training program as a prerequisite, either at NASCAR Technical Institute or another UTI campus.

John says about 80% of students who attend NASCAR Tech plan to work in dealerships after graduation.⁵ The MSAT programs that are offered provide students with the opportunity to dive deeper into diagnostics and master particular brands.

While the curriculum is consistent with UTI training nationwide, some of the tools and training Mooresville offers is focused more on high performance because of the manufacturer relationships the campus has.

The CNC Machining Technology program is also unique to the Mooresville campus, as it is the only UTI campus to offer the program. The CNC program was introduced in 2017, with the first class of graduates completing the program in April 2018. No automotive prerequisites are required to enroll in the program.

CNC machines produce everything from cell phones to golf clubs to high-performing engine parts. Doug Yates, president and CEO of Roush Yates Engines in Mooresville, approached NASCAR Tech about the need for quality CNC technicians. NASCAR Tech decided to create the 36-week CNC Machining Technology program, which trains graduates to work in diverse industries that use CNC machinery, including automotive, health care and aerospace.^1.4

Instructors Who Care

Like John, Glenn has decades of experience in the professional racing industry. He was an engine builder for Kyle Petty and Petty Enterprises and built IndyCar engines, among other diverse racing experiences.

He began working at NASCAR Tech in 2003 and knew John and John’s brothers from their NASCAR days. Glenn helped John develop the NASCAR curriculum at NASCAR Tech and was an instructor for about a year before becoming Education Manager.

Glenn says he is often approached by parents at graduation who tell him how their son or daughter has radically changed in the year or so they have been at the school. He frequently hears that students become more mature, grown-up and adept at life skills at NASCAR Tech, which makes him proud.

Glenn adds that if a passion for racing, automotive or another field is in a student’s blood, hard work and dedication can help them fulfill their dreams.

A Close-Knit Campus

Beyond the expert training students at NASCAR Tech receive, they also become connected with a team that’s in their corner to help them succeed in their training.

The NASCAR Tech team is there to help students with relocation and housing assistance and there are several student organizations on campus geared toward creating memorable experiences for students. We also have a Veterans’ Lounge, where our military veteran students can connect with each other in a dedicated space just for them.

NASCAR Tech’s Student Services team continuously seeks out opportunities for student activities, entertainment and community volunteering, like drag race and GoPro go-kart events; discounted event tickets when available; blood drives for community blood banks; and Adopt-A-Highway sponsorships, just to name a few.

Jennifer says that because at least two-thirds of students relocate to attend school at NASCAR Tech, making sure students feel at home is key. She says student achievement is the core focus of any UTI campus and the inclusive culture at NASCAR Tech is no exception.

Interested in learning more about NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina? Visit our NASCAR Tech page.