FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis’ annual Motorsports Day takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, Oct. 9, in front of Taylor Hall, 815 W. Michigan St., on the IUPUI campus.
For almost a decade, Motorsports Day has given students and racing fans a first-hand glimpse into the world of racing. Team representatives from all forms of racing provide an insider’s view, including displays of vehicles, uniforms, equipment and more.
Students and fans will have the opportunity to explore Indy Cars and vehicles from the Indy Lights and Pro Mazda series as well as the Andretti Autosport hauler and IUPUI’s FSAE car, part of a student design competition organized by SAE International (formerly known as the Society of Automotive Engineers).
Panel discussions include Purdue School of Engineering and Technology’s Motorsports Engineering graduates who currently work in various aspects of racing. Race engineers from Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport — both with operations in Central Indiana — will be featured as well. The panel discussions will take place in UC 104.
Motorsports Day showcases the nation’s only motorsports engineering program, part of the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology’s unique initiative to increase the number of graduates in the STEM areas of science, technology, engineering and math.
More than 100 students from around the country — and even the world — are working toward their motorsports dreams in the “Racing Capital of the World.” This year, about 140 students are enrolled, representing more than a dozen states and such international homes as Venezuela, Hong Kong, Ukraine, India, Bolivia, Italy, Japan, Colombia, Taiwan, Greece, China, Canada and Mexico.
These students experience a variety of racetrack opportunities and internship placements, and then launch right into full-time engineering roles with professional race teams after graduation. Job placements in racing and automotive companies include Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing, Cummins, Toyota, Penske South and Schmidt Peterson.
“The IUPUI Motorsports Engineering program has worked hard to develop synergy with the incredibly active Indiana motorsports industry,” said Pete Hylton, associate professor and director of motorsports engineering. “Thanks to our partners in the industry, Motorsports Day is an extraordinary event for anyone who has a passion for motorsports.”
About Motorsports at IUPUI:
Located in the heart of Indianapolis, the “Racing Capital of the World,” IUPUI has much to offer in motorsports, and its programs are producing impressive results and garnering national attention. In 2008, IUPUI became the first university in the United States to offer a bachelor’s degree in motorsports engineering, and the university continues to develop programs encompassing all aspects of the sport. From a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in motorsports engineering to a motorsports technology certificate or master’s concentration offered by the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI, to a variety of racetrack opportunities and outstanding internship placements, the motorsports programs at IUPUI continue to thrive.
About the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI:
The mission of the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI is to be one of the best urban university leaders in the disciplines of engineering and technology recognized locally, nationally and internationally. The school’s goal is to provide students an education that will give them the leverage to be leaders in their communities, industry and society.