Getting Involved!

[Garrett]

I was wondering if anyone knows the best route to take as getting involved into motorsports, mainly Le Mans and ALMS, on the engineering side of it. I am currently enrolled into a 2-year college planning to transfer to a 4-year university, probably Georgia Tech. I have heard aerospace and mechanical engineering are the degrees to get. Also, one other question I have is how can someone become a crewmember for a team, i.e. a tire changer, refuler, etc.?

[Fab]

In France, I'd say : contact the teams, they always look for new members.

But in USA, I don't know... Tim could certainly help, but he's at Sebring today !

[Garrett]

Thaks for the info Fab. But, who is Tim??

[Fab]

Tim Northcutt, one of our faithfull and dedicated members...

I mentionned Tim, but we've a bunch of Techs here around !

[paul-collins]

MulsanneMike would have some ideas as well.

[Andrew Gunnell]

Hi Garret

I am in my final year of a Motorsport Engineering degree course at Coventry University in the UK. I got involved in marshalling at hill climbs and circuits, because I could not get any work experince. But I would say to you is look at the smaller teams in a local championship to get your experince then try the bigger ones, becasue the bigger teams be more likely to take you on if you have some experince already.

[skycafe]

Originally Posted by Andrew Gunnell

Hi Garret

I am in my final year of a Motorsport Engineering degree course at Coventry University in the UK. I got involved in marshalling at hill climbs and circuits, because I could not get any work experince. But I would say to you is look at the smaller teams in a local championship to get your experince then try the bigger ones, becasue the bigger teams be more likely to take you on if you have some experince already.

Indeed. Join SCCA and become a worker, or join, and start to assist a car owner that lives near you. They will be happy for the help and to help you. You may start out cleaning up grungy parts and learning. At the same time you are gaining experience you are also learning things at school that may be of assistance. Old dogs can learn new tricks, and a fresh set of eyes helping to figure out a suspension setting or how to route lines to keep them from chaffing and failing during a race is always welcome. You will probably need to provide your own food and such, because club racers put their money into pistons and the like, but at the end of the day there will probably be a cold soda or beer for you--and a car that needs lots of cleaning, checking and rebuilding for the next race weekend.

Join SCCA and go to your local meetings and network and find people.

robert