Look out Georgia Tech. Here comes NASCAR Tech.
In its quest to slap a license on every conceivable corner of the automotive aftermarket, NASCAR last week announced an "educational partnership" with Universal Technical Institute, a technical school that trains mechanics.
The first NASCAR Technical Institute is scheduled to open near Charlotte in the spring of 2001, with room for up to 1,800 automotive and body repair students in its planned 130,000-square-foot school. UTI also will offer six-week, NASCAR-branded elective courses to students at its other campuses.
The licensing agreement gives UTI's program unrivaled brand recognition, particularly considering NASCAR's popularity among those interested in making a career of working on cars.
Along with licensing revenue and further penetration for its trademark, NASCAR gets potential entry-level members for its race team crews.
"We did our homework, and UTI is the industry leader for high-quality technician training," said George Pyne, vice president of marketing for NASCAR. "Our partnership will provide students with a solid technical education for a career in the automotive industry. This will also create a pool from which teams can draw entry-level NASCAR technicians."
In the three years since it was launched, NASCAR's automotive aftermarket program has grown to blanket the category. The series has slapped its brand on batteries, shock absorbers, oils and brakes, among other automotive components.
To build an attractive product for those licensees, NASCAR created NASCAR Garage, a corner of its media program tailored for those who work in the auto industry. The initiative includes a weekly television show and national radio show.
