You don't have to be a driver to fhave a career in motorsports.
Race car drivers, dirt bike riders and even the support crew working on Pit Row get all the attention but, if you are interested in a career in motorsports, many other options to get into the motorsports world exists. Careers in motorsports include, for example, advertising, marketing, and communications, race track management, emergency response personnel and automotive engineering.
Advertising, Communications and Marketing
The industry of motorsports consists of many leagues, associations and individual tracks. NASCAR, Formula One, Nationwide, NHRA are the names most motorsport fans recognize. However, there are many regional and local leagues. And they all require staff to promote and market their events. You can find careers in publicity, advertising and event management. The typical work duties range from publicizing a national event or promoting a famous driver to hanging up flyers at the local fire hall or setting up race times on a local race track’s website.
To get into this type of work, you'll need a communications, writing or marketing degree; several years of entry-level experience at an agency or private company, preferably in event planning or promotion. Salaries can anywhere from the mid-twenties for entry level to six figures for an experienced director in a large racing organization.
Garage Crew
The crew who works on Pit Row for everyone to see on Saturday nights or Sunday afternoons is just one part of the team who develops, maintains and repairs race cars, motor bikes and trucks. All the major racing teams have large garage support staffs as do many of the smaller teams and leagues as well. Garage work includes engine mechanics, body repair staff and assistants who wheel around tires, haul gallons of oil and gas and clean-up the garage floor. Garage work can also be found in manufacturers of motorsports including tire manufacturers such as Bridgestone and Firestone or auto manufacturers such as Ford and Toyota.
You need no experience or training to start out in this career. You can begin as an assistant or an apprentice and work your way up. Mechanics find training and certification at trade schools to get into garages. Salaries can be as low as single-digit hourly wages, while the best in the business can earn a significant salary in the fifties or sixties.
Race Track Management
With race tracks all over the world, careers in race track management are an attractive way to enter the motorsport world. Of course, you won’t begin your career operating the Brickyard in Indianapolis. If you are serious about career as a race track manger, you’ll need to earn your degree in business management, administration or marketing, and start work, most likely, either running a small, local track or in a support role in one of the larger tracks. You’ll need to learn book your racing schedule, promote the races, keep the track in working order and have a good sense of emergency management when there are crashes. You’ll also need to know attract sponsorships, build partnerships, manage money and supervise people as you build your racing empire.
Racing tracking management usually get their experience from the inside, working their way up the line, or moving from venue to venue. New business management grads might land themselves a management job out of school, but that type of career move is rare. Salary depends on venue and experience. Some rack track managers in the largest of venues can reach salaries in excess of six figures while the smallest tracks might not even crack $20,000 in salary. This type of job is more about lifestyle than dollar amounts and most of the men and women running these tracks understand and embrace this career field.
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