On March 6, 2024, forty-eight Midway Middle School 8th graders learned how Richard Childress Racing uses STEM disciplines in NASCAR race operations. Eric Kominek, the Technical Director for NASCAR & XFINITY Series, Richard Childress Racing, located in North Carolina, presented the lesson in a Zoom meeting.
Mr. Kominek explained and showed how Richard Childress uses STEM disciplines in their race operations in the design of cars, the technology used to monitor cars and teams on race day, and simulators to prepare drivers and test equipment in all aspects of their business.
He also shared about the many career areas within RCR that lean heavily on STEM-related skills. Some job categories include Metrology, Test/Data Acquisition, Damper (Shocks), Simulator Operators, and Engine Tuners. Mr. Kominek encouraged students to take advantage of opportunities to develop those skills in school.
This photograph shows how RCR uses simulations from a wind tunnel to see where air forces are strongest on the car’s surface.