CONCORD, N.C. – At Hendrick Motorsports, science, technology, engineering and math are crucial to success on and off the track.
With that in mind, the organization started the Ignition 2 STEM initiative to focus on explaining how those four education disciplines are utilized in various Hendrick Motorsports careers.
This week marks National Engineers Week, and the purpose is to call attention to the contributions that engineers make to society.
So it seemed like a perfect time to introduce the race engineers for all four Hendrick Motorsports teams.
On Tuesday, the No. 5 team was profiled. Now, it's the No. 24 team's turn.
MATT BARNDT
Race engineer for the No. 24 team
Where are you from and how did you begin at Hendrick Motorsports?
I am from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. I moved to North Carolina for school, interned at Hendrick Motorsports while obtaining my degree, and then got hired full time when I graduated.
Where did you go to school?
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering with a concentration in motorsports.
How would you describe your job?
Essentially, the biggest part of my job is collecting data and, as efficiently as possible, parsing through that data. That would include everything from driver input data (throttle percentage, brake pressure, steering input, etc.) to track data collected at tests (travels and other such metrics that we aren't able to collect on race weekends), to running the database where we store all of car's setup information.
How does your job translate to success on the track?
A big part of my role on the team is supplying Jeff (Gordon) with as much information as I can to help him understand where he is either performing very well on the track or where we could increase our performance. I help to connect the dots between car performance and driver performance. That is huge in helping our car go faster. I also aid in the communication between the engineering side of the team and the mechanic side of the team. Having strong communication skills helps to ensure that all teammates are informed on what changes to make and what changes have been made.
How do you use STEM in your career?
On a daily basis. Math and science (particularly physics) are used in calculating pit-road speed and fuel mileage along with simulations. Engineering and technology are used to make our jobs more efficient and effective, in turn making our racecars at Hendrick Motorsports more successful.
What was your most important (or favorite) subject in school?
I would have to say that my enjoyment in both math and science drove me toward working in the engineering industry.
Do you have any advice for kids who might want to get into racing to follow in your footsteps?
Work hard. There isn't much else to it. If you put everything you have into something, anything is possible. It may be a cliché, but it is the truth. Jobs in this industry may be more difficult to come by than your typical Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. desk job, but if you work hard at obtaining the necessary skills, your work will be noticed.
What was your first job that relates to your current position?
Growing up I raced for my personal race team. It was basically a full-time job with the upkeep and the constant drive and desire to do better. We raced locally for four years and traveled nationally for the next 13 years after that. That drove my passion for the sport and is ultimately the reason that I pushed so hard to get a job here at Hendrick Motorsports.
TOM GRAY
Race engineer for the No. 24 team
Where are you from and how did you begin at Hendrick Motorsports?
I am from Indianapolis, Indiana. Before coming to Hendrick Motorsports I was an engineer for Evernham Motorsports, and prior to that I was a crew chief and also driver in the Late Model/ARCA/ASA divisions.
Where did you go to school?
Purdue University, where I majored in mechanic engineering technology.
How would you describe your job?
My job kind of encompasses a little bit of everything. I work a lot with the simulation tool to produce setups for the car that are the best compromise of speed and handling. The simulation tool is a lot like a high performance video game for lack of a better term, and enables us to tune the car to Jeff's comments. During the week I might also help in designing new chassis and components that are driven by ideas we have at the track in order to help increase the speed of the car. Then there are the special projects that can be more hands on, such as research and development, testing and validation, and involve working with the parts on the car and the different machines that we have here at Hendrick Motorsports. So overall there is a lot of variety in my job, which is a lot of fun, but can also be pretty time-demanding.
How does your job translate to success on the track?
A lot of the work that I do directly impacts the performance of the car in terms of the setup and suspension pieces. The race engineers and the crew chief will collaborate on the ideas that ultimately make up the setup of the car and will collaborate on tuning the car and strategy during the race. I also handle fuel mileage and prediction during the race, which we factor into decisions on the overall race and tire strategy.
How do you use STEM in your career?
I use Science, Technology, Engineering and Math on a daily basis. From crunching data with a computer to designing parts and evaluating performance; those topics are interlaced with almost everything that we do. Computer programming and app development is one area of growing popularity in the sport, so right now there is a lot of focus on that, which encompasses a lot of technology.
What was your most important (or favorite) subject in school?
In high school my favorite subject was probably geometry. In college my favorite subject was probably statistics and strength of materials. I had great teachers for those classes, and that was a big part of making it fun.
Do you have any advice for kids who might want to get into racing to follow in your footsteps?
A lot of people think that working in racing involves getting your hands dirty, grease, oil, etc. And don't get me wrong, it definitely is about that, but that is definitely not everything. Just because you are a good mechanic doesn't necessarily mean that you are going to be a good racer. It takes both sides of it, it takes being a good mechanic, but also understanding the concepts that you are applying with the wrenches. The best racers can optimize their cars using Science, Technology, Engineering or Math and those individuals will always have an advantage on the competition. So getting involved in those topics and understanding why you are doing what you are doing will enable you to be creative and adapt that technology quicker than the competition, and ultimately that is what it takes to be a winner.
What was your first job that relates to your current position?
My first job (that I got paid for) that involved race cars was when I was 18 years old and got a job with Riley and Scott, Indianapolis. It was my responsibility to do a lot of the carbon fiber interior fabrication and assembly on the World Sports Cars at the time. Some of those cars went on to win the Daytona 24 Hours race, which was pretty cool. It was a great experience and I am glad I had that opportunity.