Senior Mike Goettner won’t need very many notebooks or pencils next year at college. Instead, a toolbox might be of better use to him while attending the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina.
Goettner got his start in the mechanical industry by working with his dad at a family-owned shop in Kingsville for the last few years. “One big part of working for him is maintaining the equipment and fixing what is wrong with it so I have had some time and experience working in that field,” he said.
Goettner will further his knowledge in mechanics with the hands on program offered at NTI, where he will learn the ins and outs of engines and working in the racing industry while also learning the history, rules, and regulations of NASCAR.
Since Goettner is such a huge fan of the sport, going to college in what is known as Race City, USA, only makes sense to him. Mooresville is not only home to NTI but also to multiple racing attractions like historical NASCAR museums and the race team headquarters of top drivers, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kyle Busch, and Kasey Kahne. It is also located just 40 minutes north of Charlotte, North Carolina, home to Charlotte Motor Speedway which hosts popular events like the Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte 300, and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
These factors will help familiarize Goettner with the industry.
“I have wanted to be a part of the [NASCAR] organization for a number of years, and I thought that it would be an easy way to get into it,” Goettner said. The program is taught by racing industry professionals with at least five years experience in the field.
The decision Goettner made to go to NTI “was an easy choice for me because I love working on cars and trucks as a hobby, and I like to watch NASCAR. I am a big fan of it,” he said.
Being a huge racing fan, Goettner attends at least one NASCAR event each year at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware.
One of his favorite memories from a race came when “Kyle Busch got hit from behind on a turn by his teammate, Joey Lagano, on the last lap. Kyle and Joey then got passed by Brad Keslowski and Brad ended up winning the race,” Goettner said.
After participating in the year-and-a-half-long NASCAR training program, Goettner won’t need any further education to start his career as an entry-level automotive technician in the industry. He will not have to take refresher courses to update his current knowledge until technological advancements are made.
“My plan is to get into a good organization in the business and work my way up through the ranks,” Goettner said. “My dream job would be working as a crew member and being a big factor on why the driver won the race.”
Taylor Schafer is the Lifestyles Editor for “The Patriot” and jcpatriot.com.