PROGRAM NEWSLETTER
Volume 1 Issue 3 – Fall 2011
The Winston-Salem State University
show car has created quite an
exciting semester for students. Since
the show car became part of our
program, it has made three
appearances including Martinsville
Speedway,
Charlotte
Motor
Speedway
and the
NASCAR
Kinetics team’s viewing party at
Bowman Gray Stadium in October.
I must say the new addition has
created quite a stir.
Being a part of the show car team
has definitely been a learning
experience. What may seem like a
simple task is not always as easy as
it appears. The show car team, led
by MSM senior, Marcia Tealer, spent
the semester learning all the ins and
outs of unloading, loading, and
placement of the car. The car has
been a great asset because it
draws interest to the program and
serves as a learning tool for
individuals at the track, around the
university and in the community. In
addition, it is a great tool for the
MSM students to learn the critical
business of utilizing a show car within
the industry.
The first appearance that the car
made was at the Charlotte Motor
Speedway. After that experience
at a major NASCAR venue, we
moved on to the NASCAR Kinetics
viewing party at Bowman Gray
Stadium. The Kinetics team was
comprised of students in the
motorsports management program
and the sports management
program. As a part of their
preparation, students are given the
task of planning, organizing, and
implementing a NASCAR viewing
party geared towards students at
The Launch of Our Show Car Program
Written by Lindsey Troutman, Senior
the university and surrounding
community. The show car was a
central element of this semester’s
Kinetics team’s viewing party. For
many of the students at the
university, this event provided them
their first chance to see a show car.
This
appearance
generated
interest,
conversations
and
questions from other students about
the program.
The car’s final appearance this
semester
was
at
Martinsville
Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint
Cup weekend. The team worked at
the speedway Friday through
Sunday enlightening the public
regarding
our
program
and
collecting interest cards from those
who wished to receive more
information. Each day, we set up
the display, collected interest cards
about the program and provided
additional information to those who
wanted to know more about the
university or the program. It was
very interesting to talk to people
who said that they never knew a
program of this kind existed. As we
explained what the program offers,
we often heard people saying that
they wished a program of this sort
had existed when they were in
college.
Next semester, we will be back on
the road with the show car. We are
still working on next semester’s show
car schedule, which will be released
as soon the semester begins. For
those who want to keep up with
where the show car will be next,
‘Like’ our Facebook page – WSSU
Motorsports Management – for
updated photos and semester
activities at the track and around
the community. We want to say
again “Thanks” to Richard Childress
and RCR for donating the car! We
hope to see you at all of our events
next semester. Happy New Year
from the show car team!
Fall Semester WSSU Show Car Team
Marcia Tealer (Captain)
Toby Parese
Theo Searcy
Lindsey Troutman
2011-2011 Speaker Series
Written by Kyle Zimmerman, Freshman
During the fall semester, we hosted
several guest speakers. Take a look
at who came to speak about their
industry experiences:
John Babcock
Mr. Babcock has been practicing
law within motorsports for over 20
years. Sports law is a very in-depth,
time-consuming
practice
that
demands care and precision. He
has worked with major companies
concerning corporate sponsorships
for teams competing in NASCAR.
Mr. Babcock explained that the task
of ensuring your clients’ safety in
high-stakes
negotiations
takes
experience and dedication. He also
introduced
strategies
and
techniques
for
motorsports
management students who may be
interested in the marketing realm of
motorsports.
Candy Borreson
Ms. Borreson has more than 20 years
of experience as a marketer
involved with motorsport. Most
recently, she served as Vice
President of Marketing at Keystone
Marketing Company, where she
directed the efforts for the agency’s
clients, including Pfizer, Hershey,
Kraft, GNC, and a host of others.
She
currently
consults
with
international
packaged
goods
companies
providing
brand
marketing expertise. As a former
Marketing Manager at Planters
LifeSavers Company, a division of
Nabisco, she launched the Baby
Ruth sponsorship of the Junior
Johnson race team with driver Terry
Labonte in 1987 as her first contact
with the sport. She shared a case
study of that launch, which
described key marketing objectives
and how they were met while
operating on a limited budget.
Kurt Culbert
Kurt Culbert is currently a Vice
President at Taylor Strategy in
Charlotte, NC. Mr. Culbert works
exclusively in the motorsports
marketing division. He got a great
start as a sports writer and then
went into marketing in motorsports.
Taylor has become a leader in
sports marketing by focusing on a
2
limited number of high profile
clients. The world of marketing is
undergoing vast evolution as the
social media generation expands.
Experts like Kurt Culbert forge
ahead with vision and innovation as
leaders of the industry.
Robert Edelstein
Robert Edelstein visited WinstonSalem State University to speak with
students about the history of
NASCAR. Mr. Edelstein is the
exclusive motorsports writer for TV
Guide, and has numerous books
published about the world of
motorsports. Mr. Edelstein’s latest
book, NASCAR Legends Memorable
Men, Moments, and Machines in
Racing History, is a great read for
anyone who is interested at the fan
level or in a career in the world of
NASCAR. Mr. Edelstein captures the
iconic figures of NASCAR’s past and
present.
Kevin Hamblin
Mr.
Hamblin
is
a
former
championship race car driver from
the west coast who manages the
Richard Childress Racing (RCR)
Social Media program. He is also a
track spotter, most recently for Clint
Bowyer. Mr. Hamblin shared his
experience directing and operating
the social media sites at RCR. He
provided
the
students
with
guidelines for operating a successful
motorsports social media program
and shared criteria that he believes
are necessary for success using this
medium. Also on the program with
Mr. Hamblin was MSM student
Tiffany Zielke, whose employment at
RCR is a result of her education at
WSSU. Ms. Zielke spoke about her
experiences working with social
media at RCR and shared her
perspective as a new professional in
the field of motorsports.
David Hoots
David Hoots has served as the head
of race control for NASCAR’s Sprint
Cup Series for over 20 years. Mr.
Hoots has been the race director for
NASCAR in its top tier series, as well
as the director of races for the
Nationwide and Camping World
Truck series. In addition, Mr. Hoots
shared with the students that during
his offseason, he lays out the
schedule for every race, down to
the minute. He explained that
television time slots are the key
element to any sport’s success.
When the cameras roll for a live
event, everything must be ready,
and for over 20 years David Hoots
has helped NASCAR reach new
levels in TV ratings and on-track
competition. Mr. Hoots is a referee,
director, and producer; he has one
of the most challenging jobs in all of
NASCAR, and it was a great
privilege to have him visit WSSU.
Duncan Lee
Mr. Lee worked for the RJ Reynolds
International branch, working with
the Williams Formula 1 team until
the tobacco industry reduced its
role in race sponsorships. Formula 1
is the highest level of motorsports in
the world, attracting millions of fans
every time there is a race. This
popularity of Formula 1 generates a
high demand in advertising and
marketing. The opportunity for
exposure to millions of fans can be
a very successful platform for
companies to launch their products,
and Mr. Lee was at the forefront of
RJ Reynolds International in Formula
1. Also, Mr. Lee directed and
organized the Camel Trophy, an
annual off-road event that often
took place in rainforests or desert
conditions. Sharing strategies for
effective personal networking and
for working in foreign countries, Mr.
Lee’s advice will be extremely useful
to those who attended the lecture.
Shawn Stewart
Shawn Stewart is the membership
director for the North Carolina
Motorsports Association (NCMA).
Speaking with students in the
motorsports governance class, Mr.
Stewart gave valuable information
on some of the efforts being made
by the NCMA to continue to make
North Carolina the motorsports
capitol of the world. Motorsports is
Story continues on page 3…
WSSU Motorsport Management – Program Newsletter – Volume 1 Issue 3 – Fall 2011
Dropping Everything
Written by Kyle Zimmerman, Freshman
Growing up in my hometown of
Leslie, Michigan, I was able to say I
knew everyone. After all, I came
from a town of 1400 people, many
of whom frequented my family’s
restaurant, where I worked from
ages 13 to 24. After high school
graduation, I went to work for the
United States Postal Service, where I
was a rural carrier in Eaton Rapids,
MI. Working full-time for my
grandfather at night, and nearly fulltime for the Postal Service, I was a
successful adult by the time I
reached my 20s. I purchased a
home at age 20, owned two
vehicles, and had attended a few
years of community college.
Somewhere in those 80-hour weeks,
I asked myself if what I was doing
really made me happy. I realized
that I was not being fulfilled in the
happiness department.
Then, a
friend and I vacationed in North
Carolina for the Coca-Cola 600 in
2010. Along the way, we spent
Saturday night in Winston-Salem,
and I attended my first race at
Bowman Gray Stadium. That’s when
I knew I wasn’t happy with my
current life. I heard the public
address announcer advertise the
Winston-Salem
State
University
Motorsports Management Program.
Although I didn’t act on it right
away, I planned a vacation to
come back to Winston-Salem in
August 2010. After several months of
encouragement from my friend, I
finally contacted Dr. Teague to set
up a meeting during my next visit.
When I got the chance to sit down
with Dr. Teague, he explained to
me the opportunities that the
program provided, the industry
professionals that supported the
program, as well as the hands-on
learning experiences in which
students
were
allowed
to
participate. After our one-on-one
meeting, I was sold. I went back to
Michigan, informed my employers
of my plans to leave, and listed my
house for sale. I pretty much sold
everything I owned, packed what
was left into my Dodge Nitro, and
headed south in October of 2010
3
bound for my
Clemmons, NC.
new
home
in
My participation in just one
semester
in
the
Motorsports
Management
program
has
provided me with various learning
experiences that I will cherish for a
lifetime. The guest speakers, the
experiential learning trips, and the
knowledge
gained
from
my
instructors
in
the
Motorsports
Management program are the
most valuable learning experiences
for anyone interested in a career in
this industry. Between Dr. Teague,
Mr. Bear, and Ms. Conway, there
are over 50 years of motorsports
Industry experience. I am thankful
every day for the experience I am
living
at
Winston-Salem
State
University and for pursuing a career
in my one true lifelong passion,
motorsports. I enjoy my classmates,
my teachers, and every guest from
the industry that shares the
knowledge they have gained over
the
years.
The
Motorsports
Management program offers the
best way to network and gain the
requisite
knowledge
and
understanding of the industry. I
know it is going to turn my dreams
into reality one day. With hard work
and determination, I will achieve
my goals and dreams.
Oh, and in case you were
wondering about my friend who
accompanied me on my first trip to
North Carolina…Kathryn and I were
married on July 1st, 2011. That’s
been another dream come true.
the official sport of North Carolina,
and it has a proud heritage. Mr.
Stewart shared how North Carolina
has provided successful incentives
to teams and companies involved
in the motorsports industry, making
North
Carolina
the
most
economically friendly state in the
United States for racing. The North
Carolina economy sees hundreds
of millions of dollars of revenue
generated annually, not just in
NASCAR but in all forms of
motorsports. It is the goal of the
NCMA to continue to help North
Carolina provide a business-friendly
economy for those companies and
to continue to grow the local
economy by creating new job
opportunities in North Carolina for
people who are passionate about
racing.
Chris Yoder
Chris Yoder is the Director of
Logistics for Penske Racing.
He
visited
with
Motorsports
Management majors to speak
about career opportunities in the
field of
logistics.
Mr.
Yoder
described his role at Penske Racing,
located in Mooresville, NC, which is
home to the Penske teams in
NASCAR and the IZOD Indy Car
series. Mr. Yoder is responsible for
getting all the equipment to and
from the venues and ensuring that
every member of the team gets
there and back on time. This may
sound easy, but in the summer
months -- with over 10 semi-trucks
on the road full-time -- making sure
they get replenished with proper
supplies for the crews, and their
drivers, can be a daunting task.
Chris Yoder is without a doubt one
of the hardest working people in
motorsports, but he is living a dream
and says he is thankful for every
challenge. He shared with students
his experiences in operations and
crisis management. He also traced
his career path and the challenges
of
entering
the
industry.
Understanding his role at Penske
and his career journey was helpful
to the students.
We thank these individuals for
coming to WSSU and speaking
about their own personal and
professional growth within the sport.
WSSU Motorsport Management – Program Newsletter – Volume 1 Issue 3 – Fall 2011
Three
Generations of
Motorsports
Written by Mikela Norman,
Sophomore
Winston-Salem, NC is a city full of
racing history, including the onetime NASCAR Cup Series sponsor,
R.J. Reynolds, and the longest
running weekly NASCAR track,
Bowman Gray Stadium.
Out of
Winston-Salem also comes the
Norman family, which consists of
three generations of motorsports
professionals: Whitey Norman, Mike
Norman and Mikela Norman.
The first generation of motorsports
professionals in the Norman family is
Whitey Norman. Nicknamed Whitey
for his blond hair, Whitey competed
in twenty-nine Sprint Cup Series
races from 1956-1959. He raced at
several tracks, including Bowman
Gray Stadium, Daytona Beach,
Darlington Raceway, Martinsville
Speedway,
North
Wilkesboro
Speedway
and
various
road
courses. His finishing results at the
Cup level include eight top tens
and three top fives, with his best
finish a second-place finish at
Langhorne Speedway in 1957.
Whitey was also a regular at
Bowman Gray Stadium, collecting
eight wins in his career and a
second-place
finish
in
the
championship standings in 1961.
Throughout his racing career,
Whitey won more than 160 races on
Whitey’s No. 11 Modified
pavement
and
dirt
from
Pennsylvania to Florida. Whitey was
recently inducted into the Legends
Hall of Fame in Danville, VA for his
contribution to the pioneering of
the NASCAR Cup Level of racing.
Up next is Mike Norman, the second
generation of Norman motorsports.
Mike has attended auto racing
events since he was a child
watching his father, Whitey, race
and has been associated with
NASCAR modified racing for a
number of years. Mike has driven
the pace car at Bowman Gray
Stadium for over twenty years and
has sponsored multiple racecars in
the Modified division. Waiting until
he thought he could “afford”
racing, Mike started racing in the
NASCAR Modifieds in 2009. In his
first year of racing, Mike finished
seventh in two races at Franklin
County
Speedway
and
Ace
Speedway. In the 2010 and 2011
seasons, Mike earned six top tens
and three top fives. Mike’s best
finishes came in 2011 and include a
sixth place finish in the NASCAR
Whelen Southern Modified Tour at
Bowman Gray Stadium and a fourth
place finish at Ace Speedway.
The third generation of motorsports
professionals is Mikela Norman.
Mikela is a junior at Winston-Salem
State University in the Motorsports
Management
program.
She
currently serves as President of the
Motorsports Management Club.
Mikela is striving to earn a career in
the motorsports industry and credits
her family for her love of auto
racing. And who knows, if given the
opportunity, Mikela might try her
hand at racing too.
Out of Winston-Salem
also comes the
Norman family…
4
WSSU Motorsport Management – Program Newsletter – Volume 1 Issue 3 – Fall 2011
See What our Students Have to Say…
Complied by Jonathan Tillery, Junior
Every
experiential
learning
opportunity is different for each
student. They help provide industry
insight as well as the hands-on
experiences utilized in the classroom
and as preparation for their future
careers. Here is what a few MSM
students decided to share about
their experiences in the program.
Chase Rushing, Junior
Charlotte, NC
NHRA Carolina Nationals
ZMAX Dragway – Concord, NC
September 15th – 18th, 2011
“Drag racing is one of my favorite
sports and I have been around it all
my life. This Sunday, I got the
chance to go near the starting line.
I loved being close. It was funny to
see the students that had never
been that close to the top fuel
dragsters to feel the engine
vibrations. The new students weren’t
prepared, so they constantly
jumped at the shock wave. I
learned how to work with a group
of people I had never met before. I
received
great
hands-on
experience working with the Rick
Quezada and the NHRA officials. I
also had the opportunity to see firsthand what goes on behind the
stage during driver introductions. It
was interesting to see how much
sponsorship activation takes place
at these races.”
Lindsey Troutman, Senior
Winston-Salem, NC
WSSU Show Car Program
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville, VA
October 30th, 2011
“I helped promote our new show
car program recently launched
here
at
Winston-Salem
State
University. Martinsville brings out a
very diverse group of fans, who
showed both interest in our show
car
and
the
Motorsports
Management Program.”
Theo Searcy, Junior
Kernersville, NC
24 Hour of LeMans – LeMans, France
June 2011
"Being chosen to go overseas to
Europe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans
was the high point of my 2011
academic year. It was a unique
and amazing learning experience
to attend such a historic racing
event. The various experiential
learning opportunities that the WSSU
Motorsports Management program
provides
its
students
are
exceptional."
“I have thoroughly
enjoyed, learned, and
networked…”
5
Toby Parese, Junior
Mohnton, PA
Commenting on the Fall Semester
Experiential Learning Opportunities
December 4th, 2011
“Being a part of the Motorsports
Management Program at WinstonSalem
State University
requires
students to participate in four
experiential learning events each
semester. I am a junior and have
been to several events and races
due
to
the
experiential
requirements. I have thoroughly
enjoyed, learned, and networked
with a lot of people by participating
in these experiential opportunities.
One of my favorite experiences was
at the Shell Eco Marathon in
Houston, Texas. It was not a race,
but an event for Shell. I got to be a
part of something that was totally
different than being at a racetrack.
I got to meet great people and
learn about event planning and
also hard labor. With every
experiential learning event or race I
attend, I believe it makes WinstonSalem State University's Motorsports
Management Program that much
more unique.”
As you see, the WSSU Motorsports
Management Program has a lot of
exciting opportunities. Students are
constantly provided opportunities
that give them the necessary
hands-on
experience
in
the
motorsport industry. 2011 has been
a phenomenal year for the students
and the university, and 2012 is
looking to be just as promising!
WSSU Motorsport Management – Program Newsletter – Volume 1 Issue 3 – Fall 2011
WSSU Motorsports
Management
2011 Photo Gallery
Contact Us:
Dr. Travis Teague, Program Coordinator
336.750.3266
teaguetr@wssu.edu
www.wssu.edu/motorsports