NASCAR Racing: Nascar, nascar country, mech eng

Question
Dear Coy,

I recently read your answer to a question about NIT.  I am a engineering student at NC State.  My plan is to major in mechanical engineering.  What kind of jobs are out there for a Mech. Eng. in the pits.  I love Nascar and would love the chance to work on a team.  Also do you know anybody i could get up with that would be looking for an intern for the summers.

Thank You
Cory Cook

Answer
Hey Cory,

Mechanical Engineers need to be at the top of their game to land a spot in NASCAR.  I live in Texas (but i would be in NC...Nascar Country if I had the choice) so I dont know of any opportunities specifically.  Teams normally hire between November and January, since that is NASCAR's off-season.  But you might want to get a job with a local team and work your way up from there.  It might not be enough to pay the bills, but if you do a good job you will progress.  You even might work your way to being noticed by Childress, or Gibbs, or Sigel(DEI), or maybe even Hendrick.  But Mech. Eng. work 4 to 6 days a week in the shop and not at the race themselves.  The team takes back up pieces of the body, etc if they wreck.  So you might have the weekends off.
Hope you succeed in your NASCAR dreams.
Coy Jordan