Racing Students Demonstrate Skills At State Legislature

Students in the

Bobby Isaac Motorsports Technology program

at Catawba Community College in Hickory were at the State Legislature in Raleigh Wednesday to demonstrate their skills in hopes of getting more support for the program from legislators.

"It's hard to get support for them. They don't understand that these are better-paying jobs than perhaps textiles and furniture," says Rep. Martin Nesbitt, (D-Buncombe).

To build the race car, students must learn how to make almost every part and put it together as well as how to operate as a team.

"On the team concept program, you learn everything that there is to learn about going to the racetrack, attitudes, pit stops -- everything that's involved," says student Trevis Underdahl.

Catawba Community College estimates that 25,000 people work in motorsports in North Carolina and more than a half-million across the country.