Detroit’s Engine Building Bootcamp Sparks Youth Interest in Motorsports Careers

In Detroit, teens roll up their sleeves at the National Motorsports Association's Engine Building Bootcamp. While earning cash, students master car repair skills. They take apart engines, work pit stops, and check out jobs at car dealers.

"It becomes very rewarding when we look at our youth and we see that they can now take an engine apart and put it back together," said Carmen Carter, president and CEO of NMA Detroit, according to Detroit Free Press.

Students work with real stock cars, getting their hands dirty in pit crew drills. They grip wheel guns during tire swaps and handle specialized tools for fixing cars. The work mixes quick tasks with complex repairs that need careful attention.

At age 17, Josiah Humphrey stepped into a world his family knew well - but he didn't. "I never really touched an engine in my life," said Humphrey. His roots run deep in cars - his grandfather built GMC engines.

The program started in 2023. Curry Motorsports partnered with NMA Detroit to make it happen. Julius Curry switched from football - where he played for the Detroit Lions and University of Michigan - to start a company that opens doors in racing for all kinds of people.

The city's summer job program, Growing Detroit's Young Talent, pays the students. Jasmine Hickman from the program said, "I think this program gets them ready for adulthood."

On August 7, students finished their training. Just before graduation day, they showed off their skills in a Stock Car Pit Crew Challenge. After finishing, many students step into car repair jobs or start apprenticeships.