Is it hard to get a job in NASCAR?

Yes—landing a job in NASCAR is competitive, but it’s attainable if you target roles that match your skills, build hands-on experience, and position yourself near the sport’s hubs in North Carolina and Florida. NASCAR isn’t a single employer; it’s an ecosystem spanning race teams, the sanctioning body, tracks, media, and suppliers. The difficulty varies by role: pit crews and race engineers are highly selective, while operations, marketing, ticketing, content, logistics, and partner support offer more entry points.

How competitive is NASCAR hiring?

NASCAR jobs attract thousands of applicants because the sport blends high-performance engineering, live-event production, and global sponsorship. Teams are lean and deadline-driven, so they often favor candidates who’ve already worked in motorsport, collegiate racing programs, or adjacent industries like aerospace, defense, pro sports, or live entertainment. That said, the expansion of content, data, hospitality, and e-commerce functions in recent seasons has widened the field for non-technical candidates.

Where the jobs are in NASCAR

NASCAR jobs fall into several employer categories. Understanding these helps you decide where your background best fits and how tough the competition may be.

• Race teams (Cup, Xfinity, Truck): engineering, vehicle dynamics, fabrication, setup, pit crew, logistics, marketing/PR, partnerships.
• NASCAR (sanctioning body): competition/tech inspection, officiating, analytics, event ops, marketing, media, legal, finance, IT.
• Tracks and promoters: event operations, ticketing, guest services, security, facilities, sales, community relations.
• Media and content: NASCAR Productions, broadcast partners, team content studios, social/digital, documentary crews.
• Suppliers and partners: chassis and parts manufacturers, tire/fuel partners, simulation/data companies, merchandisers.

Each category has different hiring rhythms and requirements; teams and the sanctioning body prioritize race-critical roles, while tracks and partners scale up for major events and the season calendar.

Typical entry points and who gets hired

Breaking in often means targeting roles with frequent openings or skills you can demonstrate quickly. Below are common starting positions across the industry.

• Team shop roles: entry-level mechanics, machinists, composite technicians, parts room coordinators.
• Data and engineering support: junior performance engineers, data acquisition assistants, simulation technicians.
• Event and ops: track operations assistants, logistics coordinators, credentials, guest services.
• Marketing and content: social media coordinators, video editors, graphic designers, partnership activation coordinators.
• Pit crew development: trainee/athlete programs feeding into Xfinity/Truck before Cup.
• Internships and seasonal hires: NASCAR summer interns, track event staff, production runners, team multimedia interns.

While these roles can be competitive, they prioritize demonstrable skills and reliability, making them realistic paths for qualified, proactive candidates.

Qualifications that matter

Hiring managers consistently cite hands-on capability, reliability under deadline, and willingness to travel as must-haves. The specifics vary by job family.

• Technical (mechanics, fabrication, composites): trade school or apprenticeship experience, MIG/TIG welding, carbon/Kevlar layup, CNC basics, torque/measurement discipline.
• Engineering (vehicle dynamics, aero, simulation): mechanical/aerospace degree, MATLAB/Python, data acquisition (MoTeC, Pi), simulation tools, kinematics, tire modeling familiarity.
• Pit crew: elite athleticism, fast-twitch strength, repeatable technique, coachability; many recruits transition from NCAA/pro sports through dedicated development programs.
• Operations/logistics: CDL and DOT compliance a plus, event planning, inventory systems, risk/safety awareness, night/weekend availability.
• Marketing/content: Adobe Creative Cloud, social analytics, video production, storytelling, sponsor activation, on-site content capture under time pressure.
• Business functions: CRM, sales pipelines, client service, budgeting; sports or live-event experience helps.

Across all roles, a track record of reliability, teamwork, and road-warrior stamina is often the tiebreaker between similarly skilled candidates.

How to improve your odds

If you’re serious about NASCAR, a deliberate plan can move you from interested to employed. These steps reflect how candidates commonly break in.

1. Get proximate: relocate or spend extended time in the Charlotte–Mooresville, NC area (“NASCAR Valley”) and, secondarily, Daytona Beach, FL.
2. Build hands-on proof: contribute to collegiate Formula SAE/Baja, late models, Legends cars, karting, or short-track teams; document results.
3. Target the right season: the heaviest hiring is typically late fall through early spring (off-season retooling) and ahead of marquee events.
4. Use the right pipelines: apply via NASCAR Careers (careers.nascar.com), TeamWork Online, team portals (e.g., Hendrick, JGR, Penske, RFK, 23XI, Trackhouse), and MotorsportJobs.
5. Leverage development programs: consider NASCAR Technical Institute (UTI), UNCC Motorsports, NC State, and pit-crew combines and Drive for Diversity programs.
6. Network with intent: attend track days, industry conferences, and shop open houses; ask for informational interviews and bring a tight portfolio.
7. Start where the door is open: accept contract, seasonal, or Xfinity/Truck roles to prove yourself and move up.

Following a structured path won’t guarantee a role, but it measurably increases interview rates and your readiness when opportunities appear.

Internships, development, and diversity pipelines

Several programs provide structured entry, especially for students and career changers.

• NASCAR internships: corporate, competition, productions, and track ops roles; postings typically appear in the fall for the following summer.
• Drive for Diversity: Rev Racing driver and pit crew development broadens access for underrepresented groups.
• Pit crew combines: invite-only tryouts for former NCAA/pro athletes; feeder spots in lower series before Cup.
• Technical training: NASCAR Technical Institute (UTI) in Mooresville; university motorsports programs at UNC Charlotte, NC State, Clemson, and others.
• Content apprenticeships: team studios and NASCAR Productions periodically host junior editors/shooters.

Competition for these slots is high, but they offer mentorship and credibility that translate well into full-time roles.

Compensation, lifestyle, and realities

Beyond getting hired, candidates should understand the day-to-day demands and pay dynamics.

• Pay ranges: shop techs often start in the mid five figures; engineers typically higher; pit crews receive retainers plus per-event pay; content/ops roles vary by market.
• Travel load: many roles are on the road 25–38 race weekends, including long hours and quick turnarounds.
• Seasonality: off-season shop work, testing, car builds; intense in-season cadence tied to the race calendar.
• Advancement: proven execution under pressure leads to rapid responsibility; lateral moves across teams are common.
• Work authorization: most U.S.-based roles require U.S. work eligibility; international candidates are hired for specialized skills but face visa timing constraints.

The lifestyle rewards those who thrive on live-event pressure and teamwork, but it can be demanding for candidates seeking strict 9-to-5 schedules.

Common mistakes to avoid

Even strong applicants get filtered out for avoidable reasons. Watch for these pitfalls.

• Generic resumes: failing to translate your experience into motorsport outcomes (lap time, reliability, turnaround speed).
• No portfolio: not showcasing data traces, CAD models, weld coupons, composite layups, or edited videos.
• Ignoring geography: applying from afar without plans to relocate or travel.
• Poor timing: applying mid-season for internships that filled months earlier.
• Underestimating soft skills: overlooking communication, safety culture, and cross-functional teamwork.

Addressing these gaps up front can move your application from the stack to the short list.

Where to find openings

Job postings are spread across specialized boards and team sites. Monitoring several sources keeps you current.

• NASCAR Careers: careers.nascar.com (sanctioning body, productions, tracks).
• Team portals: Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, RFK Racing, 23XI Racing, Trackhouse, and others.
• TeamWork Online: widely used by tracks and some teams for event and business roles.
• MotorsportJobs and LinkedIn: aggregation plus networking and referrals.

Set alerts, tailor applications, and follow up via networking to increase visibility.

Bottom line

It is hard—but not prohibitive—to get a job in NASCAR. The steepest barriers are in elite competition roles, yet there are practical entry points across operations, content, logistics, and partner support. With proximity, proof of hands-on skill, well-timed applications, and targeted networking, qualified candidates break in every season.

Summary

NASCAR hiring is competitive due to the sport’s profile and lean team structures, but opportunities span far beyond the pit wall. Focus your search on realistic entry roles, build a tangible portfolio, leverage internships and development programs, base yourself near Charlotte or Daytona, and time applications to the off-season. Persistence plus proximity and proof of skill are the formula that works.