IMSA brings 27 STEM-focused high school students to Daytona to learn about jobs in motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Sebastian Ray Serpa, a 16-year-old high school student from Volusia County, passes by Daytona International Speedway often and hears the roar of race cars from outside the gates but had never before been inside the ''World Center of Racing.''

After an immersive experience Friday designed for talented STEM students, Ray Serpa ''will definitely'' be returning for next week's Rolex 24 at Daytona — his first ever motorsports event.

IMSA arranged for 27 high school students who excel in STEM programs to come to the speedway to educate the teens on how many opportunities exist in motorsports for those interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Ray Serpa, who described himself as passionate about mechanical engineering, was blown away. He thought he'd like a future learning about how the human joint works. After stops at four different stations and a tour of the speedway and cars, he's now aware motorsports is an option.

''This has been a real eye-opener for me,'' he told The Associated Press. ''I knew that behind almost every concept out there there were opportunities, but I never realized how wide that actually went. There are so many applications that require STEM skills. I heard from marketing people who went to school for mechanical engineering, and then ended up getting greater satisfaction from marketing. Or, they still work hand-in-hand. I would really like to get to a point where I can say the same.''

It is the debut year for the program in IMSA sports car racing, but series president John Doonan ran a similar STEM experience when he was head of Mazda. It took sponsorship from Gainbridge, Konica Minolta and EVERFi, which is working to develop the curriculum to continue the program, to launch it in IMSA.

The students made four stops at the track: Tires, Traction and Tread to learn about physics and engineering at the Michelin Tire Center; Data-Driven Racing at the IMSA Engineering Center to learn about data, science and technology; Engineering Safety at IMSA Tech Inspection Area to learn about material science; and IMSA Technology Lab, with the IMSA GTP Hybrid Electrified Race Car, at Action Express Racing to learn about physics and engineering.

"These students here, some of the top students from the Volusia County schools surrounding the Daytona area, they're our future. We are going to do it at five other races this year and then have a web portal to allow the educators and students to follow up. For me it's the best of both worlds.''

Doonan in his morning remarks to the students tried to prep them for what they were about to learn concerning STEM and motorsports.

''I told them, ‘Look, algebra, calculus, physics, chemistry, as much as you may dislike it at the moment, it's being applied here real-time,''' Doonan said. ''And when you say that to the students, the teachers all raise their hand and cheer and tell them ‘I told you so!' And then the opposite side, I think, once the web portal gets established by EVERFI, the teachers are going to be able to leverage this resource in story problems and race strategy and aerodynamics, potentially, ride height, all the things that the teams are doing.''

Amy Monahan, a K-12 STEM Specialist for Volusia County Schools, said the students who attended were selected by their teachers for ''showing tenacity in what they do on a daily basis.'' One of the students said prior to Friday he'd been thinking of enlisting in the military after high school but now wonders if there might be something in motorsports he can pursue.

''This whole program is educating them to many opportunities are out there and this one is in your backyard. Some of them think the military or trade jobs are all that is available to them," Monahan said. ''They don't know. Most of them have never been to a race, so seeing this and what it looks like, and understanding there are plenty of things to pursue is just a wonderful gift for them.''