Charlotte Acknowledges NASCAR Champion Alan Kulwicki
In a heartfelt tribute on December 14, UNC Charlotte honored the late national championship NASCAR driver, Alan Kulwicki, commemorating what would have been his 69th birthday. Organized by the William States Lee College of Engineering’s motorsports students, the event, titled “Underbird Rising – Alan D. Kulwicki Legacy Lunch,” served as a poignant acknowledgment of Kulwicki’s enduring impact on Niner Nation.
Converging on the university’s campus were not only members of Kulwicki’s championship team but also emerging NASCAR drivers and insiders from the motorsports industry. Together with students, they engaged in a collective reflection to reminisce and pay homage to Kulwicki’s indelible legacy. Central to the program was a fervent discussion by students about their academic pursuits and activities in motorsports, highlighting the pivotal role played by the Kulwicki Lab in shaping their educational journey. Mechanical engineering student Kayden Hanks passionately shared, “I even moved here from Utah because of this lab.”
The motorsports concentration at UNC Charlotte currently boasts 163 enrolled students, with an increasing number of participants from diverse disciplines actively involved in the Formula SAE (FSAE) teams housed in the Kulwicki Lab.
Reflecting on the profound influence of Alan Kulwicki and the Foundation on UNC Charlotte’s motorsports program, Jim Fox, the Research Operations Manager of the Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory, emphasized the institution’s role in producing highly sought-after engineers. He spotlighted the remarkable success of the 2022 FSAE Internal Combustion team, where all members secured careers in motorsports.
The emphasis on formal education within the motorsports program at UNC Charlotte finds its roots in Kulwicki, NASCAR’s trailblazing driver with an engineering degree. The legacy of Kulwicki resonates throughout the university, shaping the education of Niner Engineers who follow his exemplary model of designing, building, and driving.
Attendees, including veteran motorsports business leader Tom Roberts and drivers from the Kulwicki Driver Development Program, took the podium to share personal tributes and insights into Kulwicki’s enduring influence. Dean Rob Keynton expressed UNC Charlotte’s gratitude for the close connection with the Kulwicki Foundation, acknowledging Mr. Kulwicki’s indispensable contributions to the motorsports profession and the lasting inspiration he provides to students.
The evolution of motorsports has witnessed a surge in the number of engineers in NASCAR, a trend directly attributed to Kulwicki, NASCAR’s first driver with an engineering degree. The enduring tributes to Kulwicki, such as the Alan Kulwicki Memorial Scholarship established in 1994 and the Alan D. Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory named in 2009, stand as testaments, providing a home for motorsports academic pursuits and competitive student teams at UNC Charlotte.