Unveiled April 14, 2015 at the Penn State campus, Jeff Gordon will be driving his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS with a fresh coat of paint.
Throughout the day, students will witness the impact engineers have on professional racing, as they tour the garage to learn more about the technology behind the engineering of the cars. Students will also attend a panel discussion featuring Axalta, NASCAR, Pocono Raceway and Hendrick Motorsports executives. Other activities include an ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) race and a special VIP dinner hosted by Gordon.
“Engineering and business education are an integral part of the racing industry, as they translate into practical applications we use every day,” said Charlie Shaver, Axalta chairman and CEO. “We are proud of our 23-year partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon, and are honored to have the opportunity to support Penn State University’s curricula with this special program. It is crucial to many industries, including Axalta’s, to have access to skilled engineers and business leaders, and Penn State is providing the specialized programs needed to prepare them for the future.”
As a rare treat, Gordon will represent Pennsylvania State University with a custom blue and white paint job and the university’s name emblazoned on the sides of his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS, unveiled April 14, 2015 on campus. For Penn State, this was an exciting statement in Gordon’s long history of avocation for STEM.
“Supporting STEM education and future business leaders is vital to our future,” Gordon said. “I depend on the mechanical engineers on my team to make sure that my race car is in top form for every race. Everything in my car is tied to engineering — drag and drafting, friction and heat, grip, sound, turning and load transfer. That’s why linking STEM education to the technology behind successful racing is so important.”
Gordon will drive at Pocono Raceway in the June 7, 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
For more information, visit jeffgordon.com and poconoraceway.com.
Images courtesy of jeffgordon.com.