KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 10, 2026

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. knows the hard work that goes into building a fast race car, having grown up working in an engine shop in Mississippi before enjoying a successful 18-year career in stock car racing.

The 2023 Daytona 500 champion and driver for Hyak Motorsports recently visited the Kennesaw State University Marietta Campus to tour the KSU Motorsports team facilities and speak to students from the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SPCEET) about racing and the motorsports industry. Stenhouse will race in the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia this Sunday.

“I was very impressed,” Stenhouse said. “Looking at their race cars and seeing everything that they’ve designed and built, it's just wild and very cool. I've heard of these programs from engineers at our race teams. Most everybody in our sport came through a program like the Formula SAE program. I’ve heard about it, but I've never seen it in person.”

KSU Motorsports, which is one of 11 engineering competition teams at the University, gives students hands-on experience that can help advance their professional goals. Team members build a race car from the ground up and compete against other top universities at events across the country.
KSU Motorsports President Varun Devidas said joining the team really shined a light on the unique applications of his coursework and having a professional race car driver validate his work is rewarding.

“I’ve learned a lot about heat exchangers, thermodynamics, and fluid dynamics in class, but you don't actually know what that means in real life until you do something like this,” said Devidas, a mechanical engineering major. “Being able to talk to Ricky and ask him questions and hear about the engineers on his team is really awesome.”

SPCEET Dean Lawrence Whitman said Stenhouse’s visit speaks to the opportunities students in the college have that bridge the gap between academics and professional experience.

“Our engineering students learn best by doing — and by seeing how the things they study actually play out in the real world. What better way to fuel their drive toward success than hearing straight from the best?” Whitman said. “Bringing an accomplished race car driver like Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to campus to speak with our engineering students is a perfect example of the incredible opportunities available to students in SPCEET.”

Engineers in professional motorsports are the driving force behind the performance of the cars and the success of race teams. From building engines to dialing in the aerodynamics of the body, engineers help win races before the green flag is dropped.

“The engineers play a massive role, and their influence is growing more and more,” Stenhouse said. “Any little advantage to improve your race car can go a long way. It’s great when you can get engineers that don't just come out of the classroom, but who also have hands-on experience. I think that is what’s really cool about the KSU Motorsports program.”

– Story by Kyle Dawson
Photos by Matthew O’Neill

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.