Some race fans dream of a week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—dubbed “The Racing Capital of the World” and home to the Indianapolis 500, the world’s largest single day sporting event—completely immersed in the various roles that make up a racing team. Thanks to support from Arrow Electronics, PLTW Gateway students were among 40 participants who did exactly that during this year’s Racing Careers Camp in Indianapolis, where they learned a winning race team goes far beyond the driver’s seat.
The immersive summer camp, offered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and open to individuals entering grades 5-8, challenged students as they stepped into roles like engineers, marketers, financial managers, and technicians to experience the teamwork and innovation that power professional motorsports.
Campers managed every aspect of a simulated racing season—from forming their brand and attracting sponsorships to tracking a budget, building and modifying a drag race car, and overcoming unexpected challenges. Each day introduced campers to professions that keep a racing team competitive, helping them connect classroom STEM learning to exciting, real-world career pathways. Campers also had access to interactive activities in the museum’s Qualifying Zone. From racing simulators to a reaction test and pit-stop challenge, students got hands-on experience with real race-day challenges. The week culminated with a car demonstration and a presentation detailing the team’s success and the obstacles conquered.
Campers said the simulations, meeting professionals from Arrow, and the final race competition were their favorite parts of the camp. Throughout the week, participants showcased their collaboration and problem-solving skills, even coming up with creative solutions to bargain with other groups for parts or funds. One of the teams that had a balanced budget even offered their budget-balancing skills as a service to other teams to earn money.
"My son enjoyed learning about the different careers in racing,” one parent said. “He had so much to say about all the things he learned about the different careers in racing other than driver and pit crew. He now has a basic understanding of how and why the driver and pit crew are successful—because of all the behind-the-scenes jobs that make it all happen."
Arrow, which is a global Fortune 500 company that distributes electronic components and enterprise computing solutions such as microchips, sensors, and hardware, is the official technology partner for both the McLaren F1 team and Arrow McLaren IndyCar team. The company partnered with PLTW last year to support PLTW programs near their locations through the PLTW Grants program. The partnership expanded this summer when they provided scholarships for 20 PLTW Gateway students to attend the Racing Careers Camp at no cost to their families, reflecting Arrow’s commitment to helping students explore STEM careers through authentic, hands-on experiences.
“We would honestly like to say thank you to everyone but especially PLTW and Arrow for the scholarship that allowed our child to be able to experience this camp,” another parent said. “She learned so much and had such a great time."
Arrow also provided campers with hats autographed by the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team, while Arrow employees volunteered at the camp as guest speakers, competition judges, full-day camp assistants, and simulation judges.
“My favorite part of the experience was seeing the kids come up with such unique ideas and then have to think through how it could impact their car’s performance, their sponsor’s requirements, how it could affect their brand, and how their fans would perceive something, all while staying on budget,” Arrow General Manager Leighton Burgess said. “I am very glad that I got the opportunity to be part of this, and I hope we continue to sponsor amazing programs like this that teach children valuable skills.”
Partnerships are vital to increasing access to PreK-12 STEM and CTE programs that expand career options and postsecondary readiness. To learn more about PLTW partners, visit pltw.org/partners.