New Gifts from Kulwicki Supporters
The Lee College of Engineering has strong ties to the legacy of NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki. These ties include generous support of the Kulwicki family for the UNC Charlotte Motorsports Engineering program, including a recent gift of $15,000 from the Kulwicki Donor Advised Fund in support of the new eFormula SAE program. Since 2009, the Kulwicki family has supported the Lee College of Engineering motorsports program with more than $2 million in gifts for scholarships and facilities.
The Kulwicki family also established and supports the Kulwicki Driver Development Program in nearby Concord, NC. Representatives from the Kulwicki Driver program recently presented the hood from one of their race cars to UNC Charlotte for display in the Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory.
The hood, which was painted in honor of Kulwicki’s step mother Thelma, was sign by the 2015 class of drivers from the Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP). Drivers who signed the hood include Steve Apel, Justin Crider, Dave Farrington Jr., Ty Majeski, Reagan May, Bryce Napier And Cole Williams.
In the photo above, the hood is presented by Wally McCarty, principal at Wally McCarty and Associates, and longtime NASCAR racing industry professional and Kulwicki legacy supporter.
KDDP was established to help worthy drivers along the way in reaching their dreams, while at the same time keeping Alan Kulwicki’s memory and legacy alive. The program provides financial support in covering operational expenses, transportation costs, entry fees and assistance with necessary equipment. It will also provide other resources such as sponsorship, publicity and business education and industry networking and relationship building.
KDDP is aimed at the “grass roots racer.” The objective is to identify and assist a driver in the earlier stages of his or her career. A great example would have been identifying and offering assistance to Alan Kulwicki when he was a regular competitor on the short track in Slinger, Wisc., and in the process of moving on to the ASA Series.