CONCORD WORKSHOP FIELD GUIDE
Engineering at Speed: A STEAM Field Trip Inside Charlotte Motor Speedway
A hands-on STEM field trip in Concord where school groups explore traction, acceleration and engineering using real race cars, RC cars and a guided tour of a 1.5-mile speedway.
Engineering at Speed: A STEAM Field Trip Inside Charlotte Motor Speedway.
At Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, the STEAM program converts classroom physics into tactile experiments: students move through hands-on stations that investigate traction, acceleration and balance using real race cars and RC cars, and they can augment that learning with build-and-race projects or career-focused tours of the motorsports industry.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Five Hands-on Motorsports Stations
Students work through stations that put concepts like traction, friction and balance to the test using both real race cars and remote-control cars, translating abstract physics into observable outcomes.
Design, Build and Race — Team Project
In the build-and-race option students form small teams to design, construct and race a car, using project-based learning to emphasize communication, critical thinking and engineering principles such as friction and speed.
Track Engineering Up Close
Included across options, a guided tour reveals the banking and engineering features of the 1.5-mile speedway, providing a large-scale context for the physics and design topics explored at the stations.
What the day feels like
What the day feels like
School groups choose among three program tracks—rotating station sessions, a team build-and-race project, or a career-focused session—and move through a compact, activity-driven schedule where hands-on investigation alternates with guided interpretation and a speedway tour.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this program suits — and who should pick other options
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Published timing varies: the headline context lists approximately 2.5 hours, while the full program description notes the STEM Field Trip lasts approximately 3.5 hours during Non-Event times.
A signed waiver is required for groups taking the track ride; groups that choose not to ride may walk to the start/finish line without a waiver.
Student groups participate in one of three options: Option A (rotation through 3 pre-selected stations, ~20–25 minutes each), Option B (team-based 2–3 student build-and-race project), or Option C (career sessions and industry tours).
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long does the STEAM field trip last?
Published materials list both an approximate 2.5-hour duration in the headline context and an approximate 3.5-hour duration during Non-Event times in the program description.
What program options are available for student groups?
There are three options: Option A—rotation through pre-selected stations; Option B—team design/build/race project; Option C—a career session with tours of motorsports organizations.
Is a waiver required for the track tour?
A signed waiver is required for the track ride; if the group prefers, they may walk to the start/finish line without a waiver.
How are students organized for the build-and-race activity?
In Option B students work together in teams of 2–3 to design, build and race a car as a project-based learning activity.
Who is the career session intended for?
Option C is designed for upper middle and high school students and includes exploration of career and internship opportunities along with tours of GM Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Is a track tour included in all program options?
Yes—the track tour that highlights the 1.5-mile speedway's banking and engineering features is included in all options for student groups.