IUPUI Motorsports and CARA announce scholarship

First Motorsports Engineering Scholarship Announced at IMIS CARA Charities and IUPUI partner to promote philanthropy, safety and top-notch racing

Indianapolis, Ind. (December 1, 2010) -- During the final day of the exciting International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS) held at the Indianapolis Convention Center December 1-3, CARA Charities and IUPUI will formally announce the first ever motorsports-specific scholarship for students in the IUPUI Motorsports Engineering Program. The official announcement will be made during the IUPUI-sponsored Youth Safety Program -- a new feature at IMIS 2010.

The CARA Motorsports Scholarship is available for traditional, full-time students that are admitted directly into the Motorsports Engineering Program at IUPUI. Preference will be given to students that have demonstrated commitment to community by volunteering for a charitable organization. "CARA is pleased to invest in the future leaders of tomorrow's racing industry," says Cathie Lyon, Executive Director of CARA Charities. "This scholarship is an excellent opportunity for us to support outstanding students who are passionate about motorsports and service. We look forward to working side-by-side with the IUPUI Motorsports Engineering Program to nurture a 'value in community' as the students develop academically and professionally."

CARA and IUPUI are pleased to make the announcement at the IMIS' inaugural Youth Safety Program. Dr. Terry Trammell, who has more than 35 years of experience in motorsports medical service, will lead the seminar along with a panel of experts to present information about personal driver safety equipment for the novice racer. Youth Safety Conference attendees, escorted by their parents, will then be allowed on the IMIS show floor to see what is available in youth safety equipment as well as experience the rest of the sold-out, hardcore racing tradeshow that has doubled in size since its incredibly successful 2009 debut.

Sponsoring the Youth Safety Program at IMIS is just one of the many contributions that the Motorsports Engineering Program has made to the motorsports industry in recent years. In 2008, IUPUI became the first university in the United States to offer a bachelor's degree in motorsports engineering and has been placing students on the fast track to success ever since. The program has celebrated numerous milestones in the past year alone, including student contributions to a history-making pass at the National Hot Rod Association's SuperNationals event, victories at the Purdue Grand Prix and groundbreaking accomplishments at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs.

"We are absolutely thrilled about this new partnership with CARA Charities," said Pete Hylton, Director of Motorsports Engineering for the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, IUPUI. "We're not only excited about the opportunity to provide our students with more financial assistance in making their motorsports dreams come true, but also about CARA's commitment to bettering the motorsports community. It speaks volumes to have their support and we look forward to their seeing our students join the organization in finding ways to use racing to give back to the community."

Since its founding in 1981, CARA Charities has occupied a special place in the motorsports community. Created to serve the professional auto racing community through charitable work and to promote the friendships of those involved in the motorsports family, CARA has donated more than $4 million dollars to dozens of philanthropic causes helping children, hospitals, scholarship funds, ministries and numerous charitable foundations. The first CARA Motorsports Scholarships will be disbursed for the Fall 2011 semester. Students may apply using IUPUI's scholarship applications, available at www.iupui.edu/~scentral/. For more information, contact Terri Talbert-Hatch at ttalbert@iupui.edu.

-source: iupui/cara