NASHVILLE, Tenn. – As Vanderbilt University’s Formula SAE team fine-tunes its custom-built race car ahead of its annual trip to Michigan International Speedway, the students recently stepped into the professional racing world for a behind-the-scenes look at INDY NXT by Firestone.
Through a partnership with the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix, members of Vanderbilt Motorsports were invited to Nashville Superspeedway in April to observe a full-field INDY NXT by Firestone open test on the 1.33-mile concrete oval. For many of the students, it was a rare opportunity to see how skills homed in the classroom and campus shop translate directly to the highest levels of open-wheel racing.
Vanderbilt Motorsports is an official student organization composed of undergraduate and graduate students united by a shared passion for engineering, innovation and motorsports. In May, the team will join nearly 150 universities from around the world at Michigan International Speedway for the annual Formula SAE competition, where schools are challenged to design, build and compete with their own purpose-built vehicles.
Founded in 1981 under the Society of Automotive Engineers, Formula SAE has grown into a globally recognized series, with competitions and workshops planned for Michigan, Florida and New Hampshire in 2026. Each team begins with a blank slate, designing and assembling a race car from scratch before testing it in dynamic and technical on-track challenges.
Vanderbilt’s Formula SAE program has competed on and off since 1998 and remains primarily composed of engineering students, though students from a wide variety of majors contribute to the effort. Any student interested in motorsports is encouraged to join, and the team works nearly every day during the academic year from its shop in Featheringill Hall.
At Nashville Superspeedway, the students experienced INDY NXT by Firestone operations up close. The afternoon began with discussions led by series leadership, including INDY NXT by Firestone Director Kirk Dooley and Series Manager Shelby Harris, who offered insight into the development ladder that connects grassroots racing to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
The experience continued with an in-depth session hosted by HMD Motorsports President Mike Maurini, followed by a guided tour of the team’s transporters and garage area. Students were able to ask detailed questions of engineers and mechanics, gaining perspective on data analysis, car setup and race-day operations. The group also met HMD Motorsports rookie Tymek Kucharczyk, providing a driver’s-eye view of life in a professional open-wheel series.
For the Vanderbilt Motorsports team, the visit served as both inspiration and education,—reinforcing the real-world applications of their work as they prepare to put their own car to theto the test later this spring in Michigan.
The Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix returns to Nashville Superspeedway with INDY NXT by Firestone as well as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES the weekend of July 18-19. Tickets are available at musiccitygp.com and by calling 866-RACE-TIX.
