December 7, 2012 - “Race City, USA” Local Enjoys Fulfilling Automotive Career

Mason Barham, a 2006 graduate of NASCAR Tech is loving his time at Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet in Newton, N.C.

Mason Barham was raised in Cornelius, N.C., only a few miles from the front doors of NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech). Growing up, he was familiar with the campus, but little did he know he would someday walk the halls on his way to a promising career.

Like a lot of high school students, Barham had interests outside of the standard curriculum offered at North Mecklenburg High School. Math, English and History didn’t give him the hands-on, real-life challenges he sought, and as graduation approached in the spring of 2004, furthering his education was a hard thing to envision.

It was during this time that NASCAR Tech representatives visited Barham’s school and discussed the different programs with him. As they described the course offerings available at NASCAR Tech, Barham knew he had the foundation; he just needed to continue his training.

“My whole life, I’ve liked taking things apart, seeing how they work, and then putting them back together again,” said Barham. “When I got my driver’s license I found a real passion for cars and began souping them up and modifying engines on a regular basis.”

Barham enrolled at NASCAR Tech and started the journey of turning a passion into a career, right in the heart of “Race City, USA.”

Barham became a standout student with a 3.7 GPA and nearly flawless attendance. He attributes this dedication to the new teaching methods he experienced at NASCAR Tech.

“I really enjoyed what I was learning, and I liked the hands-on aspect of the classes,” he said.

While still enrolled at NASCAR Tech, Barham was hired as a technician at Huntersville Ford. He was on-track to graduate with Ford FACT credentials, so getting experience at a local Ford dealer made sense.

“When you get into the Ford FACT program, the instructors go more in-depth and make it really vehicle-specific,” said Barham. “Once you learn a specific vehicle, you can take that concept and apply it to almost any make and model.”

After graduating from NASCAR Tech in Jan. 2006, Barham was hired as a full-time technician at Huntersville Ford. After a successful five-year stint, Barham made the transition to DriveTime™. While working there, his outlook on vehicle specific training was put to the test, where he maintained a wider variety of makes and models beyond Ford.

Wanting to expand his career options, Barham headed to Newton, N.C., in July 2012, to work for a Chevrolet dealership whose name is synonymous with racing: Dale Earnhardt.

Barham is currently a technician who can tackle nearly any mechanical issue a customer is facing. He loves the work he does, and it shows when he talks about his experience in Race City, USA.

“I learned so much and wouldn’t be where I am today without receiving my education from NASCAR Tech,” said Barham.

Learn more about NASCAR Tech’s 10 years of starting careers by clicking here. Interact with NASCAR Tech online at http://www.uti.edu/partners/nascar and on Facebook and Twitter.