Racing to Success: Centralina WDB NextGen Services Partners with Trackhouse Racing to Help Brendan Foley to New Career

Brendan Foley dropped out of community college with a desire to create a fresh start in North Carolina as a Pit Crew Apprentice with Trackhouse Racing, which is based in Concord, NC. Brendan's previous work history included fast food, landscaping, and HVAC. Brendan had no experience as a mechanic or with a pit crew member in NASCAR. Brendan came to Centralina NextGen services requesting assistance and he was presented with the opportunity to participate in the Pre-apprenticeship program with Trackhouse Racing Pit Crew. NextGen Services Program Leader Monica Gramling worked with Trackhouse Racing Director of Apprenticeship Phil Foster, and Sylvia Jones, NC Apprenticeship Coordinator to successfully enroll Brendan in NextGen Services and began his journey as a pre-apprentice. The Centralina NextGen team assisted him financially through the work experience program as a source of income and support as Brendan worked to complete the pre-apprenticeship program.

Brendan successfully completed the pre-apprenticeship/work experience program in April 2022, leading to full-time employment with Trackhouse Racing and transitioning him to their 2-year Apprenticeship program in June of 2022. Brendan worked diligently through Centralina NextGen On the Job training services and Trackhouse's Apprenticeship Program and successfully completed the On-the-Job training opportunity in April 2023 & his first year of the apprenticeship program in June 2023. Brendan was a member of the winning team, Project 91 at NASCAR's 1st ever Street Course Race in Chicago, July 1-2, 2023. Brendan is Trackhouse's first registered apprenticeship enrollee. It was a special win as it was not only his first career NASCAR Cup Series win as an over-the-wall pit crew member but also Trackhouse's first win for the Project 91 team!

Trackhouse is a sports and entertainment brand rooted in racing, bringing a fresh approach to NASCAR, sports, and entertainment. Owned by former driver Justin Marks and team partner and Grammy Award-winning superstar Armando Christian Pérez – aka Pitbull, Trackhouse Racing is now one of the top teams in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to have been part of this new workforce initiative and partnership in the Centralina WDB region. As a $5 billion dollar industry in our region, motorsports, and especially NASCAR, are very important to our local economy.

For more information on resources and opportunities, visit https://centralinaworkforce.com/. And be sure to download the FREE Centralina WDB Mobile App – available on the Google Play Store and the App Store for iPhone to keep up with all the local workforce services and events happening around the region.

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