Homer and Shakespeare can ride in the back seat at Northwood University in Michigan, a college that’s already heavily invested in an auto-industry curriculum. This fall, the school is adding a motorsports-focused workshop to its catalog, and in fall 2026, an entire class on “Fundamentals of Motorsports” will go live. From the university’s press release (hat tip to The Drive for first reporting on this):
“Spanning Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, World Rally, MotoGP, World Superbike, AMA Motocross and Supercross, as well as a host of other racing organizations, the motorsports industry is an international business that blends innovation, sponsorship, media, and technology — and Northwood is uniquely positioned to prepare students for business roles within this exciting sector,” explained Dr. David Oventhal, Subaru of New England Professor of Automotive Strategy at Northwood University.
These honestly sound like pretty fun classes. Northwood is a school that concentrates on preparing students for business careers and, being in Michigan, is all-in on automotive. The university already has a Center for Automotive and Mobility Studies, and the new motorsports curriculum will join several established undergraduate programs.
The auto industry is unique
Before you complain that this type of academic training is far too specific, consider that the auto industry is, well, not like other businesses. And by “not like,” I mean utterly and completely unique. The role of motorsports within it is just one more aspect of that utter and complete uniqueness. It will certainly benefit, say, companies involved with IndyCar racing if new graduates can come to roles with some rudimentary understanding of how the business works.
When I was first exposed to the auto industry’s business side in the early 2000s, it took me several years just to figure out product cycles and how dealerships were structured in relation to the big carmakers. When the financial crisis hit and the entire industry was upended, it would have been nice if as a journalist I had possessed better technical knowledge of how credit fuels the business. There is no Khan Academy for this stuff, so if I were an aspiring automotive scrivener today, I’d perhaps take a look at Northwood’s offerings. But I would also note that Northwood is extremely dedicated to free enterprise, going so far as to embed the concept in its overall identity and pitch to students, and the school has a conservative/libertarian bent.
Better than business school
Northwood isn’t a huge name in business education outside the Midwest, but that might be an advantage here. Detroit remains the center of the U.S. auto industry. And even if you wind up pursuing a career in some far-flung corner of the globe — perhaps as part of the roving Formula 1 circus — if as a collegian you know that the car business is the right business for you, Northwood’s embrace of practical education makes sense.
I’ve taught business students at two big universities, where students are typically prepared by studying some broad fundamentals. This is great if your plan is to pursue entry-level corporate life or prepare for a prestige MBA, sampling a few different industries along the way. But if you already know that the car business is your bag, and furthermore if you love motorsports but haven’t the slightest notion of how it operates, then Northwood’s classes could be your ticket.
