Academy of Motorsports school gets partner in BHR

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- The Academy of Motorsports has announced a partnership with Bobby Hamilton Racing which will provide students of The Academy access to an inside look at the intricacies of a NASCAR team including engine building and chassis performance.

"We are thrilled to be a part of The Academy," said Lori Hamilton of Bobby Hamilton Racing. "The Academy is poised to produce the finest graduates in the motorsports world. These students will have hands-on instruction in all aspects of racing and BHR is pleased to be able to contribute to their education."

BHR's recent relocation to Martinsville puts it in very close proximity to The Academy and field-learning opportunities will be convenient for students. BHR moved from Nashville under a new management group consisting of Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell, Arrington Manufacturing president Joey Arrington, Mac Bailey, Mark Melling and Stacy Compton. They brought with them two well-respected NASCAR Truck teams -- the No. 18 Dodge with driver Dennis Setzer and the No. 4 Dodge with driver Stacy Compton.

Students of The Academy will have access to BHR's chassis and engine dynos as well as their team's expertise regarding marketing, public relations and team management.

"The education that our students will have access to through BHR is invaluable," said Ken Martin, project manager for The Academy. "This partnership adds an important real-world dimension to their training and will allow our students to become well-rounded, experiencing all aspects of motorsports."

The Academy is currently accepting students for Fall 2008. For more information, visit the The Academy of Motorsports or call 276-632-7288, ext. 225.

The Academy of Motorsports at is the first motorsports boarding school in North America, attracting the best and brightest youth with interests in motorsports from around the world. This unique program initially focuses on driver development and education, but will quickly expand to include engineering and other facets of the motorsports business. This residential program partners with Carlisle School to provide a college preparatory secondary school academic experience.

The Academy of Motorsports is a collaborative effort between Virginia International Raceway and Carlisle School. Other partners include Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University, Virginia Institute for Performance Engineering and Research (VIPER), The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), and Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp.