Built to Race
UNC Charlotte is the acceleration point of racing innovation.
This May, UNC Charlotte is putting the pedal down. And the racing world is taking notice.
From the banks of NASCAR’s fiercest tracks to the sharp turns of real-world data analytics, Charlotte students and alumni are proving that the future of racing doesn’t happen by chance. At Charlotte, racing innovation isn’t just studied — it’s built hands-on every day.
Home to the renowned Alan D. Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory, one of the nation’s top undergraduate Motorsports Engineering programs and a standout Formula SAE team, UNC Charlotte sits at the heart of the racing industry, just five miles from NASCAR’s biggest names.
That’s why when Charlotte students and alumni hit the track, they’re ready to lead the pack.
Here’s how they’re taking the fast lane to the future:
Lane 1: Speed on the track — Riggs’ big moment
UNC Charlotte alum and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Layne Riggs ’24 delivered two standout performances on some of the sport’s biggest stages this May, with his truck, suit and pit proudly representing his alma mater.
Riggs secured a second-place finish at North Wilkesboro Speedway May 17, followed by a fourth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway during Coca-Cola 600 Race Week May 23. The back-to-back top-five results mark his strongest showing of the 2025 season to date and further solidify his status as one of the sport’s top young drivers.
Now ranked sixth overall in the Truck Series standings, Riggs continues to build on the momentum that earned him Rookie of the Year honors in 2024. A graduate of UNC Charlotte’s nationally ranked Motorsports Engineering program, he exemplifies how Niner-built talent thrives at the highest levels of competition.
With speed, consistency and a growing national profile, Riggs is proving that when UNC Charlotte alumni hit the track, they’re built to lead.
Lane 2: Next generation — Heather Hadley takes national stage
Photo credit: Chris Photography LLC
Speed runs deep at Charlotte, and Riggs isn’t the only Niner making headlines.
UNC Charlotte graduate and rising motorsports driver Heather Hadley is featured in the new Amazon Prime series “First to the Finish,” which spotlights the next generation of racing leaders. Hadley’s journey, from the classroom to the national stage, reflects the University’s growing impact on the future of the sport.
As racing evolves, it’s Charlotte alumni like Hadley who are leading the charge — pushing boundaries, breaking barriers and accelerating the future of motorsports.
Lane 3: Data-driven wins — sports analytics powers the future
At UNC Charlotte, innovation isn’t limited to the driver’s seat; it’s happening in the data streams and strategy rooms, too.
Students from the School of Data Science — the first standalone school of its kind in the Carolinas — recently partnered with 23XI Racing, the NASCAR team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan. Their challenge was to harness real race-day data and sharpen performance on the track.
Through predictive modeling, pit stop analysis and strategy simulations, Charlotte students helped optimize split-second decisions that make or break a race. It’s real-world learning, built at race speed and it’s redefining what it means to win in motorsports today.
Whether it’s engineering race cars or engineering winning strategies, UNC Charlotte students are leading the future of racing innovation.
Full speed ahead
From the roar of the engines to the precision of the data, UNC Charlotte is proving that racing innovation happens at the acceleration point — where preparation, passion and opportunity collide.
Follow along as we cheer on Layne Riggs, celebrate Heather Hadley’s national series and spotlight the game-changing work of our sports analytics students.