Race Shop Day: How a Stock Car Gets Built

About this experience

Race day is a few hours. The rest of the week happens in the shop. Cody takes you into his team’s race shop on a working Tuesday, when the car from last weekend is stripped down and the car for this weekend is being built up.

You see the fabrication area, the engine room and the setup plate, where the crew sets ride heights, cambers and weights to fractions of an inch. Cody explains how his notes from the race turn into setup changes, and you sit in on the team’s weekly review of the last race.

Your day

1. 9:00 AM

   Shop tour

   Walk the fabrication, paint and parts areas and meet the crew leads.

   1 hr

2. 10:00 AM

   Teardown

   See last weekend’s car stripped and inspected for wear and damage.

   1 hr

3. 11:00 AM

   Setup plate

   Watch the crew set ride heights, camber and corner weights and learn why each matters.

   1 hr 30 min

4. 12:30 PM

   Lunch with the crew

   Lunch in the shop break room.

   1 hr

5. 1:30 PM

   Race review meeting

   Sit in as Cody and the crew chief go over data and radio notes from the last race.

What’s included

• Lunch
• Safety glasses and ear protection
• A retired car part signed by Cody

Good to know

• Observation only. Guests do not operate tools, lifts or equipment.
• Closed-toe shoes and long pants are required; the shop is loud and can be hot.
• Some setup details are proprietary to the team; no photos in marked areas.
• Guests must be 16+ (under 18 with a guardian).

Your curator

Cody Harlan18 years racing, 9 seasons in national stock car series

Cody Harlan grew up racing late models on short tracks across the Carolinas before moving into national stock car series. He has run full seasons as a driver for a small independent team. Between races he coaches young drivers on racecraft and sponsor relations.