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BPR’s Top 25 PR Projects: #11 NASCAR Technical Institute Grand Opening (2002)

When Universal Technical Institute wanted to make a splash with the opening of its NASCAR Technical Institute – the country’s first technical training school that combines a complete automotive technology program with NASCAR-specific motorsports curriculum – it raced to Bianchi PR for help.

To help open the 146,000-sq.ft. facility in Mooresville, North Carolina – the hotbed of NASCAR activity known as “Race City USA” – Bianchi PR helped conduct an intensive media relations campaign with North Carolina, Detroit, national and automotive media.

In addition to generating more than 400 positive stories in almost 300 media outlets that promoted the NASCAR facility and UTI training programs, the publicity helped sell-out student enrollment for the facility’s initial graduating classes … as well as helping dispel the “grease monkey” stereotype often associated with vehicle service technicians.

Our effort also led to additional work with UTI, including the announcement of the opening of the Ford Technical Institute in Allen Park, Michigan, and other UTI initiatives.

(Special thanks to Tina Miller-Steinke, then UTI’s communications director, for putting Bianchi PR on the media relations pit crew for this race.)

BPR’s Top 25 PR Projects is a biweekly profile highlighting some of our favorite client projects, as we commemorate Bianchi PR’s 25th year in business.