Based in Indianapolis, Purdue University's Motorsports Engineering program (MSPE) is the only ABET-accredited undergraduate motorsports engineering program in the country. It began in 2008 at IUPUI; Purdue University absorbed the program in 2024. Students study at the Dallara Building, located just steps from the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In fact, 32 out of 33 teams in the most recent Indy 500 had a Boilermaker on the team.
In addition, students at Purdue University's West Lafayette campus are heavily involved in motorsports competitions. Purdue's chapter of Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has been active since 1936; we are currently the #1-ranked American team in both Baja SAE and Formula SAE competitions.
Purdue also hosts the "Greatest Spectacle in College Racing", the Purdue Grand Prix. Established in 1958, this competition enables student teams to race gas-powered go-karts on a custom-built 1/4-mile track on campus. Purdue also hosts a battery-powered version called the evGrandPrix.
Famous Alumni
- Jonathan Hassler, champion crew chief for NASCAR's Ryan Blaney
- Roberto Figueroa, F1 aerodynamics project leader for McLaren Racing
- Angela Ashmore, the first female crew member to win the Indy 500
- Chris Andrews, technical lead for Vasser Sullivan's IMSA team
- Chris Gabehart, chief motorsports officer for Spire Motorsports
- Matt "Squid" Swiderski, performance engineering director for Team Penske
- Kayli Peterson, driver in NASCAR's Super Late Model and Modified series
- Matt Kuebel and Mike Koenigs, Team Penske IndyCar engineers
- Nathan O’Rourke, lead race engineer for Andretti Autosport's Colton Herta
- Bill Pappas, vice president of competition and race engineering for IndyCar
Top Employers
- Auto Research Center
- Dallara IndyCar Factory
- Ford Performance
- Goodyear Racing
- Pratt Miller
- Toyota Racing Development
- Cummins
- Ford Motor Company
- General Motors
- Harley-Davidson
- Andretti Global
- Arrow McLaren
- Chip Ganassi Racing
- Meyer-Shank Racing
- Rahal Letterman Lanigan
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Team Penske
- Plan of Study: See what classes you'd take in a 4-year degree program in Motorsports Engineering
- Professional Master's: Explore an advanced degree in Motorsports Engineering at Purdue
- Student Teams: See what extracurricular student organizations are available in West Lafayette and Indianapolis
- Al Unser, Sr. Legacy Scholarship: Full-ride scholarship from one of the all-time greats
- Motorsports Industry Links: Look for job opportunities
- Industrial Advisory Board: Racing professionals who are shaping our program
- Accreditation: Official documentation of our program's accreditation
- Merch: buy shirts/jackets with the Purdue Motorsports logo
- News and Stories: Testimonials from students and alumni
- Apply: Learn how to apply to Purdue University
- Contact: contact Purdue Motorsports