Racing into STEM with Josef Newgarden: A Fun-Filled Day of Learning and Racing at Adventure Science Center with Red Racer Books

Andy Amendola
2024-10-03T10:35:03-04:00

Race Cars at the Science Museum – Does it Get Any Better Than This?

One of the highlights of my year was hosting a dream-come-true event that perfectly embodied the Red Racer Books mission: Racing into STEM with Josef Newgarden at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville.

What began as an idea to introduce our latest book with hometown hero and new author Josef Newgarden evolved into an interactive STEM event that brought the excitement of INDYCAR to the kids of Nashville.

🎥 Check out a fun video of the event!

From meeting a two-time INDY 500 champion, Josef Newgarden, to hearing from Cara Krstolic, the lead engineer in charge of all INDYCAR tires, the event was packed with thrilling moments. Kids even got to see an actual INDYCAR race car up close, parked outside the event, and, of course, Firehawk made an appearance too! Nashville really came out to celebrate their local INDYCAR champion!

Revving Up with Josef Newgarden's Inspiring Story as Told in Josef’s BIG Dream

The event kicked off with a reading of Josef’s BIG Dream: An INDY 500 Story. I led the storytime, while Josef, as the main character, added his own commentary and answered the kids' many great questions. It was a dream come true to share our book in such a personal way with families.

Josef’s story of perseverance and hard work—finally winning the INDY 500 after years of challenges and holding onto that dream since childhood—deeply resonated with everyone in the room. The book captures that spirit, encouraging kids to chase their dreams while introducing them to the legendary INDY 500 race.

Shifting Gears into STEM Fun

Next up, thanks to our amazing partners at Firestone Tires and Racing, Cara Krstolic, head of Race Tire Engineering at Firestone, gave the kids an engaging introduction to the science and engineering behind racing. She shared fascinating insights, from fun facts about racing tires to how oval racing tires are specifically designed for speed and durability.

The excitement continued with two hands-on STEM activities—one devised by Cara herself and another provided by our friends at KidSpark Education. It was incredible to see racing science come to life through these experiments, allowing kids to dive into hands-on learning and discover the engineering behind motorsports.

We wrapped up the event with a pit stop for pizza, generously provided by Hunt Brothers Pizza, followed by a fun quiz game. Kids and families had a blast, with lucky winners taking home tickets to the Music City Grand Prix, courtesy of Big Machine Music!

A Big Thank You to Our Partners

We are incredibly grateful to all the partners who contributed to the success of our Racing into STEM event at Adventure Science Center. Here’s a special shoutout to each of you:

Adventure Science Center – A big thank you for hosting this exciting event and providing a space where families could explore STEM through the lens of racing. Your incredible team and their commitment made this event truly impactful.

Josef Newgarden and Team – Thank you, Josef, Ashley, and your amazing team (special shoutout to Amy – the real mastermind of this event). It was a real treat for the kids and families to meet you and get books signed by a two-time Indy 500 champ. Your story of perseverance inspired everyone.

Blake Eason, anchor and reporter for Good Morning Nashville on WKRN, the ABC affiliate – Thanks for being a marvelous MC and keeping everyone, especially the kids, engaged throughout the event.

INDYCAR – Thanks for your support on such a busy race weekend! We appreciated the effort in helping make this event possible.

Firestone Racing – Thank you for being a major part of this event and helping kids learn about the engineering behind motorsports. A special shoutout to Cara Krstolic for your fantastic science experiment and the cute lab reports for our little scientists!

KidSpark Education – Thanks for creating the incredible “build your own INDYCAR” kits and incorporating racing into your STEM curriculum. Your hands-on activities were a hit with the kids!

Music City GP – Thank you for your partnership in bringing the thrill of racing to Nashville and providing a real race car for the event. The extra tickets were a wonderful bonus that brought many families to the race.

Hunt Brothers Pizza – A big thanks for keeping everyone fueled up with delicious pizza and for being a fantastic supporter of Josef’s BIG Dream in Hendersonville and Nashville.

Families and Attendees – Lastly, thank you to everyone who attended and participated. Your excitement and engagement made this event a huge success! We couldn’t have done it without you.

Stay Connected for More Events!

If you missed out on this event but want to join our next one, stay connected! Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media to stay in the loop on future events and exciting updates. And don’t forget to grab your own copy of Josef’s BIG Dream or any of our other amazing kids' books about motorsports at Red Racer Books.

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