East High grad's team wins NASCAR marketing competition
BY ERIN PATTESON, Californian staff writer epatteson@bakersfield.com
Ricky Gonzalez, a 2007 graduate of East High School, and his team from the University of Notre Dame won the NASCAR Kinetics: Marketing in Motion Program competition Nov. 19.
Talia Mark, the director of the program, was not one of the judges who determined the win but she witnessed all the presentations from the three university teams.
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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Ricky Gonzalez a junior Spanish/ marketing major from Bakersfield, will go to Miami Nov. 17 to participate in a NASCAR national marketing competition. He's part of the Notre Dame University team.
She said Gonzalez's team won because of the students' well-thought-out presentation, their knowledge of the subject, their ability to answer judges' questions and the fact they had the most ideas for NASCAR to implement immediately.
"It was nice to see the teams grow from the beginning of the semester to now," Mark said.
Gonzalez said it felt great to win the competition.
"My teammates and I put in many hours throughout the whole semester, and to come out on top makes it all worth while," he said via e-mail.
He explained how the competition gave him the experience of presenting to top NASCAR officials and making contacts with a professional organization, which he would not have been able to do had he not entered. Additionally, he said he learned teamwork, leadership, presentation and problem-solving skills.
After flying to Miami to make their presentation, the teams had a free night to enjoy South Beach. Gonzalez said the next morning was "like a scene out of a reality show." The three teams were told to pack their bags and wait outside the hotel. There were two cars with school logos on them. The team whose school was not represented was the winner.
"Needless to say, I was very excited when I did not see the interlocking ND," Gonzalez said, referring to the Notre Dame logo.
As a result of their win, Gonzalez said the team had an up-close-and-personal look into NASCAR. They attended the Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead Miami Speedway. They met NASCAR drivers and officials and went on the racetrack and in the pits.
Gonzalez said he plans to study in Spain next semester so he will not be able to continue as captain of the Notre Dame team. However, he would like to reapply as captain next year in the fall semester.
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