Two Kettering University graduates have new positions at Stewart-Haas Racing

A lot of the classes at Kettering teach you the fundamentals of how the mechanical systems work, and a car is nothing more than a mechanical system.”

Two Kettering University graduates have new positions with Stewart-Haas Racing, the title-winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team announced last week.

Matt Borland ‘94 was named vice president of technology for Haas F1 Team and Stewart-Haas Racing. He will serve as a liaison between the two organizations – Haas F1 Team in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Borland has previously served as has served as crew chief, competition director, technical director and vice president of engineering, among other roles for Stewart-Haas Racing.

In an interview with Kettering University in 2013, Borland said a classmate got him interested in racing during his freshman year and that it, “took over my life from that point forward.”

Borland also noted at the time that his classes in Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Statics and Dynamics, among other areas, helped prepare him for a career in racing.

“A lot of the classes at Kettering teach you the fundamentals of how the mechanical systems work, and a car is nothing more than a mechanical system,” Borland said.

Stewart-Haas Racing also announced that they’ve hired Rex Stump ‘89 as their technical director. Stump had previously spent 18 years working for Hendrick Motorsports.

“Rex brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and innovation to Stewart-Haas Racing,” said Greg Zipadelli, vice president of competition, Stewart-Haas Racing, in a news release. “You can never sit still in this business, and Rex’s record of success will help us stay ahead of the curve.”