FORT WORTH, Tex. — Clint King is set to make his third NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) start in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway this Saturday, Nov. 5. For the third time this season, he will be aboard the No. 15 B.J. McLeod Motorsports Ford Mustang as he continues to gain momentum for both his racing career and awareness campaign.
“We are starting to see people understand what “Speed – Precision – Supply Chain™” is all about,” says King, as he continues to impress both fans and industry with his on-track performance and off track industry knowledge.
Since making his debut in the Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway, King’s Supply Chain, Logistics and Material Handling Industry awareness and education platform is taking shape in a big way.
“I have been given the opportunity to speak at both high schools and universities since making my NASCAR XFINITY Series debut telling students about the huge career opportunities in the supply chain industry” continues King. He recently attended the Material Handling Equipment Dealer’s Association (MHEDA) Networking Summit in Charlotte, N.C., where he further endorsed his need for an awareness mission in his industry.
And yes, we said his industry. Unlike so many young drivers in the NASCAR community where drivers typically adopt a cause with limited exposure, King actually works full time in the supply chain industry as a System Design Specialist. He recently landed his company’s largest mezzanine contract of the year with supplier Wildeck Industries. He was responsible for the original concept, complete design, all sales negotiations and will now carry through with project management until installation is complete.
“I have always believed that if you are truly going to have a passion for a cause you have to experience firsthand the cause you are representing,” he says.
King didn’t just pick the supply chain education and awareness cause, it landed in front of him.
“What a deficit I said when I start working in the supply chain industry, we don’t have enough workers to keep up with the jobs needed in my industry that is now growing at a record pace due to e-commerce.” And now, only three years after his employment in the supply chain industry he has become a leading advocate for the next generation of supply chain workers.
“They identify with me due to my age and hands-on experience,” he added. “My daily job has provided me with both technical skills through equipment installation and facility layout skills now that I am designing total systems.”
During the next three weeks King has three speaking engagements with an opportunity to bring awareness to more than 3,000 high school and middle school students about the enormous career opportunities in the supply chain industry. All three engagements will utilize his branded “Speed – Precision – Supply Chain™” show car to draw attention to his mission.
“These students need something to draw and open up their interest before you can engage in conversation with them,” he said. “They love to talk about racing which then gives me an opportunity to talk about what they want to do after high school. When I tell them about the jobs in my industry, the pay and how much fun I have doing what I do for a living, when I am not driving a race car, they really open up. I then go on to tell them they don’t have to have a four year college degree and can in some cases get a certificate that will put them to work immediately after high school.”
In fact, one of the highest job demands in the supply chain industry is for Supply Chain Technicians. There are programs now such as the one promoted by Supply Chain Technology Education (SCTE) through which students can enter the work force after completing a six month course right out of high school. Just one of many programs that King’s awareness campaign is trying to bring exposure to.
“Our opportunity at Texas Motor Speedway will put our platform in front of one of the largest supply chain hubs in the country and certainly an area that is starving for supply chain workers,” he said. “I am so very proud to have Warehouse Design, Inc. as our primary sponsor during this event. They have equally taken up this cause by donating equipment to high schools and community colleges and have plans of continuing the support of this platform.”
In order to continue bridging the gap between the need for more supply chain workers and the available educational resources, we are going to need more support from industry leaders like J&L Wire and Warehouse Design. The issue doesn’t appear to be the available work force or the available training tools, be it community college or university programs, it’s just the next generation doesn’t know about this career path. “The most successful outreach programs involve peer to peer communications and that is what I bring to the table,” King summarizes.
After a successful speedway debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway last month, King is ready for the mile and a half of Texas this weekend. “Overall, we had a really solid day at Charlotte. I had a lot to learn going into my first speedway race. I really couldn’t have asked for our weekend to go any better than it did at Charlotte. Going to Texas, I have a lot more confidence in this style of racing. A lot of things will carry over from Charlotte that I hope to capitalize on at Texas this weekend. I know everyone at B.J. McLeod Motorsports will have us a solid ride ready to roll for Saturday,” stated King.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge kicks off Fri., Nov. 4 with two practice sessions for the NASCAR XFINITY Series at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. CT. Qualifying will take place Sat., Nov. 5 at 10:45 a.m. with the race to follow at 2:00 p.m. CT. Remember to catch all the on track action live on NBCSN.
To learn more about how you can help Clint promote his supply chain, logistics and material handling industry education and awareness campaign visit clintking.com.
About Warehouse Design Inc.:
Warehouse Design, Inc. is based in Thomasville, N.C. and was established in 1997. The company specializes in warehouse/distribution center space optimization and increased throughput. Their team of design specialist provide the ability to design the system, supply the equipment and include the turnkey installation of all equipment proposed – “Concept Through Acceptance”. They are a proud member of MHEDA and growing advocate for the Material Handling Industry Education and Awareness campaign. Visit them on the web at warehousedesign.net.
About J&L Wire:
J&L Wire is a leading manufacturer of galvanized wire decking and shelving used in warehouse storage, material handling & logistics. The established product line includes Galva-Deck ® wire decking and Boss Hog woven wire flooring for the agricultural confinement panels. Visit them on the web at jlwire.com.
