Kevin Carrier: Instructor by Day, Car Enthusiast by Night

Kevin has always had a passion for fixing things. For as long as he can remember, he has always tinkered with things. “I would find old lawnmowers people would throw away that didn’t work and would play with them and get them running,” he says. 

At the age of 16, Kevin bought his first car—a ‘69 Chevelle SS. It was at this moment he realized that he wanted to follow his passion for working on cars and turn it into a career.

At the time, Kevin’s father wanted him to go to a 4-year school, but he wasn’t interested. He knew his true passion was working with his hands and fixing cars, so he attended an automotive school after high school.

Today, he’s an instructor at NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, NC, where he teaches undercar, brakes, climate control and service writing.

Kevin had a successful career as a technician in the field for over 30 years. He started out as a Chrysler technician, moved to a Chevrolet dealer and finished out his career working for GM dealers.

After working in the field, Kevin and his wife moved to Houston, where he first started working at Universal Technical Institute. He spent 6 ½ years at UTI Houston before moving to Mooresville to become an instructor at NASCAR Technical Institute, which is where he teaches today!

At NASCAR Tech, Kevin teaches undercar, brakes, climate control and service writing. His past experience in the field allows him to give students a real-world understanding of what it takes to be a successful technician—and he loves it. “I enjoy teaching, I’ve always enjoyed helping people succeed in what they’re doing, and I think that’s what I was meant to be,” he says.

Kevin sees himself in his students, as many of them share his same passions. He loves the field just as much as he did when he first started. “If I wasn’t an instructor now, I would probably still be out there working at the dealership fixing cars,” he says.

Students love to hear about Kevin’s past experience in the field, and they’re always asking questions. According to Kevin, his purpose as an instructor is to take the time to invest in his students. “That’s what I’m there for—to help them and explain whatever I can,” he says.

In addition to being an instructor, Kevin has quite the car collection of his own. His most prized possessions? His 1970 Chevelle and Honda Trail 70—both of which he has always wanted. Kevin also has a 1997 Mustang Cobra in his collection, which looks out at the beautiful North Carolina forest from his garage.

When Kevin isn’t busy teaching, you can find him tinkering in his garage, taking things apart and putting them back together. He’s an example of someone who took his passion and turned it into a successful career, and he continues to inspire his students to do the same.