Overview

Working as a pit mechanic for B.J. McLeod Motorsports, Lauryn Scott is in the heart of professional racing every day of her job. Lauryn puts her skills to the test for 36 weeks a year, competing on the track as the backbone for her team’s drivers. From her start on a late model team, to a truck team, and eventually in the pit crew for Mason Massey and the BRUNT Workwear No. 99 car, Lauryn’s passion and discipline has guided her career every step of the way. In this episode, we learn about getting started in motorsports, what it takes to be a professional NASCAR pit mechanic, and what a day on the job looks like for Lauryn. Be sure to listen in on this very special episode of Bucket Talk.

About Lauryn

Lauryn got her start in motorsports while studying at NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina. When not in class or working at O’Reilly’s, she was refining her skills as a pit mechanic. Starting on a late model team, opportunities began to open up once she started meeting and working with people in the field.

“The biggest challenge is getting somebody to give you a shot, especially being a female in a very male dominated sport.” She continues “[You have to] prove to people that you know what you’re doing and deserve to be there just like they do.”

While Lauryn grew up working around cars from an early age, it was her education and field experience that propelled her career. In the modern world, technology for motorsports is evolving rapidly, and receiving specialized training in an automotive program can give you a competitive upperhand. 

“The stigma around NASCAR is the good ol’ boys. I don’t wanna say they're turning away from that, but they’re turning more towards the engineering side.” She goes on to explain, “If you really wanna set yourself apart and put yourself in a better position, definitely go to school for motorsport engineering and mechanics”

Fast forward to today, Lauryn is on the job year round traveling from race to race with her team. More recently, the team propelled Mason Massey and his BRUNT Workwear No. 99 car to finish Top 25 in the Xfinity Series. She explains the excitement of being a part of the team in Daytona:

“You think of the history that has gone on and you are building something to go to that race track, you know? You’re putting your work on the race track. It’s a really cool feeling”

Lauryn was also in the pit during the BRUNT car’s first race in New Hampshire. About 30 laps into the race, the car had crashed and the pit crew battled to get the car back together. Competing against others to get the car back on the track, Lauryn’s team works like a finely-tuned machine to problem solve on site. 

“It’s wreck-by-wreck. Once we actually see it, we can work out a plan to fix it but it has to be the quickest plan possible you ever made” She continues, “You have to be mentally sharp as well as physically fit”.

From quickly solving mechanical issues, to formulating and executing repairs with her team, Lauryn has persevered wreck-by-wreck as a top tier mechanic in her sport.