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VIDEOUnderpaid Athletes: Paulie Harraka
By
Scott Reeves Dec 01, 2009 8:20 am
The road to riches has some twists and turns.
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There’s nothing unusual about combining stock car racing with courses in business and mechanical engineering, says the 20-year-old sophomore.
“ Progressing up the NASCAR ladder is my biggest aspiration now," he explains. "The tough thing is learning how to manage my time.”
It helps that Harraka often competes on the West Coast during weekends, which gives him plenty of time in the air to study. Typically, he heads west from Durham, North Carolina, on Thursday, handles media appearances on Friday, races on Saturday, and returns to his life as a student on Sunday.
“When I land on the West Coast, all the school stuff stops. I focus on racing and don’t get back to my studies until the conclusion of the race," he says. "But I do mix the two when at Duke -- racing often pops into my mind and I’m always discussing ways with team members to improve the car."
Another concession to his dual life: He’s known as “Paul” on campus and “Paulie” at the track.
Paulie Harraka is building a successful career as a driver, winning two of the three final races for the NAPA (GPC) Autocare/Adaptive One Brakes Team on behalf of his sponsor, Bill McAnally Racing. His overall performance earned him Sunoco (SUN) Rookie Honors in the Western Division of NASCAR’s Camping World Series. When competing, he drives a Toyota (TM).
So far in 2009, Harraka has earned $65,516, placing him fourth in the money race, and about $22,000 behind the leader.
Earnings go way beyond that for racing's stars. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 35, has made an estimated $46 million in his career, followed by Jeff Gordon, 38, at $30 million, and Jimmie Johnson, 34, at $23 million.
That kind of money is just a dream for now, says Harraka, who says he understands the importance of endorsements in the sport. “More than any other sport, we’re a business,” he explains. “If we’re not a successful marketing tool for our sponsors, we fail as an enterprise and none of us race. It’s about branding and advertising.”
For now, though, Harraka is most focused on perfecting his skills. Contrary to those beliefs held by baseball, hockey, or football purists, he insists that racing is a sport.
“Driving requires a lot of athleticism,” Harraka says. “On some days, it’s 130 degrees in the car. The best analogy I’ve heard is that driving a racecar is like being up at bat for two hours straight. You have to be completely focused on changing conditions and always thinking to turn in the best lap. The athletics and the analysis make it a competition and are my biggest draws to the sport.”
No positions in stocks mentioned.
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