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Auto racing mechanics are an enthusiastic bunch, especially when it comes to talking about their jobs. Take Rebecca Thompson, a kart mechanic and track marshal at a racing school in California. She recommends the career to anyone interested in racing mechanics.

"There are a number of aspects of being a mechanic that translate to everyday life -- just the mentality it takes to find a problem and fix it can be applied to almost anything," she says. "Learning to become a good mechanic forces you to become a problem solver. When you become an advanced mechanic -- or, tuner, as we say -- you're able to listen to the needs of a driver -- your customer -- and diagnose alternative ways to solve the issue at hand. In a time when people are looking for anything to make a living, I've found something that I love, and I enjoy going to work."

Thompson says that auto racing mechanics is a good industry to get into if you have a lot of drive and desire. She says those are the people who succeed as auto racing mechanics.

"In this industry, you very much get out of it what you put in," she says. "Racing is a performance-based industry, and if you perform, the rewards follow. I also believe that the racing industry would prosper greatly from increased exposure -- every time someone new finds out about what I do, they are surprised that they didn't know about it."

Jay Hedgecock is president of a racing academy in North Carolina. He says he loves seeing mechanics get excited about their job.

"For me, it's fun to see people develop new skills," he says. "They get so excited when they realize that they can learn something new... especially welding."

Jess Gilbank is the owner and operator of an all-female garage. "Satisfaction of completion is the biggest thrill of mechanics," she says. "Knowing that the vehicle came in and had a tangible problem and left without it because of your skills is a fantastic feeling. The other benefit to learning and performing any trade is that you learn confidence with hands-on tasks, which can translate into your ability to take on other tasks with confidence, such as hanging a light fixture at home or soldering some plumbing. Many of the skills required in each of the trades are transferrable, to a degree, into the other trades."

Gilbank says it can be difficult being a female mechanic. "The difficult part about being a woman in the trade is the simple fact that our genders are different, and we operate and think differently," she says. "This does not mean that one gender is better than the other, rather that the dynamics between the employees make concentrating on the task at hand more of a challenge."

Brett Goodman owns a racing academy. Talking to him about what racing mechanics get out of their job, the word "satisfaction" comes up again and again.

There's an "extreme satisfaction of performing well at that level," says Goodman. "[It's also great] feeling that the team and driver couldn't have done it without you," he adds. "Plus, some really like the travel."

Robert Kaminski is the owner of a racing school in Florida. "Can a person find a career as an auto racing mechanic?" he asks. "Only if you love what you're doing, work hard and remain dedicated to accomplishing your dreams."

Hedgecock echoes Kaminski's statement and says if someone is serious about becoming a mechanic and gets the necessary education and experience, a satisfying career awaits them. "It can be a rewarding career for someone both financially and emotionally, if pursued properly," he says.

So if you want to live life in the fast lane -- but would rather be involved from the sidelines -- working as an auto racing mechanic might be the career for you.