Charlotte Urban Youth program news

NCTS Teams Host, Teach Urban Youth Racing School Interns at Charlotte
Students to Get Hands-On Experience and Behind the Scenes Look At Race Shop and Race Track Through Craftsman Internship

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Since its inception in 1995, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has been heralded as a training ground for young racers to learn and perfect the art of auto racing.

Next week in Charlotte, four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series shops will become hands-on classrooms for students from Philadelphia's Urban Youth Racing School (UYRS) who will participate in a one week internship program sponsored by Craftsman® Motorsports.

The internship will culminate with the students working in the pits of each team at the Infineon 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Charlotte on Friday, May 21.

The UYRS is a non-profit organization committed to the education, training and preparation of today's urban youths through exposure to the automotive and motorsports industry. Leon Simmons Jr., 17 (Mathematics, Civics and Science Charter School in Philadelphia), Ari Summers, 19 (Mathematics, Civics and Science Charter School in Philadelphia), Paris Young, 18 (Kingsway High School in Sweedesborough, N.J.), and Anthony Martin Jr., 18 (West Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia), are all seniors in the program who will spend the week in Charlotte learning from some of the top teams, pit crews and drivers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

"As an official partner of NASCAR and the title sponsor of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Craftsman has long believed in taking an active role in building the dreams of young people," said Toure Claiborne, Sears director, brand management-partnership marketing. "This year's Urban Youth Racing School internship program with four of our NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams is just one part of our continuing efforts to introduce young people and build diversity in motorsports."

Through the internship program, the UYRS students will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes and learn what goes on at a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race shop and in the garage at the race track.

The students will be paired with four Craftsman teams - Morgan-Dollar Motorsports with driver Dennis Setzer (No. 46 Chevrolet); Innovative Motorsports with drivers Robert Huffman and Hank Parker Jr. (No. 12 and No. 21 Toyota); Circle Bar Racing with driver Rick Crawford (No. 14 Ford) and Darrell Waltrip Motorsports with driver David Reutimann (No. 17 Toyota).

"We are honored once again to work with the folks at Craftsman in helping introduce the students of the Urban Youth Racing School to motorsports," said David Dollar, owner of Morgan-Dollar Motorsports. "What better way to give these kids a look at the real behind the scenes work and efforts that go into running a race team. We look forward to sharing our day-to-day operations and work ethic with the Urban Youth Racing School." From participating in pit stop practice, to welding on the race truck, to pushing the truck through inspection at the track and then watching the green flag wave on race day, the students of the UYRS will be involved with every aspect of the process that helps create a successful race team.

"I am looking forward to the one week internship so much because of the opportunity to work with professionals and to continue working on my goal of working in the motorsports industry," said Simmons, who will be working with Darrell Waltrip Motorsports. For Simmons, the internship will be a preview of what he hopes his future holds. Simmons plans on attending North Carolina A&T University or UNC-Charlotte next fall to further his education in motorsports engineering.

"Many people my age and from my community never get the opportunity to do something like this, and I truly believe this is a blessing," Simmons said. "I want to make the Urban Youth Racing School proud by being among the students to really have an impact in motorsports in the future."

Craftsman, the Official Tools of NASCAR, has sponsored the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since it began in 1995. According to a 2002 EquiTrend survey, Craftsman is rated the No. 1 brand in the nation among men for overall quality. Sears sells more than 1,600 Craftsman hand tools that are guaranteed forever. If any Craftsman hand tool ever fails to give complete satisfaction, return it for free repair or replacement. Sears offers Craftsman tools, merchandise and related services nationwide through its Full-line stores, Sears Hardware stores, Sears Dealer stores and Orchard Supply Hardware stores, as well as through specialty catalogs and online at www.sears.com and www.craftsman.com.

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