Get On The Fast Track! program announced

GLENDORA, Calif. (Aug. 30, 2002) - The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) announced a program that offers education and career opportunities for students in grades 9-12. The program, Get on the Fast Track!, which is presented by the U.S. Army, is designed to outline a variety of opportunities for career-minded high school students.

Get on the Fast Track! provides students an introduction to all career opportunities available inside the world of NHRA drag racing, from track announcer to crew chief, through science, math, technology and language arts programs that meet many curriculum requirements.

"The new curriculum provides a great vehicle for the NHRA and Army to stress to young Americans the importance of math, science and English in their educational plans," said Tom Tiernan, U.S. Army chief event marketing and promotions for the U.S. Army Accessions Command. "The Army is extremely pleased to be a partner with the NHRA in this program. Together we have developed a program that helps young Americans develop a strong plan that will help them succeed in life whether that's in motorsports, the Army or any other career field. It's a strong partnership that helps provide door-opening opportunities to America's greatest resource - her young people."

The program includes lesson plans, exercises, resources, reproducible materials, as well as an informative career-guidance video. The goal of Get on the Fast Track! is to encourage students to think about their futures and realize the importance a quality education plays in the search for a career.

"This program offers a great education tool that will allow the NHRA and U.S. Army to partner with local communities and emphasize the importance of an education to students at a point in their lives when students are very impressionable," said Gary Darcy, NHRA vice president of marketing. "The Get on the Fast Track! program will showcase the many career

opportunities that both the military and auto racing communities provide and hopefully be a fun and worthwhile learning instrument for all involved."

The Get on the Fast Track! program is held in conjunction with the NHRA Youth and Education Services (YES) program presented by the U.S. Army, the only full-time motorsports program devoted exclusively to education. The program brings students of all levels - from grade school to college - to each of the 23 NHRA POWERADE Drag Racing Series events for an educational and curriculum-based field trip featuring Tony Schumacher, driver of the U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster. For more information on Get on the Fast Track! or the NHRA Y.E.S. program, call (626) 250-2485 or visit www.nhra.com/aboutnhr/youth.htm.

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., the NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. It presents 23 national events through its NHRA POWERADE Drag Racing Series. The NHRA has more than 80,000 members nationwide and more than 130 member tracks. The NHRA-sanctioned sportsman and bracket racing series' provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels. The NHRA develops the stars of tomorrow by offering the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, NHRA Summit Racing Series, NHRA Summit Sport Compact Drag Racing Series and the NHRA Street Legal Program. The NHRA also offers the NHRA Castrol GTX Jr. Drag Racing League for youths ages 8 to 17.

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