Created in 1989 as a tool to connect education and drag racing, the Y.E.S program is a one day event held at 15 POWERade Series races. It is motorsports' first and only full-time program devoted exclusively to educational programming. The Y.E.S. program demonstrates to young men and women the variety of career opportunities within motorsports, the U.S. Army and the automotive industry.

NHRA has announced that the Youth & Education Services (Y.E.S) program presented by the U.S. Army is adding these program partners for 2008: the University of Northwestern Ohio, Valvoline, and Caterpillar (CAT).

Created in 1989 as a tool to connect education and drag racing, the Y.E.S program is a one day event held at 15 POWERade Series races. It is motorsports' first and only full-time program devoted exclusively to educational programming. The Y.E.S. program demonstrates to young men and women the variety of career opportunities within motorsports, the U.S. Army and the automotive industry.

The central themes of the Y.E.S. program are: the need for continued education; the value of job-specific training; the relevance of establishing clear, attainable goals; and awareness of the variety of career options surrounding motorsports.

"The Y.E.S. program has been an important tool for the NHRA that helps us reach out to today's youth," said Gary Darcy, senior vice president of sales and marketing, NHRA. "Having Valvoline, CAT and the University of Northwestern Ohio join the current partners gives us the chance to help those youth make choices to utilize their talents and choose a career path that makes the most of those talents. All of this can occur at the track against the backdrop of NHRA POWERade Drag Racing."

The three new partners are joining the U.S. Army, Wyotech, Universal Technical Institute (UTI), GM and Mercedes Benz at all Y.E.S. events.

Since 2000, the U.S. Army has been presenting the Y.E.S. program in partnership with NHRA. The U.S. Army offers a variety of experiences for NHRA fans of all ages from the Army Strong Zone interactive displays on Nitro Alley to its marquee series of special programs offered at the track and in the classroom focused on teaching area youth the value of education and the importance of embodying the Army Strong characteristics of mental, emotional and physical strength. With the U.S. Army's involvement, NHRA is able to provide 25,000 youth around the country the opportunity to participate in the Y.E.S. program each year.

While attending the event, students visit the interactive midway that includes booths set up by career- and education-focused partners. They also attend a short panel discussion that is headlined by five-time Top Fuel world champion U.S. Army Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher, Valvoline Funny Car driver Jack Beckman, and CAT dragster driver Rod Fuller. Speakers encourage students to think about how the decisions they make today will affect their career opportunities later in life. When the panel discussion is complete the attendees are encouraged to stay and watch that day's racing.