Goodyear Starts the 2009 Season of Race-Weekend Interns

While their fellow colleagues were celebrating Valentines Day, two undergraduates from Mainland High School had the unique chance to be part of the Goodyear Racing and Diversity Program.

The program offered in six areas including Daytona Beach, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit and Dover (DE) was started by the company in order to give high school students an opportunity to explore the many career paths offered through the sport of NASCAR. Over the past two years, the company has provided minority students with a graduated program of at-track experiences, internships and in addition, the chance to get one of the six scholarships to continue their education.

The two lucky undergraduates who benefited from the first 2009 season race weekend internships were Kayla Lee and Gabriel Bernal, both from Mainland High School.

"For the 2009 NASCAR season, Goodyear is proud to once again offer deserving high school students a unique opportunity to experience first-hand the wide variety of career opportunities available through the sport of NASCAR," said Kris Kienzl, NASCAR Marketing Manager at Goodyear. "Thanks to our longstanding, uninterrupted involvement with NASCAR, we are able to provide an inside look at career paths from engineering and design to marketing and promotions, with mentors from all over the sport, whether from NASCAR, individual race teams, tracks or Goodyear."

The elected interns were able to work in their fields of interest with established professionals on Saturday, February 14th leading into the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race and on Sunday, February 15th leading into the 51st running of the Daytona 500.

Both Kayla Lee and Gabriel Bernal attended the Winn Dixie 250 in Daytona Beach last July with other area students an received a behind-the-scenes tour of the pits and Goodyear Racing's tire operations. All students attending the race weekend were eligible to submit applications for a race-day internship but Kayla and Gabriel were “selected on the strength of their school records and extra-curricular activities as well as the recommendations of their teachers.”

All the undergraduates who complete their race weekend internships can then apply for one of six scholarships, including four $2,000 awards and two $15,000 scholarships to continue their education.