NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Mission Raceway Park recently hosted a successful NHRA Youth & Education Services (YES) Program event in British Columbia, Canada — bringing more than 240 middle and high school students together for a unique educational experience at the dragstrip.

The event, part of NHRA’s expanding pilot program empowering NHRA member tracks to run their own localized YES programs, delivered an unforgettable day for the students in attendance. From classroom-to-track learning, the day was filled with motorsports inspiration and STEM-based engagement.

Track announcer Alan Reinhart made an appearance to speak directly with students, sharing his insights from decades in the sport. The timing couldn’t have been better, as students were treated to the sights and sounds of Top Alcohol Dragster testing, providing a real-time demonstration of racing technology, power, and career possibilities in motorsports.

“Our kids were blown away by the experience,” said Shellie Munro, Jr. coordinator and lead D.O.T. at Mission Raceway Park. “Having Alan speak to them and then seeing the cars in action made a huge impact.”

While a keynote speaker had to cancel last minute, the event still delivered meaningful moments of connection between the drag racing world and the local school system. Looking ahead, organizers are already planning for a bigger and better YES Day in 2026. The goal? 1,000 students.

To meet that ambitious benchmark, Munro and her team are actively seeking a title sponsor to help fund onsite amenities like speaker tents and a BBQ lunch for students. They’re also working closely with Mission public schools to align the YES curriculum with British Columbia’s education standards.

“We’ve made great progress with lesson plans fitting B.C.’s curriculum,” Munro said. “Mission Schools has been a great partner, and we’re already meeting to brainstorm next year’s improvements.”

The team also hopes to run next year’s event in tandem with Mission’s High School Drag Racing program to help boost its participation and visibility.

Though online registration presented a few hurdles — particularly due to privacy restrictions around contacting students directly — organizers adapted by streamlining the process through teachers. They're now exploring solutions that would allow teachers broader access to NHRA’s video learning library for use in their classrooms.

“We’ve got a lot of momentum and ideas,” said Munro. “We’re proud to be part of growing the YES Program here in Canada.”

For more information on NHRA’s YES Program and its impact on the next generation, visit NHRA.com/YES.