Gateway International Raceway announced today that Jason Dukes, former Account Executive of Series Operations for NASCAR, has joined their staff as the Business Development Manager.  Specifically, Dukes will be responsible for selling sponsorships, group tickets, hospitality tents, suites, and directing the track's industry leading diversity initiatives.

The New Jersey-native comes to Gateway after working with NASCAR since 2000.  He started in the New York office through the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program during his final year at Rutgers University, and worked at the Daytona Headquarters from 2002 through 2004.

"Gateway is very excited to land Jason Dukes," said Matt Strelo, Gateway's Vice President and General Manager.  "As a racing insider we believe that Jason will help us build all of our marketing programs."

"This is another good example of how the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program is designed to work," stated NASCAR Chief Operating Officer George Pyne.  "We find good young candidates, give them opportunities for experience and exposure, and hopefully, find spots for them to move up within the motorsports industry.  Everyone at NASCAR is thrilled for Jason and pleased that one of our member tracks recognized him as a future leader in our business."

Dukes started at Gateway on February 7th and will work on the NASCAR, NHRA and other events including the United Black Drag Racers Association annual race - the largest African-American motorsports event in the country.  He will also be involved in spearheading the tracks' efforts to bring racing into the classrooms of the St. Louis region through Gateway's "Newspapers In Education" program, currently running in conjunction with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to correspond with the beginning of racing season and Black History Month.

Season and individual tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-866-35-SPEED(7-7333). Tickets may also be purchased online by logging onto www.gatewayraceway.com.

The 2005 race season gets underway on Saturday, April 30 with the Ram Tough 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.