This summer marks the sixth consecutive year of the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program. Through the program, 28 college students will complete a 10-week, paid summer internship within the NASCAR industry.  The 2005 program began on June 1 and will run through Aug. 12.

"This program is an excellent opportunity for diverse college students to learn about the career opportunities available in NASCAR," said Earvin "Magic" Johnson, the co-chairman of NASCAR's Executive Steering Committee for Diversity. "This program will help students get real-life experience within the industry and encourage more students to pursue careers in NASCAR."

The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program features internships offered by NASCAR offices, sponsors, licensees, teams, tracks and broadcast partners. In addition to NASCAR corporate offices, the following companies are participating in 2005: Daytona International Speedway, Dover Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports, Homestead-Miami Speedway, International Speedway Corporation, Kansas Speedway, Motor Racing Network (MRN), Michigan International Speedway, NASCAR SpeedParks (in Concord Mills, N.C., Myrtle Beach, S.C., St. Louis and Sevierville, Tenn.), Octagon, Penske Racing South, Phoenix International Raceway, Pocono Raceway, Richard Childress Racing, Robert Yates Racing, Roush Racing, Sears, Roebuck and Co., SPEED Channel (FOX Entertainment Group), Talladega Superspeedway and XM Satellite Radio.

NASCAR Director of Diversity Tish Sheets said, "The NASCAR Diversity Internship Program is one of many initiatives NASCAR has to help increase diversity throughout the industry. This program has had great success in its first five years that could not be possible without the support of sponsors and partners from throughout the industry. We look forward to another exciting summer with these new interns."

Over 100 students have participated in the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program since its inception in 2000. These interns have gained experience working in marketing, engineering, public relations, licensing and various other areas.  Through their intern experiences, several of these students have earned full-time positions.

Each year, the internships are available to college juniors, seniors and graduate students across the country. To be eligible, students must be in good standing with their school and community, must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and provide an official copy of their school transcript.  More information on the program is available at www.diversityinternships.com.