The Business of Motorsports
High school seniors, start your engines.
The Java House Grand Prix and Arlington ISD waved the green flag yesterday for its new partnership designed to inspire high school students and introduce them to careers in motorsports and major events.
The partnership kicked off with the The Business of Motorsports panel discussion that gave Arlington ISD students at the Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center firsthand access to industry professionals involved with the execution of the Grand Prix in Arlington. Grand Prix professionals spanning marketing, communications, partnerships, creative services, and event operations, described their careers for students and explained their career paths.
“We have a great group of leaders within our team,” said Troy Yarborough, president of the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington. “By being here today, we’re able to share our background and our skills from our leaders within our organization and pass that along to students here within the Arlington school district and talk about ways you can get involved in motorsports and what those avenues could be for your career development.”
Students also participated in interactive breakout sessions that challenged them to put their creativity and skills into action. The activities gave students a firsthand look at the wide range of roles involved in producing a major sporting event and how their interests could translate into future careers.
“You don’t have to be a professional-level athlete or actually have ever even played sports to work in sports,” said Rebecca Durham, director of partnership activation and events for the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington. “Any particular skill that you want to hone, whether it is writing or photography or sales, is a functional area within sports.”
During her session, Durham introduced students to the world of corporate partnerships, including how to develop partnerships and bring them to life. The conversation also gave students an opportunity to ask questions about building professional connections, gaining visibility, and showcasing their skills.
The partnership builds on the success of student experiences last spring during the Grand Prix’s inaugural year, when students across multiple career pathways, including construction, hospitality, and marketing, connected with professionals and attended the first race day.
“This is really to help enrich the student experience here in Arlington ISD, where our students are in sports and entertainment, marketing, and audio video, and all of the different aspects behind what goes into making the race come to life,” said Sarah Mahoney, Arlington ISD Career and Technical Education coordinator.
Mahoney said the Grand Prix team has been proactive in finding ways to support students and become more involved in the Arlington community. Through the partnership, students will continue to have opportunities to learn from industry experts and experience the excitement of race day firsthand.
The Java House Grand Prix of Arlington returns to the city’s Entertainment District March 19-21, 2027.