Performance Racing Industry is putting a greater emphasis on something every corner of motorsports eventually has to deal with: finding the next generation of people who want to make the racing business their career.
PRI will debut NextGen Connect presented by Carlyle Tools during the 2026 PRI Show, Dec. 10-12 at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The program is designed to put students and young adults in the same room with educators, employers and industry professionals while giving them a closer look at the career opportunities available throughout motorsports.
“The future of motorsports depends on having a strong pipeline of people who are excited to build careers in this industry,” PRI Managing Director Doug Bresnahan said. “NextGen Connect creates opportunities for students, educators and industry professionals to build relationships and explore the many career paths available in motorsports.”
NextGen Connect will be based in Wabash 1 & 2 at the Indiana Convention Center and will include educational seminars, resume reviews, networking opportunities and career guidance. SimpleTire will also provide professional headshots for participants.
More importantly, students will have direct access to representatives from companies already doing business in motorsports.
That interaction is a major part of what PRI is trying to accomplish. Instead of limiting the program to classroom-style instruction, NextGen Connect is intended to introduce prospective employees to the people who can explain what working in racing actually requires and where opportunities exist.
“We wanted to create a place at the PRI Show where students and young adults can have meaningful conversations with people working in motorsports and get a better understanding of what it takes to build a career in the industry,” PRI Show Director Karin Davidson said. “It’s an opportunity to ask questions, make connections, and get a firsthand look at the people and companies that make the motorsports industry what it is.”
The program will include a Lunch & Learn session presented by SimpleTire each day of the show.
The first, “Building an Intentional Brand,” is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m. and will be led by Amanda Van Den Elzen of Racer on Demand. Additional speakers and topics will be announced later.
NextGen Connect will also hold a breakfast Saturday, Dec. 12, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in Wabash 1 & 2. Alba Colon, Hendrick Motorsports director of technical partnerships, will deliver the keynote presentation. Hendrick Motorsports is a supporting sponsor of the program.
PRI doesn’t intend for NextGen Connect to end when exhibitors pack up and leave Indianapolis.
The longer-range plan calls for connecting academic and trade programs with motorsports employers while promoting internships, apprenticeships and co-op opportunities. PRI also wants the program to establish an ongoing line of communication between educators and companies looking for future employees.
The 2026 PRI Show runs Dec. 10-12 and is expected to bring more than 1,000 exhibiting companies to Indianapolis, along with motorsports professionals from across the industry.
PRI membership is no longer required to attend the show.
For NextGen Connect, however, the bigger objective isn’t necessarily who comes through the doors this December. It’s whether some of those students eventually come back through those doors with a company name on their shirt and a job in the racing industry.
“The future of motorsports depends on having a strong pipeline of people who are excited to build careers in this industry,” Bresnahan said.
