Yulissa Cortina: Manager of Racing and International Communications at NASCAR

For many motorsports professionals, the passion for racing begins in childhood, nurtured by weekends at the track or karting from a young age. But for Yulissa Cortina, NASCAR’s Manager of Racing and International Communications, the road to motorsports came through a different love - sports in general.

Growing up in a household devoted to American football, basketball, and baseball, Cortina never imagined NASCAR would become such a central part of her career. However, a single job application changed everything. Now, she plays a key role in expanding NASCAR’s global presence, working with international media and fans to bring the sport to new audiences.

Unlike many in the industry who grew up with motorsports, Cortina’s path to NASCAR was anything but expected. “To be completely candid with you, NASCAR was never really on my radar growing up,” she admitted. “I had heard of NASCAR but never thought that it would be something I would enjoy.”

Her break into the sport came in 2021, when she was wrapping up an internship with the Valero Alamo Bowl. As she searched for her next opportunity, a job posting at NASCAR caught her eye. “I figured, ‘why not apply?’” she said.

That casual application quickly turned serious. “One interview turned into two, then I had an interview with the managing director of the communications team, and I knew this was where I wanted to be. The rest was history.”

Since then, she has fully immersed herself in NASCAR, and her first race - the 2022 Daytona 500- sealed her passion for the sport. “I have been to several sporting events, from football games to basketball and hockey games, but nothing compares to being at the track. There’s a certain energy and feeling that is hard to explain unless you’ve been there to experience it yourself.”

As Manager of Racing and International Communications, no two days look the same for Cortina. “I have my weekly responsibilities, such as updating our media website, writing storylines, gathering stats for the media, and working with our international series on different projects, whether that be press releases, announcements, or social posts.”

Her responsibilities extend far beyond an office setting. Race weekends are high-intensity affairs, where she juggles media relations, press conferences, and communications between officials and journalists. “I moderate press conferences, manage pre- and post-race media availabilities, and work as a liaison between our competition officials and media should we have any updates or alerts throughout the weekend.”

One of her key roles is connecting NASCAR with Spanish-speaking media and fans, both in the U.S. and abroad. “As a native Spanish speaker, I also have a hand in working with Spanish-speaking media in an effort to continue growing and diversifying our fanbase. NASCAR has the most exciting style of racing, and the goal is to showcase that on a global scale.”

With a rapidly growing international motorsports audience, NASCAR is making a concerted effort to expand its global footprint. Cortina plays a key role in that mission, working with international markets to adapt NASCAR’s outreach strategies.

“Building and maintaining relationships with international media and fans can be tricky because what works in one place may not work in another,” she explained. “As a Mexican who was raised in the U.S., I fortunately have a good grasp on how to approach both U.S. and Mexican/Latin American media. But working with our series in Canada and Europe has been a learning curve.”

One of the biggest challenges in globalizing NASCAR, she said, is that many fans outside the U.S. haven’t had the chance to experience a NASCAR race firsthand. “We haven’t been able to take our Cup Series all over the globe, so many people haven’t been able to experience a NASCAR race for themselves,” she said.

Despite that, NASCAR has been making big moves to expand its reach. “Last season, we took Cup Series driver Daniel Suárez to São Paulo, Brazil to race with the NASCAR Brasil Series, and it was very well received. This June, we will be taking both our Cup and Xfinity Series to Mexico City for a race.”

Cortina is optimistic about NASCAR’s international future. “The sport is making a conscious effort to expand globally while staying true to our roots.”

As someone working behind the scenes, Cortina has witnessed firsthand how women’s representation in NASCAR leadership has grown. “We have women in leadership roles in all aspects of the industry - competition, legal, marketing, communications, engineering—the list goes on and on.”

Still, misconceptions about women’s capabilities persist. “I think there is this false idea that women aren’t as capable—that women can only work in certain roles when it comes to motorsports,” she said. “But in reality, women are just as capable to be on pit crews, to be engineers, mechanics, officials, etc.”

Her solution? Equal opportunity. “The industry simply needs to provide equal opportunities for all. I think results will speak for themselves.”

For young women looking to follow a similar career path in motorsports communications or management, Cortina has two key pieces of advice:

1. Network Relentlessly – “The sports industry as a whole is so intertwined, so the more people you know, the better. Make sure you’re introducing yourself and reaching out to people who are currently in a role you’d like to have.”

   
   

2. Be Open to Different Roles – “Apply for internships, volunteer when you can at races, and be open to different roles. I started my college career wanting to be a sports broadcaster, but after a PR internship with a local professional soccer team, I realized that I enjoyed the communications side of the industry better.”

   
   

With the industry constantly evolving, she encourages young professionals to stay adaptable. “With the world evolving so rapidly, new positions are being created to keep up with modern demands. Be open to exploring.”

Despite the hard work and challenges, Cortina’s greatest joy comes from introducing new fans to NASCAR.

“Many people who didn’t grow up watching NASCAR, F1, or just motorsports as a whole, don’t realize how exciting it is,” she said. “Being able to share the stories we have in our sport -whether that be the story of a driver, pit crew member, or team - is something that never gets old.”

Seeing the impact of her work firsthand is incredibly rewarding. “Watching people’s faces light up when they come out to the track for the first time makes me excited for them. Or seeing a story you pitched to a media member come to fruition, it’s such a good feeling.”

While fans mostly see the on-track action, Cortina wishes people knew just how much work happens behind the scenes to make it all come together.

“I wish people knew that our job consists of so much more than what meets the eye,” she said. “We have a hand in so many aspects of the industry, from partnerships to competition and events. Most of what hits a fan’s TV screen or social media account had weeks or months of planning to get it there.”

While it can sometimes be a thankless job, she wouldn’t trade it for anything. “It’s a job I wouldn’t change for the world.”

From a chance application to helping NASCAR grow on a global scale, Yulissa Cortina’s career proves that success in motorsports doesn’t always come from a traditional background - it comes from seizing opportunities, staying open to new paths, and working hard to make an impact.

And as NASCAR continues to expand worldwide, Cortina is at the forefront - helping to tell its story, one fan at a time.