Doug Yates has been around the sound of revving engines his entire life. You could say, it’s in his DNA. This comes as no surprise when you happen to be the son of legendary and NASCAR Hall of Fame engine builder and team owner Robert Yates.
With a passion for stock car racing and making horsepower, Yates not only carries on a deep-rooted father-and-son heritage of winning with his dad, but he continues to build a reputation in motorsports as both a world-class engine builder and respected businessman.
Born and raised in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, Yates attended North Carolina State University and received a degree in mechanical engineering and in 2015 was inducted into the MAE Hall of Fame. With his education in hand, coupled with a keen fascination with making horsepower and his desire to push innovation, Yates soon became head engine builder at Robert Yates Racing.
In 2003, legendary engine builders Jack Roush and Robert Yates joined forces to form Roush Yates Engines and became the exclusive Ford engine builder for NASCAR, led by President & CEO Doug Yates. This partnership experienced immediate success with winning the 2004 Nextel Cup Championship (now NASCAR Cup Series).
Since 2004, Roush Yates Engines has achieved over 411 combined overall wins (points and non-points) in NASCAR, IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) and FIA (Federation Internationale De L’Automobile) series. In addition, RYE has accumulated 28 championship titles, including the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Championship with driver Joey Logano and Team Penske.
In 2009, Yates purchased his father’s half of Roush Yates Engines to become a co-owner in the company. Today as CEO, Yates leads a staff of 180 employees located in two state-of- the-art facilities: Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions.
He has grown Roush Yates Engines from a NASCAR Cup engine shop into a global engine company that designs, develops, builds, and tests world-class engines for multiple series. In addition, Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions has grown into a CNC manufacturing leader, providing components to the aerospace, defense, medical, industrial, and automotive sectors.
Yates has worked in the motorsports industry for over 30 years. He challenges himself and his team each day to be better, unique, and different. With Yates’ dynamic career as a premier engine builder and businessman, his passion for the sport is contagious.