tqj3 Posted May 30, 2004 Report Share Posted May 30, 2004 Tavo Hellmund qualified and started seventh at Stockton 99 Speedway, ran in the top five all the way, finishing in fourth behind West Series champ Austin Cameron, points leader and polesitter Mike Duncan and veteran David Gilliland. Full release to follow on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLegend96 Posted June 2, 2004 Report Share Posted June 2, 2004 I am not famillar with Hellmund. His hometown shows to be Mexico City on the NASCAR West series site, but you mention in a press release that he is from Austin. Could you give some of us an idea of his racing background and why he chooses to race the West series vs the South East Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UMSCHEIDRaceServices Posted June 2, 2004 Report Share Posted June 2, 2004 Tavo doesnt run in the Elite series hes running NASCAR WEst Series used to be called the Winston West series. They are car similiar to those of th busch cars / ARCA. Run alot of tracks like Las Vega, California, Pheniox, Irwindale, and tracks over in that area. J.C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted June 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2004 Hellmund is an Austinite who is maybe the ultimate "no money, no name" racer. His father is a businessman who lives in Mexico City. Hellmund has raced in Europe, the U. S. and Mexico, always on a short budget and usually without enough money to run a full season. Several years ago, he acquired a couple of ex-Winston Cup cars and in 2001 made his first start in the then "Winston West" series at Laguna Seca. Despite an all-volunteer pit crew whose pit stops averaged 45 seconds (no kidding), he managed to stay in the top five. When the final caution came out, he closed up on the leaders and was fourth when the green fell with five laps to go. Hellmund took the win ahead of Eric Norris, 1999 Winston West champ Sean Woodside, two-time Winston West champ Brendan Gaughan and the then-2001 Winston West points leader Mark Reed, who had started sixth. (Hellmund and Gaughan have been buddies since then.) When he has the money, Hellmund runs in the now-renamed NASCAR Grand National Division West Series. In his own car, he has run first, second twice, third once, fourth once and seventh in six races and completed all but two laps in competition. He's done this tracks as diverse as road courses, the Bullring at Las Vegas and the superspeedway at Phoenix. He races in the West Division because his cars were legal for the Winston West series when he began. Now NASCAR has combined the rules for the old Winston West and the Busch North series to create the Grand National Division, (essentially one step up from the AutoZone Elite Division, which has four regions). The rules changes favor the newer 105-inch wheelbase cars (his are all 110-inch cars) and new bodies (did I mention the "no money" part?), but he runs in the West because he has a good reputation as both a heck of a driver and a good guy, and because his cars are still legal in West Division, though outdated. Thanks for the question, and the interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Every thing TQ said is true. Hellmund works out of my shop at times. This guy is super smooth on the track. I give up the day he decides to run ROMCO, because he can get a Grand National car around THR as fast as most ROMCO cars. Thats unheard of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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