7/21/2012
Wayne Helliwell Jr
A Negative Makes a Positive
Heading into the largest small block supermodified race in the history of the division; Wayne Helliwell Jr. and the Ed and Bobby Witkum owned Scherbon Consolidated, Inc team 21 have not had the year they had hoped.
Statistical speaking minus back to back 15th place finishes the team has only finished outside the top 5 twice with two 6th place finishes.
Those numbers certainly don't scream bad year by any stretch. Helliwell also remains in the top three in the tracks championship standings; trying to win his record 10th overall track title.
However if you ask anyone on the team they will be quick to tell you things have not gone as planed in their second full season as an owner and driver paring. Heading into 2012 the teams expectations were as high as you could make them. Winning the 2011 track and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series New Hampshire state title; Helliwell and the Witkum brothers were on kill before the first flag waved in 2012.
What might not be so well known is the team overall has struggled to find balance in an inconsistent racecar week in and week out. “Sometimes we are the fasted thing on the track, said Helliwell. Other times we are a 10 place car. It’s very frustrating… We have all been frustrated this year, we can’t find balance and speed in the car at the same time.
In fact just last week the team was seconds away from loading the car in the trailer at Lee USA Speedway before they even completed a lap of competition; they had all made the decision to call it quits on the remainder of season. Lee USA Speedway officials made a decision to not let the team purchase any new tires for the evening’s event; after not completing the remainder of a double feature program the week prior. “We were fed up, said Helliwell. The track made a call thinking we had brand new tires left over [from the week before], but the fact of the matter is they had 3 heat cycles on them. They were not new tires. It put us at a major disadvantage. We were ready to load the car and say screw this…”
The team decided to stay and compete on the night; thinking about the overall big picture on the season. Trying to win a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Championship. They came home with a 6th place finish and refocused their energy this past week to show-up for the biggest event of the year and make a statement.
That statement was one heard throughout the pit area Friday night as $5,000 dollars was on the line in the first ever Money Bags 100. Helliwell would start the night off right, picking up the fast time award and put himself on the pole for the first of the three Milk Bowl style, golf score format races. He would go on to win that 35 lap race and back it up with two 2nd place finishes in segments two and three; finishing with a low score of +5.
That low score on the night pocketed the team $4400 large in one dollar bills. It also scored Helliwell 41 points toward the NASCAR National Championship as the largest field of the year was in attendance with 18 cars. “Its funny how life and this world of racing works out sometimes isn’t it..., Helliwell said in victory lane holding a bag of cash.
"We want to win every-time we pull into the track. 2nd is unacceptable to us. So when things get as far off track as they have you’re ready to say enough… Any racer thinks like that. Something like tonight makes everything else that has gone wrong comical. We all just laugh about it. I’m proud of these guys tonight. This is a great moment, a great achievement.
Our 2012 Proud SBS Partners ~ Scherbon Consolidated Inc / Locke Crane Service / Westford Glass / Witkum Flooring / Harrington Brothers Paving
Follow Wayne:
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Article Credit: Jason Lubin
Submitted By: Jason Lubin
