Thursday, October 28, 2010
Security Imaging renews partnership with Molly Helmuth
For immediate release, Molly Helmuth Racing (02-10)
SEATTLE (Oct. 28, 2010) — NASCAR Whelen All-American Series rookie of the year Molly Helmuth is pleased to announce the continuation of her partnership with Security Imaging Corporation.
The Seattle company was the 15-year-old’s primary sponsor during her inaugural season racing in the Mini-Stock division at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., and will continue to support her throughout the 2011 racing season.
“We’re proud to support an up-and-coming young female driver, but from a business standpoint it is also a great fit for our company,” said Emily Dick, senior account manager. “Security Imaging is a leader in online sales of badge holders, lanyards, photo ID card printers, wristbands and other products used throughout the racing community.”
In business since 1996, Security Imaging has the largest supply of photo ID supplies on the Internet and past and current customers include corporations, military, government, schools and universities, and large and small businesses across the United States and internationally.
“Tracks, traveling series and race teams all over the country are already purchasing our products,” said Dick. “We hope they’ll ask themselves, ‘Why not purchase from this company that is supporting a young female driver?’”
The announcement is the latest in a string of good news for Molly Helmuth, who was recently invited by legendary IndyCar driver Lyn St. James to attend Phase I of the prestigious Women in the Winner’s Circle Academy Nov. 19-21 in Phoenix. Prior to that the Seattle native will take part — again by invitation — in the Talent Search Shoot-Out held by Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle, a NASCAR-focused racing career development program.
Behind the scenes, a Ford Mustang is being prepared for Helmuth’s sophomore season racing in the Mini-Stock Division at Evergreen Speedway. She also plans on driving a four-cylinder late-model in select events held by the Northwest Pro4 Alliance series and racing her kart whenever possible.
Helmuth began racing karts in 2006 and has competed in the Northwest Rotax Series throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada. When NASCAR lowered the age limit to 14 for the 2010 season, she entered the Mini-Stock division with a front-wheel drive Volkswagen Corrado. Racing against drivers twice her age, Helmuth became a fan favorite by bumping, passing, spinning out and crashing as she learned how to handle and race her car.
The youngest driver to ever win Rookie of the Year honors in the Mini-Stock division at Evergreen Speedway, Helmuth finished the 2010 season No. 5 (of 31) in the series standings. She also won a trophy dash in August at Idaho’s Stateline Stadium Speedway while racing with the Northwest Outlaws Series.
On the WebFor more information on Molly Helmuth and her racing, visit www.mollyhelmuth.com, become a fan of “Molly Helmuth Racing” on Facebook, follow @Molly_helmuth92 on Twitter, or visit her YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/rotaxjr92#p/u.
To learn more about Security Imaging, visit www.securityimaging.com or call: (877) 369-7033 (toll free) or (206) 527-8819.
About Molly Helmuth
Molly Helmuth has been racing since the age of 11. She started racing go karts in Washington, Oregon and Canada, competing in various events against some of the fastest drivers in the country. In 2010 at 14 Molly became the youngest driver to compete in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Mini-Stock Division at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., finishing in the top-five in series points and winning rookie of the year. Helmuth has been invited to attend Phase I of the Lyn Saint James Women in the Winner’s Circle Academy and to take part in the Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle Talent Search Shoot-Out.
About Security Imaging Corporation
In business since 1996, Security Imaging is a leader in online sales of badge holders, lanyards, photo ID card printers, wristbands and other products. Customers include corporations, military, government, schools and universities, and large and small businesses across the United States and internationally.
The online catalog at www.securityimaging.com displays just a portion of the products available from the company, and customers are encouraged to contact the Security Imaging staff with questions or to request a particular item. Many of the products Security Imaging sells can be customized, making them a low-cost and effective method for marketing in addition to meeting an operational need.
Molly Helmuth Racing media contact
Mike Helmuth, (206) 819-1501, mike@securityimaging.com
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
PRO DRIFTER NIKOLAY KONSTANTINOV ENJOYS THE CHALLENGE OF COMPETING AT PGP
KENT, Wash. — (Oct. 27, 2010) For Formula Drift series professional Nikolay Konstantinov, a lap around PGP Motorsports Park is a series of challenges to be analyzed, acted upon and eventually overcome.
“Every single corner, you have to think — how fast do I enter, should I use the emergency brake or clutch; there is a lot going through your head,” said Konstantinov. “Each time around you have to think and re-think your driving style to get through the course.”
In many ways, that lap around PGP’s 14-corner, .82-mile track mirrors the life led by the 26-year-old from Lynnwood, Wash.
Born on the banks of the Caspian Sea in Baku, Azerbaijan, Konstantinov and his family — mother, father, brother and uncle — moved to Russia when he was 6. As Armenians, they hoped to escape the violence and ethnic tension unleashed in that part of the world as the Soviet Union fell apart.
The better life the family sought wasn’t to be found in Russia, however, where Konstantinov said “we were darker than the Russians so there was a lot of racism, name-calling and taunts, so we had to come here.”
Although settling in the Pacific Northwest finally brought the family the security they sought, the struggles of 12-year-old Nikolay were far from over. After starting middle school partway through the year, he was held back to take sixth grade over from the beginning.
“I knew three words of English, ‘where is office,’ so I could get to a translator,” Konstantinov said of starting school in America. “It was very, very, hard, absolutely.”
Konstantinov got through school, graduating from Roosevelt High School, and went on to spend some time at North Seattle Community College and Shoreline CC. But he grew tired of sitting in a classroom, and wanting instead to work his hands, Konstantinov went to work for his uncle as a stone craftsman, creating custom kitchen counters and tile floors.
Somewhere in the five years he worked as a stonemason, Konstantinov discovered drifting, but it was an on-and-off hobby until November 2009 when he secured his Formula Drift professional license at the ProAm Nationals at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, Calif.
As Konstantinov put it, “things snowballed from there.”
With the support of Doug Smith’s U.P. Garage USA of Tacoma, Wash., he competed in four of the seven events on the Formula Drift Professional Series 2010 schedule: at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. — where he became the first Pacific Northwest driver to break into the Round of 16 — Las Vegas, Sonoma, Calif., and the finale, once again at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale.
U.P. Garage lead technician Erik Rittscher helped upgrade Konstantinov’s professional drift car, a khaki-colored 1991 Nissan 240 SX which happens to be the first car he ever owned. In addition to a slew of changes that Konstantinov said runs “from a to z,” Rittscher added a second turbo, high-end suspension and a factory Japanese body kit to improve the car’s aerodynamics.
Spectators at PGP Motorsports Park are likely to see Konstantinov in a 1991 Nissan SX, but it won’t be the same car he drives professionally. The 240 SX that is his “PGP war machine” — which is also his daily drive to work at Discount Tire at Seattle Northgate — is red, but everything else about it resembles his professional ride.
“Aero kit, wheels, everything is exactly the same,” Konstantinov said. “I really like that car and the styling, which is the best I’ve ever seen. I actually own three at the moment. After you upgrade them, I think they’re beautiful.”
Some of the beauty was knocked out of Konstantinov’s pro car when he crashed at the Formula Drift season finale in early October at Toyota Speedway. He had made it into the Round of 32, with eventual 2010 series champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. as his first opponent, and Konstantinov pushed himself too hard in practice, hitting the wall hard.
With help from other Formula Drift teams, Konstantinov and the U.P. Garage crew led by crew chief Randy Sisler II worked on the car until the track lights were shut off for the night, and then again as soon as the gates opened the next morning.
They got the car back together in time to make one run again Gittin, a draw, but on the second pass Konstantinov’s car overheated and his day was done.
Although he didn’t compete in all of PGP’s drift events earlier this year, Konstantinov said he enjoys the challenge of drifting at the region’s premier multi-purpose motorsports facility.
“That track is absolutely amazing. It has a lot of potential for drifting in the Northwest,” Konstantinov said. “Every driver wants to drive there. It is fun and educational, with corner variations and different length straights. PGP is a lot more of a challenge, which in the long term will make you a better driver.”
Even though Formula Drift events are often less about competition as they are the off-track show — with vendor booths, trophy girls and show cars —Konstantinov finds the atmosphere at PGP to his liking.
In addition to drifting with good friends like Chris Crisostomo, Konstantinov said the drivers and fans have plenty to do in the infield when they’re not enjoying being able to see every corner of the track thanks to the velodrome-like setting.
“Spectators can see everything very well, but I think it would be boring for people to just stand around and watch us drift,” said Konstantinov. “The whole environment at PGP, the whole vibe, with music and food, it makes it more like home. It makes it that much more of a great environment.”
For now Konstantinov is getting his daily drive, the red Nissan, ready for the fall-winter drift series at PGP that starts Nov. 20. He wants to get as much practice as possible to be at the top of his game for the 2011 Formula Drift Professional Series.
Because working hard, being prepared and overcoming the challenges before him is how Konstantinov lives his life.
“If you’ve seen the movie ‘8 Mile,’ it’s like that,” he said. “You only have one chance, one shot. I think I could go far.”
On the Web: Visit www.pacificgp.com, become a fan of “Pacific Grand Prix” on Facebook or follow @pacificgp on Twitter.
You can also become a fan of “Nikolay Konstantinov Racing” on Facebook or visit U.P. Garage USA at www.upgarageusa.com.
About PGP Motorsports Park: PGP Motorsports Park is the Northwest’s premier multi-purpose racing facility and is located in close proximity to the greater Seattle metropolitan area. Named “Best Guys Weekend Destination” for 2010 in the KING 5 Evening Magazine Best of Western Washington contest, the track is easy to get to and inexpensive to utilize, making PGP a rare combination of top-level racing excitement and affordability. For more information on PGP events and services, visit www.pacificgp.com or call (253) 639-7223.
PGP Motorsports media contact: Paul Zalud, (206) 390-9858, paul@pacificgp.com
“Every single corner, you have to think — how fast do I enter, should I use the emergency brake or clutch; there is a lot going through your head,” said Konstantinov. “Each time around you have to think and re-think your driving style to get through the course.”
In many ways, that lap around PGP’s 14-corner, .82-mile track mirrors the life led by the 26-year-old from Lynnwood, Wash.
Born on the banks of the Caspian Sea in Baku, Azerbaijan, Konstantinov and his family — mother, father, brother and uncle — moved to Russia when he was 6. As Armenians, they hoped to escape the violence and ethnic tension unleashed in that part of the world as the Soviet Union fell apart.
The better life the family sought wasn’t to be found in Russia, however, where Konstantinov said “we were darker than the Russians so there was a lot of racism, name-calling and taunts, so we had to come here.”
Although settling in the Pacific Northwest finally brought the family the security they sought, the struggles of 12-year-old Nikolay were far from over. After starting middle school partway through the year, he was held back to take sixth grade over from the beginning.
“I knew three words of English, ‘where is office,’ so I could get to a translator,” Konstantinov said of starting school in America. “It was very, very, hard, absolutely.”
Konstantinov got through school, graduating from Roosevelt High School, and went on to spend some time at North Seattle Community College and Shoreline CC. But he grew tired of sitting in a classroom, and wanting instead to work his hands, Konstantinov went to work for his uncle as a stone craftsman, creating custom kitchen counters and tile floors.
Somewhere in the five years he worked as a stonemason, Konstantinov discovered drifting, but it was an on-and-off hobby until November 2009 when he secured his Formula Drift professional license at the ProAm Nationals at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, Calif.
As Konstantinov put it, “things snowballed from there.”
With the support of Doug Smith’s U.P. Garage USA of Tacoma, Wash., he competed in four of the seven events on the Formula Drift Professional Series 2010 schedule: at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash. — where he became the first Pacific Northwest driver to break into the Round of 16 — Las Vegas, Sonoma, Calif., and the finale, once again at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale.
U.P. Garage lead technician Erik Rittscher helped upgrade Konstantinov’s professional drift car, a khaki-colored 1991 Nissan 240 SX which happens to be the first car he ever owned. In addition to a slew of changes that Konstantinov said runs “from a to z,” Rittscher added a second turbo, high-end suspension and a factory Japanese body kit to improve the car’s aerodynamics.
Spectators at PGP Motorsports Park are likely to see Konstantinov in a 1991 Nissan SX, but it won’t be the same car he drives professionally. The 240 SX that is his “PGP war machine” — which is also his daily drive to work at Discount Tire at Seattle Northgate — is red, but everything else about it resembles his professional ride.
“Aero kit, wheels, everything is exactly the same,” Konstantinov said. “I really like that car and the styling, which is the best I’ve ever seen. I actually own three at the moment. After you upgrade them, I think they’re beautiful.”
Some of the beauty was knocked out of Konstantinov’s pro car when he crashed at the Formula Drift season finale in early October at Toyota Speedway. He had made it into the Round of 32, with eventual 2010 series champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. as his first opponent, and Konstantinov pushed himself too hard in practice, hitting the wall hard.
With help from other Formula Drift teams, Konstantinov and the U.P. Garage crew led by crew chief Randy Sisler II worked on the car until the track lights were shut off for the night, and then again as soon as the gates opened the next morning.
They got the car back together in time to make one run again Gittin, a draw, but on the second pass Konstantinov’s car overheated and his day was done.
Although he didn’t compete in all of PGP’s drift events earlier this year, Konstantinov said he enjoys the challenge of drifting at the region’s premier multi-purpose motorsports facility.
“That track is absolutely amazing. It has a lot of potential for drifting in the Northwest,” Konstantinov said. “Every driver wants to drive there. It is fun and educational, with corner variations and different length straights. PGP is a lot more of a challenge, which in the long term will make you a better driver.”
Even though Formula Drift events are often less about competition as they are the off-track show — with vendor booths, trophy girls and show cars —Konstantinov finds the atmosphere at PGP to his liking.
In addition to drifting with good friends like Chris Crisostomo, Konstantinov said the drivers and fans have plenty to do in the infield when they’re not enjoying being able to see every corner of the track thanks to the velodrome-like setting.
“Spectators can see everything very well, but I think it would be boring for people to just stand around and watch us drift,” said Konstantinov. “The whole environment at PGP, the whole vibe, with music and food, it makes it more like home. It makes it that much more of a great environment.”
For now Konstantinov is getting his daily drive, the red Nissan, ready for the fall-winter drift series at PGP that starts Nov. 20. He wants to get as much practice as possible to be at the top of his game for the 2011 Formula Drift Professional Series.
Because working hard, being prepared and overcoming the challenges before him is how Konstantinov lives his life.
“If you’ve seen the movie ‘8 Mile,’ it’s like that,” he said. “You only have one chance, one shot. I think I could go far.”
On the Web: Visit www.pacificgp.com, become a fan of “Pacific Grand Prix” on Facebook or follow @pacificgp on Twitter.
You can also become a fan of “Nikolay Konstantinov Racing” on Facebook or visit U.P. Garage USA at www.upgarageusa.com.
About PGP Motorsports Park: PGP Motorsports Park is the Northwest’s premier multi-purpose racing facility and is located in close proximity to the greater Seattle metropolitan area. Named “Best Guys Weekend Destination” for 2010 in the KING 5 Evening Magazine Best of Western Washington contest, the track is easy to get to and inexpensive to utilize, making PGP a rare combination of top-level racing excitement and affordability. For more information on PGP events and services, visit www.pacificgp.com or call (253) 639-7223.
PGP Motorsports media contact: Paul Zalud, (206) 390-9858, paul@pacificgp.com
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
JESSICA DANA’S ‘BEST DRIVE OF THE YEAR’ ENDS IN VICTORY LANE AT NIKA NORTHWEST CHAMPIONSHIP
KENT, Wash. — (Oct. 4, 2010) Two weekends, two solid finishes including an impressive regional karting series victory and a regional series runner-up for Jessica Dana.
The 15-year-old high-school student from Tumwater, Wash., started her week by coming from the third row to win the feature race of the National Indoor Karting Association’s Northwest Regional Championship on Sunday, Sept. 26 at PGP Motorsports Park.
Six days later, on Saturday, Oct. 2, Jessica secured a second-place overall trophy in Rotax Senior class of the Stars of PGP Series by finishing second in the feature race of the season finale, also held at PGP Motorsports Park.
“It was great fun running so well at both events,” said Jessica. “Our team did a great job both days. I really need to thank sponsors Apex Karting, D3, Pacific Real Estate Partners and Smith Racing Development, and especially my team — Matt Kindrick, mom and dad (Pam and Troy Dana).”
Jessica got around Maurice Sawver for the lead when he went wide into a turn, and then she held off a fierce challenge from Jerry Peterson as the laps wound down to win the NIKA championship feature race. She was fifth on the starting grid for that race, but from the drop of the green flag Jessica moved forward to shadow leader Shawver and Peterson running in second. There was rain throughout the day, but conditions improved for the finale and the three lead karters broke away from the rest of the field.
Jessica passed Peterson in the pits when both came in at the same time for their mandatory stops, while Sawver remained on the track until later. Sawver was able to hold the lead through his mandatory visit to the pits, but Jessica had cut into the margin enough that she was ready to take advantage when the opportunity presented itself.
Peterson got around Sawver for second and then moved in on Jessica, pressuring her by closing up to her back bumper with just a handful of laps remaining. Each driver was stronger in different sections of the track, so the margin between them varied during each circuit, but they were nose-to-tail by the start-finish line. Although he had a couple chances, Peterson couldn’t get around her and Jessica took the checkered flag in what NIKA president Mike Smith called “her best drive of the year.”
Jessica secured an automatic berth in the NIKA feature race by finishing second in her semi-final race, and she also secured a pair of pole starts in earlier heat races.
The Stars of PGP finale was a day of seconds for Jessica, who was the second best in qualifying, the heat race and the finale — all three behind youngster Kyle Byers.
Despite having the fastest qualifying times, both Byers and Jessica elected to start the finale from the back row. Once the green flag fell they sliced through the field to the front. Jessica could keep pace with him on cold tires, but Byers had a definite speed advantage after he got heat into his tires.
Jessica had been a full second slower than Byers in the first practice session earlier in the day, so she and her crew tried some aggressive gear-change and air-pressure options to find the pace Byers displayed. By the end of the second practice the gap had been narrowed to less than a half-a-second, but Byers’ speed could not be matched.
Photo credits: Photos 1 and 3 courtesy of PGP Motorsports Park. Photo 2 courtesy Mike Smith, NIKA.
About Jessica Dana Racing: Jessica Dana Racing was founded in 2010 to help the high school sophomore from Tumwater, Wash., achieve her goal of racing at the highest levels of motorsports. Jessica began riding ATVs when she was 4, and racing them at 8. Two months after sitting in a kart for the first time she was recording a top-5 finish at the 2009 U.S. Indoor Kart Championships. Over a two-month period in the spring of 2010, Jessica raced and defeated both four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon and extreme motorsports star Travis Pastrana in charity kart events. Jessica has also gotten behind the wheel of a Baby Grand scaled-down stockcar, and she is looking to get seat time in a Super Stock late model.
Jessica Dana Racing sponsorship & media contact: Troy Dana, (360) 352-9003, Troy.Dana@d3rec.com
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Roosevelt student honored as Mini Stock Rookie of the Year
By Elizabeth Griffin
Journal-Newspapers.comPublished: Monday, October 4, 2010 10:14 PM PDT
Fifteen-year-old Mini Stock driver Molly Helmuth recently clinched the title of Rookie of the Year at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe and she doesn’t even have a DOL driver’s permit. That’s because NASCAR lowered the age limit for Mini Stock competition to 14 this season.
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