UPLAND, CaliforniaState of Nevada, Secretary of State Dean Heller will take the wheel to race in the ASA Speed Truck Challenge at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway “Bullring” on October 30th.
Dean Heller got into politics early in life, making daily trips to the Capitol Building to give then Governor Mike O'Callaghan an update on local, national and world events. That is, Dean was delivering the Governor's newspaper as his paperboy at the age of twelve.
Dean grew up in a log cabin---oops, wrong story. After graduating from Carson High School, Dean received a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, specializing in finance and securities analysis, from the University of Southern California in 1985.
Dean was first elected Secretary of State in 1994, and re-elected in 1998 and again in 2002. He previously served Carson City as an assemblyman in the Nevada Legislature from 1990-1994. Prior to that, Dean worked as an institutional stockbroker and as a broker/trader on the Pacific Stock Exchange.
Secretary of State Heller is the third highest-ranking constitutional officer in Nevada, serving as the state's Chief Elections Officer. His office includes the Elections Division, Commercial Recordings Division, Securities Fraud Division and the Notary Division. In his official capacity, Dean also is a member of the Board of Examiners (which includes the governor and attorney general), State Prison Board, and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
Dean was also a Founding Board Member of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada and the Western Nevada Community College Foundation, and is an Advisory Board Member for Nevada's Foster Grandparent program.
Dean and his wife, Lynne, who met while they were attending the University of Southern California, live in Carson City with their three younger children: Harris, 15; Drew, 14; and Emmy, 9. Their daughter, Hilary, attends Arizona State University.
The Heller family is Carson City's version of the Von Trapp family. Lynne has been a major force in the development of the Western Nevada Musical Theatre Company, and Dean and the children have performed in many of the group's plays.
Dean has performed-although that is stretching the definition-as a sailor, baseball player and a 6'4” Chinese gambler.
He even performed at Carnegie Hall in 1996. Okay, so all he actually did was serve as narrator for the Sierra Nevada Master Chorale Singing Troop's performance, but his Mom, Janet, who sings with the group, said her "little Dean-O" was just great.
Many people believe politicians are always in a fog, but Dean actually went the extra mile and created fog…during a play that is. Seems he was in charge of the fog machine during a play and kept it going so long that the entire theater was covered.
Dean also enjoys stockcar racing, competing in several races a year throughout Nevada and California. He grew up around the sport following his dad, "Blackjack" Heller, who raced for many years. That background has led many people to ask the question, "How could someone who always turns left end up as a Republican?"
Dean will be at the wheel of the #92 Josh Daly Motorsports Ford Ranger sponsored by Go Fast Sports and CMKXtreme.com for Saturday nights Twin 75’s. Dean just earned the “Rookie of the Year” title for the Open Modifides at Champion Speedway in Carson City piloting the Go Fast Sports Open Modified. He finished 5th overall in the points and holds the track record at 13.45 seconds.
The ASA Speed Truck Challenge travels the Southwest racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s “Bullring,” Irwindale Speedway, Mesa Marin Raceway, Orange Show Speedway, Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway, Tucson Raceway Park and has raced numerous times at Phoenix International Raceway as well as several road course events like the San Diego Grand Prix, Tustin Thunder, Willow Springs, Tecate Grand Prix and others. The ASA Speed Truck Challenge is televised nationally on the Outdoor Channel. For additional information see www.speedtruck.com.
