JTC’S BILL STRAUSER AND “TEXAS TORNADO” C. T. HELLMUND JOINING FORCES ON NEW TEAM

Source: TQ JONES
Date: 06/11/2002

Pasco, WA -- JTC Racing’s Bill Strauser and Texan C. T. Hellmund have announced the formation of a new racing team to combine Hellmund’s talent and Strauser’s experience and expertise, a team that came together so quickly after the NASCAR Winston West race at The Bullring in Las Vegas that, “we haven’t even had time to settle on a name,” according to Strauser.

Hellmund was dubbed the “Texas Tornado” by one West Coast writer for coming out of Texas periodically with what has been called “a rag-tag team” to wreak havoc with frontrunners in several series. He won his first career NASCAR Winston West start at Laguna Seca last year and posted what Speed TV commentators called “the drive of the night” in coming from 19th on the grid in only his second Winston West race to finish third in the April 2002 event at the Las Vegas short track. He has in fact run up front and won in everything from modifieds to late models to open wheelers; even qualifying in the top ten for his only ARCA race and only Busch North race so far, though falling out with mechanical failure.

By teaming with Bill Strauser, Hellmund combines his proven talent with a proven team. Strauser has worked with top drivers in several series, including Winston Cup, Winston West, Northwest Tour and the Indy Racing League. In his first year as a team owner in the Northwest Tour, the team and driver finished second. In 1990, the team and driver John Dillon won eight of 15 races and the Northwest Tour title. In 1994, Strauser took Mike Chase to the Winston West title and the team competed in the inaugural Brickyard 400. In 1996 they finished second in Winston West with Gary Smith at the wheel.

Drivers who have run with JTC’s championship-winning team include Herschel McGriff, Ron Hornaday, Jr., Ken Schrader, Jeff Ward, Chad Little, Jacque Lazier and Wally Dallenbach, Jr. For the last few years Strauser and the team have worked as “hired guns,” preparing and crewing cars for other owners and drivers.

While they haven’t settled on a team name yet, the Strauser/Hellmund combination is already talking to sponsors and is committed to run at least four races during the remainder of 2002.

“We’ll run the August 31st Winston West race at Rocky Mountain Speedway to see how we work together, and we’re working on doing the October 12th Winston West race on the big track at Las Vegas,” Strauser said on making the announcement. “Other than that, we’ll do another Winston West race, probably an ARCA race, and just may have a surprise announcement later on.”

“I’m just pumped to be working with a man and team the caliber of Bill Strauser and his operation,” Hellmund said in an interview. “I’m looking forward to helping add to their impressive record, and I’m really excited about the opportunities they are working on both on and off the track.”

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