JESSICA HELBERG EARNS TOP-FIVE FINISH IN 66TH ANNUAL TURKEY NIGHT SPRINT CAR FEATURE AT IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY

Source: Helberg Motorsports
Date: 11/29/2006

A strong qualifying run resulting fourth in the field of 36 placed Jessica second row, inside after a six-car inversion. Lap seven found Jessica turning the third fastest lap of all the competitors in the 30-lap shortened event. She crossed the finish line a mere 0.132 seconds behind fourth place finisher Bradley Galedridge.

Other entrants in the sprint car event were famed drivers including NASCAR cup driver, Casey Mears, NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Busch driver, Tracy Hines, and five-time USAC Champion Tony Hunt.

In 2005, Helberg earned fifth in points overall in the California Sprint Car Association, CASA. After competing and being selected by Access Marketing’s Drive for Diversity in conjunction with Frank Pedregon Racing, Jessica has spent the last seven months in Mooresville, North Carolina, the heart of NASCAR where she gained seat time in late model stock cars running both Ace Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway.

“I’ve learned quite a bit while in North Carolina, but I truly missed the agility of an open wheel sprint car compared to that of the heavy stock car. Being back in the sprint car and performing well at Turkey Night against a field of drivers that I so-much look up too has become one of the highlights of my racing career.” Helberg shared after her finish.

Jessica’s top-five finish at Turkey Night may be just the incentive her team needed to travel east in December to participate in the sprint and midget classic during the annual PRI show.

While Jessica looks to race select USAC Western Sprint shows in 2007 in the family owned Helberg Motorsports Beast Chevy, she is spending the off-season actively pursuing support dollars to expand her ability to run more races.

About Helberg Motorsports: Owned by former late-model stock car driver Joe Helberg, the USAC 360 sprint car team hails from Rohnert Park, California, 45 miles north of San Francisco. Drivers include Jessica Helberg, 19 and younger brother, JoJo Helberg, 16 years old.

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