Story and photos by Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen

The top of any totem pole is always an ultimate goal and usually a potential target too. It's always lonely at the top and those who head up large organizations expect flak from below.

Mike Helton, president of NASCAR, knows flak.

A routine evaluation of media output on TV, radio, print, and Internet coverage reveals an unbiased and presentable version of Mr. Helton as all journalism should. Still; sometimes falsehoods and innuendos, as well as unsubstantiated attacks filter out.

Today we want to report another side of Helton that we know to be true.

We don't know everything about Helton. Almost none of us spend extended time or private time with him and that is as it should be. We are pleased to report what we do know. That may be contrary to some who strike out at the head of NASCAR whenever an administrative decision seems unjust. Fortunately NASCAR fans are energetic and passionate, a sunny and cloudy reality.

Often fan justification is simply a preference for one driver over another. That's what makes NASCAR popular, but that doesn't justify a dumping on Mr. Helton whenever decisions mean changes or when infractions go against or favor a fan favorite.

My personal experience with Helton has been nothing but professional and within all expectations. I've been in numerous rooms and racing venues where Helton was present, and what I notice first is that he is very aware of his surroundings, a good quality on any scene or street.

Probably more of us would like to see Helton smile more often, but who among us would want someone administering penalties with smiles?

The few times I've had face-to-face contact with him have been cordial. Other pass-by-moments in a hotel corridor have been simple courteous responses from courteous hellos. The sum of my observation has revealed nothing haughty, nothing arrogant or hostile about him. I've seen only reserved courtesy.

"Having the privilege of being at the driver's meeting for the twins, Mr. Helton spoke and minced no words. He usually doesn't. Mike Helton is a pretty good guy. He is stern when needed and a friend as well. For those of us at the lower end of the garage area, he treats all with the same level of respect. In fact, he went so far as to offer our guys a ride on the long walk to our motor coach area. I am just not sure that the top guy in all of any other sports would stop with his personal vehicle and offer the personal touch."

Our following focus will include some quotes from Helton that show more about his solid character, but first we want to take a moment to celebrate an August event. I had a similar moment on the 22nd and my brother Craig and Mike Helton have their moment on the 30th.

Mike Helton with Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Tony George

In December 2004 NASCAR president Mike Helton joined four other leaders in motorsports, F1, NHRA, IndyCar and SCCA at the annual Society of Automotive Engineers symposium in Dearborn, Mich. The theme that year was "change for relevance" an appropriate topic for Helton coming off season one of the "Chase for the Championship" which had many fans and some drivers worried about change in the NASCAR points system.

"It's a privilege for NASCAR and myself to be a part of this distinguished panel. It is quite a bonus to sit here with four others who universally share the issues of motorsports at the same time maybe look at each other as more than competitors in motorsports at this point in time."

"Change for relevance: The advice coming out of NASCAR is to talk about change, particularly after the 2004 season. I tried my best to get grandparents to save their grandchildren. Probably the most appropriate thing is the developing part we've got in NASCAR. That's NASCAR's decision making progress toward rules and regulations that certainly have an impact on the growing of our sport. Our effort is to make it safe, the number one priority in this sport is safety.

"Also probably the greatest involvement in our sport as we press on, that could be first of three areas, safety, competition and cost. That drove us to invest tens of millions of dollars in NASCAR's Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina to be able to serve as a nucleus, a gathering point for all the incredible technologies that exist today. To bring together a concerted effort to complement the safety of the sport, to make it as safe as we can, but not to stifle it. We will continue to move on with that very significant ongoing project.

As NASCAR has expanded in popularity, it's important as an organization to keep the growth in perspective.

Courtesy of NASCAR:

"Juan Pablo Montoya's entry into NASCAR is historic," said NASCAR president Mike Helton. "It encompasses all the things that are important to NASCAR, the things that we've worked very hard to establish. Juan Pablo is someone who touches not only the Hispanic fan base, but also is a driver with an international following. NASCAR has had success with drivers from other racing backgrounds who have come to NASCAR and done well, but to have Juan Pablo say, 'I want to compete here,' is historic," Helton said. Helton takes a question at the SAE symposium:

Pit crews use different forms of technology to make their cars run faster. Using that technology is not legal. Your comment about something that was found during a garage inspection that turned out to be a great idea and was approved by NASCAR.

"No. One of the great components of our industry in motorsports is ghosts and goblins. It seems like we have a lot of them and some of them turn out to be real. I think what might have started out years ago as a psychological game between a couple of teams has turned into an environment today that NASCAR is faced with and certainly everybody in motorsports is. About chasing these ghosts and goblins that they do appear in the real process, sometimes the perception outweighs the truth. Sometimes the perception that there might be telemetry or traction control or different functions that we police against actually existing in the sport to the point where that we believe they might be. We go to great lengths in sending people undercover so to speak to buy these parts and pieces so we know how they function and what to look for to stay on top of this. So far though we have not found any. While we may visit a shop and see something that's interesting that's not legal. Certainly we may drool over it and some of folks may be inspired by it, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's OK."

"Your challenges, your concerns and your areas that you look at are fairly universal worldwide. That's a good revelation actually because now you see hope in everybody coming together and fixing these issues. We all learn from each other. We have historically and we will in the future. The opportunity that this panel gave us to share ideas among the five of us, but more importantly give back from a major supplier to our industry was a great opportunity. I think that was the great value that we learned from coming together. Thank you again for letting us be a part of it."

That's the Helton we know; from a big guy who offers a ride in his personal vehicle to team members in the rain to a guy who addresses technical ghosts and goblins.