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Helget defeats his mechanical gremlins and nets Rookie Of The Year honors in Pure Stocks

By Meghan Diemel, Editor

SOUTH RANGE, WI — WISSOTA Pure Stock Rookie of the Year Dylan Helget battled to overcome car gremlins and ended up having a terrific 2025 season.

The 33-year-old South Range, Wisconsin racer said he spent the first 20 races with an ill-handling car, trying to figure out the problem. After a new-car purchase, the season immediately turned around for him, and he ended up with not one but two victories at the Legendary 100 at Cedar Lake Speedway, as well as 15 top-five finishes at various WISSOTA-sanctioned tracks.

He also took home ROY honors at Gondik Law Speedway, ABC Raceway, and Proctor Speedways in addition to his national honors.

He ended the season fourth in track points at ABC, fifth in points at Proctor, and sixth in points at Gondik Law Speedway.

When Helget isn’t devoting time to his Pure Stock, he spends his days as a mechanic. Helget has support at home and at the track from wife Heather, and children Skye and Axel.

All The Dirt! Racing News: What was your favorite racing-related memory from the 2025 season?

Dylan Helget: Winning for the first time at Cedar Lake, and then doing it again for the big show that Saturday.

ATD: What was the low light, racing related, of the 2025 season?

Helget: Working all week on the original car only to realize that the car wasn't getting better and finally realizing that the car was broken. It was almost enough to end my season.

ATD: What is your background in racing, and who has helped your racing career along the way, whether family, friends, or other racing mentors?

Helget: My background in racing is as a spectator. I helped Jason Simonson last year work on his car but this is my first year racing. Jason and Heather were the reason I got into a car. Mark Korte gave me my first engine and a lot of tooling. He also helped with setup early in the season and would give advice during the season. Alex Larson is my crew guy and sacrificed most of his summer to help me. Eric Crosby took me under his wing this season and helped teach me a lot of what I know now. Also Brent Mindock towards the end of the year has been a help with the mechanical and some more of the setup.

ATD: From a wider perspective, what are a few of your favorite moments from your career to this point?

Helget: Since this is my first year, my favorite moments will be the wins at Cedar Lake and there's the door-to-door racing with Zene at ABC, and the first time racing door to door at Gondik with Eric. Those normally don't seem like they would be that memorable but it was some of the most fun moments for me.

One other memorable moment was the engine swap at Cedar Lake. We did it at the track. We got Eric's car fired up at 3:30 a.m. and went to bed around 4:30 a.m. Got up at 6:30 a.m. and finished up.

ATD: Break down the reality of a racing season for you. What is your advice regarding how much time and effort goes into a successful season like you’ve had, for drivers just getting their start in dirt track racing?

Helget: We would literally spend all week working on the car, making changes and repairing just to get 5th-10th with the original car. There were many nights after a race that Eric and I would just sit and chat for a couple hours to try to figure out how to fix the car.

It took 20 races to figure out that it was bent the wrong way. The worst feeling is knowing that you spent a lot of time, money, and energy into a car and realize you need to find something else. I ended up buying a car halfway through the season. For anyone who is coming into racing, that is a reality that might happen.

ATD: What can be the hardest or most trying part of the racing season for you, and why?

Helget: My most trying part of racing is my competitive side. I came into the season with zero experience and wanting seat time, knowing that it would quickly evolve into wanting to do better. Most of my hard moments came from my original car. We would literally drive home in silence some nights because of how poorly the night ended. Ultimately that’s why I bought my current car. Even with the current car, I find myself doubting myself. Everyone around me has been super supportive.

ATD: What is your favorite event of the year and why?

Helget: My favorite event was the Legendary 100. Mainly because it was three days of hanging out at the track with my racing family and we had a ton of fun. Also because [they were] my first wins ever.

ATD: What will be your favorite part of the offseason, as we head toward late 2025 and early 2026, for you?

Helget: Rebuilding the car and trying to make my race program faster. I also plan on making my ice racing debut this winter.

ATD: What are your racing plans for 2026?

Helget: I plan on being ready for the Legendary opener at Cedar Lake and racing at Rice Lake until the local tracks open. I plan on getting more experience in the coming year.

ATD: Who are your sponsors you’d like to thank?

Helget: Mama T's Smokin Eats; Helget's Honey; All-Pro Garage/MN Valley Garage Door; Larson Design; Korte Motorsports; and Montclair Media.