Tavo Hellmund – Wikipedia

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American businessman

Tavo Hellmund (born February 24, 1966) is an American businessman, event promoter and former racing driver. Although he worked for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Hellmund is better known for his work in Formula One racing, where he was responsible for both the return of the United States Grand Prix (2012, Austin) and the Mexican Grand Prix (2015), in addition to being a founding partner of Circuit of the Americas.[1][2] As such, he has been described in journalism as the mastermind of the United States Grand Prix, and North America’s F1 Hero.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

Racing career[edit]

Hellmund competed in the British Formula 3 International Series, Formula Vauxhall, SCCA races, Formula Ford races, kart racing, the ARCA Re/Max Series, late model races, and IMCA Modified races, earning numerous wins.[9] Notably, he achieved victory in his NASCAR Winston West Series debut at Laguna Seca in 2003.[10] He ultimately ended his driving career in 2005 due to budget constraints.[11]

Promoter[edit]

Hellmund has worked in several capacities on dozens of events, including a variety of races such as INDYCAR, IMSA and SCCA. Outside of motorsport his work includes the 1986 FIFA World Cup.[12] From 2005 to 2009, he promoted the Texas Racefest at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas, which combined a USAC National Midget race and a NASCAR West Series race in the same event.[13] Racefest was a sellout and won his company (Full Throttle Productions) Short Track Promoter of the Year in 2006.[14]

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United States Grand Prix[edit]

Hellmund has had a lifelong relationship with Bernie Ecclestone.[15] In May 2010, Formula One announced that a 10-year deal was made with Hellmund’s Full Throttle Productions for the United States Grand Prix to be hosted at Circuit of the Americas outside of Austin, Texas beginning in 2012.[16]

Hellmund named the track Circuit of the Americas after a horse track in Mexico City owned by his business partners.[17] He originally sketched the layout of the track on a barbecue napkin back in 2007.[18] After a dispute with one of the COTA investors, Hellmund agreed to being bought out in 2014.[19]

Mexican Grand Prix[edit]

In July 2014, Ecclestone confirmed the Mexican Grand Prix would return to the F1 schedule in the 2015 season. Hellmund worked with Alejandro Soberon, chief executive of Grupo CIE, to launch the event.[20] After the first event, John Maher of the Austin American Statesman recounted that, on Sunday November 1, 2015 the Mexican Grand Prix had a race-day attendance of 134,850, and the three-day mark was 335,850. Three-time world champion and former Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda told reporters after the Mexican Grand Prix, “It was the best I’ve ever seen in my whole life.”[21]David Tremayne of The Straits Times wrote, “Now, that’s a serious audience. As an object lesson in how to organize a grand prix, Hellmund’s team set a new benchmark, and for this, the sport should be grateful”.[22] In December 2019 the Mexican Grand Prix was awarded the Formula One Race Promoters’ Trophy for a record fifth year in a row.[23]

Manor F1 Team[edit]

In November 2015, it was reported that Hellmund was considering buying the Manor F1 Team, which was struggling financially, from Stephen Fitzpatrick.[24] Hellmund stated that towards the end of 2016, a consortium led by him had agreed to the purchase on the condition that the team finished the season in 10th place in the Constructors’ Championship. This would have guaranteed the team $15 million the following year in prize money. However, Manor lost the position at the Brazilian Grand Prix and the deal fell apart. Manor fell into administration and was out of business two months later.[25]

SportsTek SPAC[edit]

On February 17, 2021 Hellmund, along with former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and San Antonio Spurs CEO RC Buford announced the pricing of the initial public offering for their special-purpose acquisition company SportsTek listed on the Nasdaq Exchange.[26][27]

Motorsports career results[edit]

NASCAR[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

NASCAR AutoZone West Series[edit]

NASCAR Busch North Series[edit]

ARCA Re/Max Series[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

References[edit]

  1. ^ “10 minutes with Tavo Hellmund: The man who brought F1 back to the US”. Autoweek. October 28, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ Kogoy, Peter. “V8 Supercars to make US debut in Texas”. The Australian. Retrieved July 1, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Garza, Vicky. “Q&A with F1 Austin’s mastermind”. Austin Business Journal. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  4. ^ Sylt, Christian. “Ecclestone Confirms Mexican Grand Prix Will Return In 2015”. Forbes. Retrieved July 22, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Morrison, Mac (December 30, 2019). “How the Mexican Grand Prix Became F1’s Best Event”. Motortrend. Retrieved December 30, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Whittaker, Richard. “Hellmund’s Revenge-The man that brought F1 to Austin now behind Mexican Grand Prix”. Austin Chronicle. Retrieved August 27, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Smith, Steven Cole (May 29, 2018). “Why is Tavo Hellmund North America’s F1 Hero?”. Motortrend. Retrieved May 29, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ Smith, Steven Cole. “Why is Tavo Hellmund North America’s F1 Hero?”. Automobile. Retrieved July 1, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Staff, HCRPCA. “Tavo Hellmund: A Local Racing Hero” (PDF). Hill Country Region Porsche Club. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  10. ^ “HELLMUND CAPTURES WIN IN DEBUT RACE IN NASCAR WINSTON WEST SERIES”. RacingWest. May 21, 2001. Archived from the original on June 27, 2001.
  11. ^ Smith, Steven Cole, Motortrend. “Why is Tavo Hellmund North America’s F1 Hero?”. Motortrend. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  12. ^ Sylt, Christian. “F1’s Billion Dollar Man”. Forbes. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  13. ^ “NASCAR and USAC Speed Into Texas for ‘Racefest 2006’“. The Auto Channel. Retrieved June 20, 2006.
  14. ^ Smith, Steven Cole (May 29, 2018). “Why is Tavo Hellmund North America’s F1 Hero?”. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  15. ^ Sylt, Christian and Reid, Caroline, Motorsport Magazine. “The great Texas gamble”. Motorsport Magazine. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Staff, MotorSport Week (May 25, 2010). “F1 signs a 10-year deal to return to the US”. MotorSport Week. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  17. ^ Sylt, Christian. “F1’s Billion Dollar Man”. Forbes. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  18. ^ Monthly, Austin. “Tavo Hellmund BBQ Napkin Drawing”. Austin Monthly Magazine. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  19. ^ Whittaker, Richard. “Hellmund’s Revenge”. Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  20. ^ Sylt, Christian. “Ecclestone Confirms Mexican Grand Prix Will Return In 2015”. Forbes. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  21. ^ Maher, John. “After F1 success in Austin and Mexico, what’s next for Tavo Hellmund?”. Austin American Statesman. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  22. ^ Tremayne, David (November 3, 2015). “Formula 1: Mexican fans lap up homecoming after 23-year absence”. Straits Times. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  23. ^ Morrison, Mac (December 30, 2019). “How the Mexican Grand Prix Became F1’s Best Event”. Motortrend. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  24. ^ GMM (November 11, 2015). “Tavo Hellmund admits interest in buying Manor F1”. Autoweek. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  25. ^ “Hellmund: We Had Agreed To Terms To Buy Manor”. GrandPrix247. February 19, 2017. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  26. ^ Staff, GlobeNewsWire (February 17, 2021). “SportsTek Acquisition Corp. Announces Pricing of Upsized $150 Million Initial Public Offering”. Globe News Wire (Press release). Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  27. ^ Coffey, Brendan (February 2021). “Sports SPAC From Jeff Luhnow and Tavo Hellmund Seeks $125 MILLION”. Sportico. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  28. ^ “C.T. Hellmund – 2001 NASCAR Winston West Series Results”. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  29. ^ “C.T. Hellmund – 2002 NASCAR Winston West Series Results”. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  30. ^ “C.T. Hellmund – 2003 NASCAR Winston West Series Results”. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  31. ^ “C.T. Hellmund – 2004 NASCAR West Series Results”. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  32. ^ “C.T. Hellmund – 2005 NASCAR West Series Results”. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  33. ^ “C.T. Hellmund – 2006 NASCAR Autozone West Series Results”. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  34. ^ “C.T. Hellmund – 2006 NASCAR Busch North Series Results”. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  35. ^ “C.T. Hellmund – 2001 ARCA Re/Max Series Results”. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 26, 2023.

External links[edit]


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