Caleb Helms

Shane Helms, owner of the car driven by his son Caleb, is the organizer of a new Sprint Car series that will rival the All Star Circuit of Champions. (Jeremy Elliott | jelliott@pennlive.com)

One thing that rarely, if ever, happens in Sprint Car racing is drivers and owners getting together to affect change.

Until now.

Teams and some speedway promoters haven't been pleased with the All Star Circuit of Champions lately. The crux of the problem has been series promoter Guy Webb and his financial dealings.

It came to a head during Ohio Speed Week. Drivers and owners had a dispute with Webb at Wayne County after heavy rain hit the speedway. Shane Helms, father and car owner of driver Caleb Helms, had heard enough.

So, Helms decided to do something about it. He formulated a plan to put together a rival series, and with the help of other interested parties, the project has picked up steam and is in the final stages of becoming a reality.

"When you talk to drivers and owners, there is an [perceived] arrogance and disrespect towards the guys that work hard," Helms said of the All Star Circuit of Champions.

"[These drivers] are good for Sprint Car racing, and they are being taken advantage of. We don't know when we are going to get our point money or if we are going to get it."

Continued Helms, "At Wayne County, I was told there was one All Star. I can't race for people that don't respect what we do. There has been a lot of complaining, but I'm the type of guy that wants to do something about it."

Helms, a successful businessman who specializes in highway construction, asphalt and underground work, and his group have talked to track promoters, sponsors and drivers from Ohio to central Pennsylvania. The support they have received has been overwhelming.

Retired drivers, current drivers and owners are involved. The series will have a board of directors and is in the final stages of tying up such loose ends as getting verbal commitments from drivers and inking a name to the series.

"We are going to do what we say we are going to do," Helms, 47, said of the new series. "We want to make it better for the owners, the drivers and put on the best show we can for fans.

"This isn't about making money for me. I think time will prove that. I just think owners and drivers have worked too hard not to have a say."

There are still plenty of questions to answer, which Helms, a former driver in the late '80s and '90s, said he would do in time. But one thing for sure, this is a serious venture.

Some current All Star Circuit of Champions drivers have verbally committed to run the new series. Now it's about structure and putting a schedule together.

Helms wants to debut the series by holding a couple shows in Ohio to close the 2014 season. Then, it's full tilt in 2015.

"We are hoping to have an awesome schedule put together next year," Helms said. "We are planning a big announcement soon.

"The guys I'm with now, they want something in place of the All Stars. We want to take more control. I'm the type of guy that just got sick of the complaining and was going to do whatever it takes to have a successful [series]."