Update from Justine Jackson - VW TDI Series

A Promising Weekend for Justine at Autobahn Country Club

After a five week break, the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series was back in action for Round 6 at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois. With a tough first half to the season, Justine Jackson driver of the #40 Project Podium, Jetcon Corporation sponsored Jetta was more determined than ever to produce some solid performances in the second half of the season.


The weekend kicked off with Practice 1 early Saturday morning on a wet and drying track, the first wet session of the season. It was a great learning session for Justine as she logged some very important laps for future reference on racing in the wet. “I was a little nervous about going out in the wet for the first time of the season but it was a very valuable practice session. The track was slippery but the TDI cars drive very well in the wet and the brakes very amazing despite the wet track! I definitely learned a lot in my time on track especially regarding tire conservation as the track was drying out really quickly about half way through the session so we all had to be searching for puddles so we didn’t destroy them.”

Qualifying took place much later on in the evening in cool but dry conditions and despite a hard charge by the young driver, Justine would qualify a disappointing 25th after making a few mistakes toward the end of the session which prevented her from improving on her time. “I was really looking forward to a great qualifying session and it started off really well. I felt very good in the car but I made the mistake of pulling into the pits to cool off about twenty minutes into the session as the track was getting faster and faster because of the cool track conditions. As I went back out with less than ten minutes left it took me way too long to get back up to speed and I was able to improve my time by half a second but unfortunately I made a couple mistakes in my last two laps and ruined my chance of improving. But despite the bad outcome it was the best I have felt in the car all year and for that I am very happy.”

With practice and qualifying in the books, it was now time for Race 6 of the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series. After getting a good standing start Justine was quickly up to speed and amazingly in the first two laps of the race she improved on her qualifying time by two and a half seconds after making a small change to her seating position after finding something in her data from qualifying. As she continued to charge, on lap three in turn 1 Justine pushed a bit too hard, entering the turn hopping, she hit a bump and lost the car hitting the inside tire barrier. As she drove off in hopes of finishing the race she spun going into turn 3 as the left rear tire rolled of the rim. She then decided to pull off track to reduce the chances of incurring any more damage or inhibiting another driver. “Another bad end to the weekend again but this weekend was different in a good way. In qualifying and the few laps I completed in the race I felt pretty good in the car and I feel like I am finally starting to understand and apply how these TDI Cup cars need to be driven. For sure this is even more motivation for me to keep working and praying hard and I can’t wait until Road America in a few weeks. A huge thank you to my sponsors Project Podium, Jetcon Corporation and the awesome support of the Helle Nice Foundation and I definitely would not be here without my Heavenly Father who has kept me believing throughout this challenging season.”

Justine will be racing next at Road America on August 20-22 in Rounds 7 & 8 of the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series

The Hellé Nice Celebratory Ceremony

French Female Racecar Driver Hellé Nice to be honored at Gravesite after Twenty Six Years “Foundation Will Position Grave Marker during September Ceremony in Ste-Mesme France”

ATLANTA, GA (July 21, 2010)-The Hellé Nice Foundation has announced a ceremony to be held in Ste-Mesme, France on September 4, 2010 honoring French female racecar driver Hellé Nice. “For 26 years, Hellé has rested in an unmarked grave and our foundation’s first project has been to raise funds and place a marker on her grave”, shares Sheryl Greene, founder of The Hellé Nice Foundation. A Service of Commemoration will be held at the Ste-Mesme church and in the adjoining cemetery where the marker will be placed. Speakers include Miranda Seymour, author of the Hellé Nice biography “The Bugatti Queen”, Dr. Patricia Lee Yongue, motorsports historian and Associate Professor of English at the University of Houston, and Sheryl Greene, originator and founder of The Hellé Nice Foundation.
“Upon reading Ms. Seymour’s biography of Hellé Nice, I was enthralled with her race history and perseverance and amazed no one had publicly celebrated her life and accomplishments. I decided at that moment to start the foundation with a goal of properly honoring her”, says Greene. Additional ceremony guests include Annie Soisbault, Triumph Works driver, famous for her performances in rallies and on the track racing legendary race cars of the 50’s and 60’s and Jean-Pierre Beltoise, the driver who restored hope to French motor sport and winner of the 1972 Monaco GP. Several surviving members of Hellé’s family will also be present to speak on this special occasion.
Club Bugatti France will exhibit several examples of Bugatti motorcars Hellé Nice drove on the track, as well as on the road. Those attending are invited to bring their own classic and vintage cars along with flowers to place on the grave. “We invite lovers and devotees of the car in general, and of motor sport in particular, to join us in restoring the memory of one of automobile history’s great women racers”, notes Sheryl Greene. The ceremony begins at the church in Ste-Mesme located at Chemin de l'Eglise, 78739 Sainte-Mesme, France, on September 04, 2010 at 11:00AM (Paris time)

Media Contact:
Cindy Meitle
CAR PR USA
480 277-1864
cindy@carprusa.com

USA Contact: Sheryl Greene
404.429.9600
hellenicefoundation@gmail.com

European Contact:
Bruno Perrin
011 33 01 30 59 42 39
bruno.perrin3@wanadoo.fr

About The Hellé Nice Foundation Dedicated to Celebrating the World’s Fastest Women, The Hellé Nice Foundation was established in 2008 to fund the creation and placement of a bronze plaque marking the grave of Nice, a French auto racing legend and pioneer of women making a career in professional motorsports. She ran over 100 races, set a female speed record in 1929 and set closed course endurance records that still stand. In 1930, she made an unprecedented 18-event tour of American race tracks. Piloting primarily cars from Bugatti and Alfa, Nice brought excitement and celebrity to women’s participation in motorsports, increasing crowds wherever she raced. Nice died in 1984, largely forgotten and buried in the family crypt in Ste-Mesme, France with no marking to indicate her final resting place. As funds are generated, the foundation will also serve to assist young women interested in pursuing a career in racing, through grants and direct support. To learn more or to donate, please email www.hellenicefoundation@gmail.com

Press Release # 2 (French)

ASSOCIATION "SOUVENIR HELLÉ NICE"
Siège Social : 9 rue du Buisson
78730 Sainte Mesme

Contact presse généraliste : Henri Kahan
T. 09 63 25 60 48
henryk.kahan@wanadoo.fr

Contact presse automobile : Bruno Perrin
T. 01 30 59 42 39
bruno.perrin3@wanadoo.fr

Commémoration du 4 Septembre 2010
A la Mémoire d'Hélène DELANGLE, alias HELLÉ NICE
Communiqué n°2 – Le 20 Juin 2010

Nous avons le plaisir d’annoncer la participation des personnalités suivantes :

 Annie Soisbault, célèbre pour ses performances en rallye et sur circuit au volant des voitures les plus mythiques des années 60 : Triumph TR3, Ferrari 250 GTO et 250 LM, Porsche 904, 906, 910…
 Jean-Pierre Beltoise, le pilote qui a redonné l’espoir au sport automobile français, vainqueur du Grand Prix de Monaco 1972, aujourd’hui militant de « la bonne conduite citoyenne » et initiateur du Circuit de Haute Saintonge.
 Miranda Seymour, auteur du best-seller « Bugatti Queen », une biographie de Hellé Nice en langue anglaise.
 Dr Patricia Lee Yongue, historienne de l’automobile, professeur de littérature à l’University of Houston.
 Sheryl Greene, fondatrice de la Hellé Nice Foundation dont l’objectif est de venir en aide aux femmes désirant pratiquer le sport automobile, et qui est à l’origine de la cérémonie.

Des représentants de la famille de Hellé Nice seront également présents.
Quelques célèbres voitures de course seront exposées dans le cadre de cette commémoration, dont des Bugatti. Le Club Bugatti sera représenté. Nous attendons confirmation de la participation du club Alfa Romeo, ainsi que du Club Obsolete Ford France, représentant la marque Matford. Nous espérons également la présence de représentants de la Fédération Française du Sport Automobile, de la Fédération Française des Véhicules d’Epoque, de l’Automobile Club de France et de l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest, ainsi que du Secrétariat d’Etat aux Sports et des institutions locales.

La cérémonie aura lieu sur la place de l’église de Sainte Mesme et dans le cimetière adjacent. Le stationnement dans l’allée arborée menant à la place de l’église sera réservé aux véhicules anciens des visiteurs.

Le planning prévisionnel de la cérémonie est le suivant :
11 :00 à 12 :00 Discours des officiels, chorale et orchestre de cuivres
12 :00 Dévoilement de la plaque par Annie SOISBAULT et Sheryl GREENE en présence de Jean-Pierre BELTOISE
12 :15 à 13 :30 Réception – Buffet – Interviews

Nous invitons l’ensemble des amatrices et amateurs de l’automobile en général, et du sport automobile en particulier, à se joindre à nous pour achever la réhabilitation de la mémoire d’une des plus grandes femmes pilotes de l’histoire de l’automobile.

Accueil presse : Contacter Bruno Perrin au 01 30 59 42 39
ou bruno.perrin3@wanadoo.fr

Press Release # 1 for the Ceremony (French)

These are the first 2 releases to the press regarding the Helle Nice Commemorative Ceremony on September 4, 2010. I will release them again in English later on in the week -

ASSOCIATION "SOUVENIR HELLÉ NICE"
Siège Social : 9 rue du Buisson
78730 Sainte Mesme

Contact presse généraliste : Henri Kahan
T. 09 63 25 60 48
henryk.kahan@wanadoo.fr

Contact presse automobile : Bruno Perrin
T. 01 30 59 42 39
bruno.perrin3@wanadoo.fr

Commémoration du 4 Septembre 2010
Communiqué n°1 – Le 1er Juin 2010

A la Mémoire d'Hélène DELANGLE, alias HELLÉ NICE
Une de nos meilleures championnes du sport automobile, couverte de victoires et de records, pilote-fétiche de Bugatti, Hélène Delangle, alias HELLÉ NICE, modèle d'audace, de volonté et de courage, connut pendant la décennie 1929/1939 une célébrité sans égale.

Née avec le siècle, elle commença une belle carrière dans la danse et le music-hall avant - à la suite d'une blessure au genou - se reconvertir dans la course automobile, milieu dans lequel elle avait déjà de solides relations.
Elle se révéla très vite être une des meilleures pilotes de son temps, n'hésitant pas à affronter ses plus valeureux rivaux masculins. Elle représenta souvent la France à l'étranger, notamment aux USA et au Brésil, suscitant partout admiration et enthousiasme.

Sa dextérité au volant, son intrépidité, sa beauté et son sens aigu de la communication en firent une des personnalités les plus populaires de l'avant-guerre.
Mais à la suite d'accusations calomnieuses (les règlements de compte de cette nature n'étaient pas rare à la libération) elle fut écartée de la compétition.
Commença alors pour Hélène Delangle une lente et cruelle descente aux enfers. Ruinée, elle survécut grâce à la générosité de "La Roue Tourne", association de bienfaisance des artistes du music-hall. Elle mourut en octobre 1984 à Nice dans la misère, la solitude et l'oubli. Elle est enterrée dans le cimetière communal de Sainte Mesme où la tombe familiale, à la suite de dissensions internes, ne porte même pas son nom.

C'est grâce à la publication du livre de Miranda Seymour "BUGATTI QUEEN" et à l'initiative d'admiratrices américaines comme Sheryl Greene, que son souvenir sera arraché à l'intolérable oubli dans lequel il risquait de sombrer.

Le 4 septembre prochain, une plaque commémorative relatant ses principaux exploits sera apposée auprès de sa tombe.

À cette occasion, Miranda Seymour, Sheryl Greene, Patricia Yongue et des représentantes éminentes du sport automobile français seront présents pour honorer la mémoire d'HELLÉ NICE. Nous vous invitons à vous joindre à eux.

Pour tout complément d'information, s'adresser à :
Association « SOUVENIR HELLE NICE »
9 rue du Buisson, 78780 Sainte-Mesme.
ou à "louis.dejean91@orange.fr"
ou à "henryk.kahan@wanadoo.fr"
ou à "bruno.perrin3@wanadoo.fr"

The Auction is Over

Well, the eBay auction has come to a close. Only 2 prints were sold. Those were 2 of the Xavier Lavictoire prints of Helle on the beach at La Baule. They both brought $250.00 each, so it pushes us toward the goal! One additional print of Lavictoire's still remains unsold, as do BOTH original prints by F. Miguel Alves. Those must be meant for another time. I also have 4 personalized copies of "The Bugatti Queen" by Miranda Seymour availiable. Contact me about any of these items, as all are still for sale for a great cause!

Let No Doubt Into Your Dreams and Intentions

The Foundation has 9 items up for bid on Ebay. Five pieces have been there for 10 days, and the last day is starting. There have been no bids. These are five incredible pieces of art. Two are ORIGINAL pieces done with a layman's caring and passionate hand, who wanted to give something back to help the cause, because life was not fair to Hellé Nice. Three additional pieces are limited edition prints, made from an original piece illustrating a moment in time, captured, from a race on the beach at La Baule. It is by an artist who found inspiration in the grace and style of the Bugatti, as well as the grace and style of it's owner. All these pieces are fine examples of the emotion that Hellé Nice still creates in those who come to know her. She's been gone now 26 years, forgotten for over 60, yet she continues to be the subject of artwork! What an enduring personality, and the very reason I founded the Hellé Nice Foundation.

As I sit here tonight, I am distracted and I am concerned. A good portion of the cost of the grave marker rests in getting good prices for these donated pieces. The work order for the marker has been signed off on, the ceremony date is set, the VIPs are being gathered to come to speak in her honor. I am doing all I can. I have to let Hellé's spirit do the rest. She has guided this process from the beginning, since I read Miranda Seymour's book, "The Bugatti Queen", and possibly coerced Miranda was when she was asked to write the book. Hellé was that kind of woman when alive, and she worked very hard at creating Hellé Nice out of Helene Mariette Delangle. I know she is working just as hard from the other side to push this project forward.

I share this with you tonight because I have to. I take every opportunity to spread the word about this foundation as I can. This is what I have been called to do, to identify the resting place of a champion, a dedicated racer, a woman who blazed trails during her time. She will be happy with this - but it's not over when the marker is in place.

After the echoes of song have left the walls of the cemetery, the last flowers have been piled high, the last celebrant has closed the gate, and the last Bugatti has left the grounds, the real work begins. Because I have made a pledge and given my word, Hellé and I will continue to honor those women pioneers of motorsports, the famous and the forgotten,who paved the way for the young girls and women out on the tracks throughout the world today. I will bring them the history of their fore bearers, and I will support them in their efforts to "excel and accelerate", to go beyond their wildest dreams and without limitations!

I challenge you all to join me in this endeavor, to become donors and supporters of the Hellé Nice Foundation. It will be a ride you will not forget!

I have to retire for the evening, and I have to trust that at just about this time tomorrow night there will be winning bids beyond my wildest dreams for those items on eBay, to propel the Foundation on to the next milestone. I will post tomorrow night with the results.

Ready to Rumble!

You may not know her yet, but you soon will! Let me introduce you to Justine Jackson, one of this years VW TDI CUP drivers. She's 19, fresh up from karting, and ready to rumble! She won her place in the TDI Cup Series, and garnered a grant from Lyn St. James' Project Podium, to help offset the cost of racing!

Justine contacted me in January after reading an article about Helle Nice on the ESPN F1 racing site. The message was very timely, as I had just returned from Helle's village of Ste.-Mesme, outside of Paris, that afternoon, having spent most of the day there making plans for the ceremony to place the marker on Helle's grave. Little did I know, Justine would become such an important "spoke in the wheel" . She did not hesitate when I asked her to place the Foundation logo on her car.

I am going to wish her much good luck, quick reflexes, and smart decisions in her upcoming race in New Jersey this weekend, and leave it at that point from me. I am putting Justines press release regarding her first 2 races below. Kevin York, of York Motorsport Group, said in an email to me today that he is " impressed that she has an apparently genuine ability to take what she experienced during that weekend and spin it positively", and that she does. She has processed her performance, and is happy with it as a beginning. Please let her know you support her in her efforts. It's very important at this time in her career. She may not feel it, but she is courageous, determined, and inspiring, both to those of us who never tried racing, and already to those who are looking up to her as a role model, both in her native Jamaica, and those watching her here! Helle would be proud!

The following is Justine's official press -

A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR JUSTINE JACKSON AT ROUNDS 1 & 2 OF THE 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI CUP SERIES

The 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series kicked off its season with its two opening rounds at the VIRginia International Raceway on April 23-25. Justine Jackson, rookie driver in the #40 Project Podium sponsored car had a great weekend finishing 21^st and 19^th in Races 1 and 2 respectively. But it wasn’t the results that made her weekend a great one.

The 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series marked the first time that Justine would race in a car having had 6 & ½ years of Karting experience. It all began on Thursday when Justine and her dad, Andrew arrived at the track early to get properly seated in her car and later on a track walk with driving instructors Jan Heylen, Andy Lee, Ryan Arciero and Mark Miller with on track action starting at 8 am Friday morning. In practice 1 Justine ended the session 14 seconds off of the pace but with further analysis of her data with the driving instructors and more seat time, by the end of race 2 Justine was 2.5 seconds off of the fastest lap of the race!

Race 1 was a good race for Justine. Despite running around the back, she was able to show why she loves to race and why she’s in this series having fought back and forth with guest driver Tony Swan and huge race veteran. Race 2 was a bit of a disappointment. Justine got off to a great start and picked up 2 places going into turn 1 but was unintentionally tapped on the rear bumper and spun. Returning to the track she spun again, forgetting that her tires had dirt on them. She would lose 23 seconds to those ahead. Despite a bad first lap Justine kept her head down and fought her way back up, making up those 23 seconds finishing a respectable 19^th place.

Justine had this to say:

“What a great weekend! Despite some disappointing results I had so much fun this weekend, the most I’ve had racing in a long time. My goal for the weekend was to get comfortable in the car and to gain as much seat time as possible and that’s exactly what I did. And it showed in my improvement in my lap times and confidence on track. It was so awesome getting to work with all the other drivers and the driving instructors who were so willing to help out! This race weekend was not only my first race in a car but my first race in the United States along with several other series. I was especially excited to see the Rolex Sports Car Series. I learnt so much throughout the weekend and there are so many great people involved in the series and I feel so blessed to be apart of it! A big thank you to my sponsors Project Podium and its partners, Jetcon Corporation, and the wonderful support of the Helle Nice Foundation. I could never have done this without my Heavenly Father and I’m so grateful for such a great opportunity. I’m really looking forward to Round 3 at The New Jersey Motorsports Park and I can’t wait to get on track and continue to learn more and move up in the pack!”

--
Justine Jackson