Molly Hemluth, pictured at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval in 2017. (Mike Helmuth photo)

Popular Washington state Super Late Model racer Molly Helmuth will be competing in the CARS Super Late Model Tour in 2018.

Helmuth, 22, will compete in the No. 16 Super Late Model for J&J Racing Unlimited. Helmuth has competed in the Super Late Model division since 2012 when she earned the Washington state Rookie of the Year title in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. She will make the transition this season to race at many historical racetracks on the east coast, with car owner, Will Jones.

“J&J Racing Unlimited is excited to welcome Molly Helmuth to our Super Late Model program for the entire 2018 CARS Tour schedule,” Jones stated.  “Molly shares our passion for the sport and is a perfect fit for our family operation.”

The plans are for Helmuth to compete in the full nine-race schedule in the CARS Tour, which includes racing at Myrtle Beach Speedway, Hickory Motor Speedway, Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville, Anderson Motor Speedway, Orange County Speedway, and South Boston Speedway.  Helmuth will also compete in the second running of the Short Track U.S. Nationals, which is co-sanctioned with the CARS Tour, which will once again be held at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2018.

“I am very excited to drive for Will Jones and his race team this year,” Helmuth said.  “I’ve been interested in racing on the east coast since high school, during the early years of my stock car career.  However, it was apparent to me that I would first need more seat time. In order to focus exclusively on racing, I chose to finish my education.”

Helmuth received her Bachelor’s degree in marketing from Western Governors University in April, 2017.

Helmuth, the three-time NASCAR Most Popular Driver for Evergreen Speedway, will also continue to compete in eight events at her home track this season with Kelly Tanner, her Crew Chief since 2015.

“It will be a very busy summer for sure,” Helmuth remarked. “Traveling almost 3,000 miles back and forth, and racing nearly every weekend, will be quite the experience but I am ready to add a new chapter to my storybook.  I am incredibly excited and thankful for this opportunity.”