The doorslammer drag racing community is mourning the loss of a friend.

The doorslammer drag racing community is mourning the loss of a friend.

Steve "Wormy" Helkin passed away on January 30, after spending the last month in the hospital. Helkin was best known as a loyal crewman for Mike Castellana's Awesome Motorsports team.

Friend and co-worker Will Smith remembered Helkin by posting on his Facebook page, "Wormy was a hard-working, loyal, dedicated, trustworthy, and very selfless friend and co-worker. Two days before his accident, he was on his way to Jerry Bickel Race Cars, and we got to have one last conversation on the phone, before his accident. We joked around and aggravated each other for a minute or two, as we always did, but that’s how we showed our love for one another. After I got Wormy “stirred” up for a minute, I told him that I loved him, and I wasn’t afraid to tell him that, because he knew I did. The reason he called me though, was that he wanted to make sure I didn’t need any parts for my race car, from Jerry Bickel. Wormy was such a selfless individual. He was always doing for others, and putting other’s needs before his own."

We offer our deepest condolences to his family, and friends, of which there were many. Drag racing has lost a great ambassador.