This'll set the pulses Racing!

"Is the word race helpful or unhelpful?"

I feel that race, the word itself, brings about different images, both positive and negative.

On one hand, race can be a person's nationality. Their race may be brought up what they were brought up with, or where they were born etc.
If race is to be seen in this light, then it is purely positive. It may symbolise something very dear to each person, their heritage. If I was to consider myself a certain race, it would be Scottish or possibly British, and I see these nationalities as positive, because they are dear to me.
In that context, the word "race" is helpful.

However, on the other hand, race can lead to racism. Race may be simply a way to label people, and often leads to stereotypes. There are very common stereotypes and they are often formed through race, e.g. lazy mexicans, hairy italians, fat americans etc.
Race is usually seen as something of difference and is a tool to discriminate. The reason we label everyone else's race is because we know our own so well. We don't automatically assume that British is a race, because it is our way of life. But when asylum seekers move into British territory, their race becomes abundantly clear. We see it as a difference and a way to discriminate.

So, in my opinion, the word "race" is both helpful and unhelpful, depending on the context in which it is used. And I understand that this is probably the most vague answer that could possibly be given to this question, but it holds the most true.