H2H Photo.Van Dam shows no quit, takes 7th in Speedweek pointsFor Enumclaw, Washington sprint car star Henry Van Dam, another grueling Northwest Speedweek has come and gone. Every year, Speedweek threatens to shake things up. This year, another twist was thrown in as the ASCS Northwest Region was joined at the end of the week by the ASCS National Tour, which brought many of the best 360 sprint car racers in the country to the Pacific Northwest. Nevertheless, Henry persevered and finished the week still in the Top 5 in the point standings and came out seventh in the Speedweek standings.Driving the Van Dam Racing No. 33v Shark-powered Rocket sponsored by Omlid & Swinney Fire Protection & Security, Van Dam Dairy, Shareway Industries and GMS Metal Works, Van Dam raced five times in six days at four different tracks in Oregon and Washington. Henry made the A-Main event every night but one. He started his week at Southern Oregon Speedway near Medford on Monday and raced the next two nights at Cottage Grove Speedway and Willamette Speedway, respectively. After a day off on Thursday, the ASCS National tour invaded Grays Harbor Raceway in Washington for two nights of racing on Friday and Saturday.Monday at Southern Oregon Speedway, Henry finished fourth in his heat race to earn the 12th starting position in the 30-lap feature, where he would drive around to a ninth place finish. Tuesday at Cottage Grove, Henry finished third in his heat race and was 11th in the feature after starting 14th. Henry’s lone bump in the road all week came Willamette Speedway on Lebanon. Van Dam’s not so great pill draw had him starting at the back of this heat race. Finishing seventh, Henry was forced to run in one of the B-Mains. He was running second and in the transfer position, but spun out and missed the A-Main, the only time he has done so all season. That lone mishap bumped Henry back to fifth place in the ASCS Northwest Region point standings.On Friday, Van Dam returned to Grays Harbor Raceway, the track where he has seen the most success in his career, for the 3rd Annual Fred Brownfield Memorial Sprint Challenge. With the National Tour in town, a whopping 52 sprint cars were in the pit area and Henry’s heat race pill draw again did him no favors as he started at the back of his heat. Forced to run the B-Main again, Van Dam started sixth and had to get into the Top 2 to transfer.Henry got up to third and chased down Jared Peterson over the final laps. After taking the white flag, Van dam got inside of the youngster on the back stretch and made the pass stick in Turns 3 and 4 to snag the last transfer, much to the delight of the crowd at Grays Harbor Raceway, where he is very popular. Henry started 22nd and held his ground well throughout the A-Main as he moved up to finish 12th.Saturday night saw Henry finish fourth in his heat race but again forced to run in one of the B-Mains. Henry started fourth but again got up to second place to take the final transfer position to the 35-lap Brownfield Memorial finale. Starting 21st in a field full of National Tour racers, Van Dam rode around to a 15th place finish despite his motor going sick. To Van Dam’s credit, out of the Top 10 drivers in the ASCS Northwest Region point standings, he was one of just four who made the Brownfield Memorial main event. He also took seventh place overall in the Northwest Speedweek standings.Van Dam now sits fifth in the ASCS Northwest Region point standings. This Friday and Saturday, he faces the ASCS National Tour again as they make their first visit to Cottage Grove Speedway, the same track Van Dam and the Northwest Region was at on Tuesday of Speedweek. With the presence of the National Tour stars threatening to shake things up in the points standings further, Van Dam will look to take advantage with some good runs.Henry Van Dam, 27, is one of the top sprint car racers in the Pacific Northwest as well as one of the most popular with fans. He has main event victories at Skagit Speedway and Grays Harbor Raceway to his credit. More information on Henry and the Van Dam Racing team including schedules, sponsors, photos and Van Dam Racing apparel can be found online at http://www.vandamracing.com.- - -Top 5 - ASCS Northwest Region point standings
11 races down, 7 to go1. Jared Ridge, 1544
2. Steve Tiner, 1536
3. Roger Crockett, 1530
4. Mitch Olson, 1458
5. HENRY VAN DAM, 1449- - -Henry Van Dam’s sponsorsVan Dam Dairy
Omlid & Swinney Fire Protection & Security
Shark Racing Engines
Shareway Industries
GMS Metal Works
Speedmart Inc.
Jack Dilley Logging
D & L Equipment Repair
Enumclaw Suzuki
Char’s Barber Shop
Enumclaw Express Lube
Foothills Auto supply
Pete Vos
Bob & Joan Shumway
Enumclaw Auto Rebuild
Fire Down Graphics- - -Van Dam Racing online
http://www.vandamracing.comFrom Henry's website: http://www.vandamracing.com |
