|
Henry Van Dam recovering after Willamette crash
Andrew Kunas, NSCS Publicist
ENUMCLAW, Wash. – Henry Van Dam is out for the year, if not longer, but he's thankful things aren't any worse than they very easily could have been.
The 25-year-old sprint car ace is back home in Enumclaw, Wash. recovering from severe neck and back injuries suffered when he crashed in the May 25 Northwest Sprint Challenge Series event at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore. Van Dam returned home last week after a few days stay at a hospital in Corvallis, located a short drive west from the track.
Van Dam, known fondly as "HVD" by his fans, was not paralyzed when he flipped his car out of the track altogether in the evening's first heat race. The fact he was not paralyzed, or worse, became more of a shocker when it was later learned that not only did he break a vertebra in his back, but also the last one in his neck.
"I saw a video of the crash. I'm just stunned things weren't worse for me," Van Dam said in a telephone interview on Friday.
Van Dam, who had entered the NSCS Memorial weekend swing through Oregon seventh in the points, was running in the top five on a restart with one lap complete when he crashed in turn one. Sprint cars have left the track in turn one before at Willamette Speedway, just getting over the wall and rolling down the embankment on the other side. Van Dam's crash, however, was of the frightening variety as he flipped high into the air, easily clearing the wall between turns one and two before landing well on the other side and tumbling down the embankment from the 3/10-mile clay oval.
Track safety crews made their way to Van Dam's wrecked sprint car outside the track. Van Dam was conscious and alert, and in pain. He was taken out of the car on a back board and then taken to the hospital.
Two days later at the pit meeting at Cottage Grove Speedway, NSCS founder Shawna Wilskey gave some good news that was relayed to her from Van Dam's family that was received with applause from the drivers. Van Dam was fitted for a halo on Sunday morning, May 27, was helped onto his feet and took three steps, a big step in the right direction after his accident two nights prior. Despite the crash that potentially threatened his life, Van Dam seems to be doing remarkably well.
"I've got the halo on and a flap jacket that goes down to my waist," Van Dam said. "I feel good, pain wise. It's just awkward (wearing the gear). I'm super lucky, because I've got all of my feeling and I haven't been sick or nauseous."
It will be some time before fans see Van Dam on the Northwest's dirt tracks in his No. 33v BC-powered Rocket, with many sponsors including Van Dam Dairy, Shareway Industries, Southend Machine, GMS Metal Works, and CenterLine Performance Machine. Van Dam (wisely, some might say) seems content to take the time he will need to fully recover and return to the race track.
"I could be back next year, but I'm not going to rush it," said Van Dam. "I'm just going to take it easy."
Van Dam hasn't ruled out returning to the track as a spectator this season. He says he is interested in attending the NSCS's kickoff for Northwest Speed Week on July 20 and 21, as Grays Harbor Raceway holds the inaugural Fred Brownfield Memorial Sprint Challenge.
Van Dam has become a presence in the Northwest sprint car scene over the last couple of years. In the 2005 Northern Sprint Tour finale at Central Washington State Fair Raceway, Van Dam thrilled the fairgoers as he raced from 20th to fourth, and winded up finishing sixth in the point standings. He also scored two wins in weekly competition at Grays Harbor. Last year, Van Dam scored his first NST victory at Grays Harbor in August and finished eighth in points.
This season he was off to another strong start, winning main events in weekly competition at both Grays Harbor and Skagit Speedway. In the inaugural NSCS main event April 28 at Grays Harbor, Van Dam raced from 18th to 5th and was racing for fourth when the checkers fell. He then scored another top ten finish at Skagit when the NSCS visited on May 11 and 12.
For his efforts, Van Dam won many fans and earned the respect of his fellow drivers. After Van Dam's crash, drivers at both Skagit and Elma stepped up, passing their helmets through the grandstands. Together, the drivers at the two tracks raised nearly $6,000 for Van Dam. At the Cottage Grove event on Memorial Sunday a crew member for Travis Jacobson, who came down to race with the NSCS after racing at Skagit the night before, toured the pit area with a very large card with the large letters "HVD" inside and had countless people sign it with their well wishes.
"It's been overwhelming for me," Van Dam said of the support he has received from the racing community. "The support, the cards…everything. I'm hearing from people I've never even met. It's just unbelievable.
"I'm thankful for what they have all done."
Henry Van Dam's profile, including his complete list of sponsors, can be found online at the Northwest Sprint Challenge Series website at www.racenscs.com.
- - -
NSCS: The Northwest Sprint Challenge Series
www.racenscs.com
|
