Van Dam takes runner-up at Elma
ALK Promotions, July 28

After a rough Northwest Speed Week that Henry Van Dam would rather forget, he got things back on track on Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway, charging from towards the back to take the runner-up spot in the 360 sprint car feature event.

Enumclaw’s Van Dam, driving the Van Dam Racing No. 33v Shark-powered Maxim sponsored by Van Dam Dairy, Corliss Resources, Shareway Industries, Rich Van Dam Dairy and GMS Metalworks, entered the night fourth in the track’s 360 sprint car division points standings, but was only 18 tallies behind leader Shawn Rice in a tight race that also involved defending track champ Glenn Borden Jr. and six-time track champion Jay Cole.

Van Dam had the early lead in the 30-lap event, but ended kicking himself after he spun out in turn four of the 3/8-mile, high-banked clay oval. Tagging the back of the field, Van Dam didn’t let his earlier mistake get to him as he marched his way back to the front of the field. Ten laps after his misfortune, Henry was already back up to fifth and working on Brad Holmes for fourth at the halfway point.

Van Dam moved past Holmes on lap 16, and then needed only three laps to go by youngster T.J. Hartman for third place on lap 19. It took only two more laps after that for Henry to motor past Cole for second. Van Dam chased down Borden and challenged for the lead in traffic, but a yellow flag came out and cleared the track for Borden. Van Dam settled for a strong second place finish, his best in almost two months.

Next for Henry is a return to Skagit Speedway for the Bob’s Burgers & Brew 360 Nationals this Friday and Saturday, August 1 and 2. Van Dam was last at Skagit in June for the Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup, which featured 410 sprint cars. Unable to secure a 410ci motor, Van Dam opted to race with his smaller 360ci motor anyway and posted the best finish by a small-motor that weekend. Two weeks earlier at Skagit, Van Dam overcame a poor qualifying effort and wowed the crowd with his run from 17^th to fourth in the 360 sprint car main event.

Henry Van Dam, 26, is one of the up and coming racers in the Pacific Northwest. Van Dam has wins at both Skagit Speedway and Grays Harbor Raceway to his credit and also has a victory with the old Northern Sprint Tour in 2006. Henry has run at both Washington dirt sprint car tracks and has also run with the ASCS Northwest Region this season.

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Henry Van Dam’s sponsors

Van Dam Dairy
Shark Racing Engines
Corliss Resources
Shareway Industries
Rich Van Dam Dairy
GMS Metal Works
Speedmart
Jack Dilley Logging
D & L Equipment Repair
Enumclaw Suzuki
Chars Barber Shop
Enumclaw Express Lube
Foothills Auto supply
Stanely Patrick Striping
Pete Voss
Bob & Joann Schumway
Enumclaw Auto rebuild
Fire Down Graphics

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Grays Harbor Raceway - Elma, WA: http://www.graysharborraceway.net
Skagit Speedway - Alger, WA: http://www.skagitspeedway.com