Van Dam takes another top-five, points tighten at Elma
ALK Promotions, August 24Henry Van Dam escaped an early scare and scored his third straight top-five finish in Grays Harbor Raceway competition on Saturday night, and remains in the hunt for the 360 sprint car track championship in a tight race with only one night to go.The Enumclaw, Wash. driver, piloting 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, came into the night fourth in points, but only 20 points back of leader and defending track champion Glenn Borden Jr. After finishing fourth in his heat race earlier in the night, Van Dam was slated to line-up fourth for the 30-lap main event.Because of rainfall throughout the week, the 3/8-mile, high-banked clay oval was very soft and ruts developed all around the track, especially turns one and two. Grays Harbor Raceway officials, however, made an effort to make the track safe enough to be raced on. Three lengthy breaks in action, the last one being about an hour, resulted in the sprint car feature not starting until after 11:00 p.m. The track, though not perfect, was in far better condition then it would’ve been had track officials not intervened the way they did.Van Dam lost three positions on the start of the race when he had to back off after nearly colliding with former track champion Jay Cole, who came dangerously close to hitting Van Dam as they rounded turns one and two. All three drivers ahead of Van Dam in the points - Cole, Borden and Shawn Rice, just happened to be those three drivers who moved by him during that instance. Van Dam got his car running straight again and soon got back around Borden for sixth place.Cole was having issues on his entry into the turns, especially turn one and Van Dam and others moved by him as he suddenly came to a stop. It turned out Cole, who was eight points back of Borden and 12 ahead of Van Dam, had his right front tire flat. Though Cole would return to the track, Van Dam was now fifth and had a chance to move into third in points if Cole couldn’t work his way back through the field.J.J. Hickle was running ahead of Rice and Van Dam when he developed problems with his front suspension, specifically the left front wheel, and spun around. Rice, who was 14 points behind Borden and only six ahead of Van Dam going into the night’s races, inherited third and Van Dam was now fourth with Borden behind him.Borden would challenge Van Dam for fourth place and they raced around slower cars, but Van Dam held his ground and did not let Borden get around him for the rest of the race. Front runners Rick Fauver and Steve Vague ran into a group of slower cars that allowed Rice and Van Dam to close in quickly at the end. Had there been a few more laps, Van Dam could’ve had a shot at the top three in traffic. However, Van Dam’s quick advance on came as the checkered flag was being waved after 30 laps. Van Dam’s fourth place finish on this night backed up his fourth place effort on August 16 and his runner-up on July 26.Complete results were not available as of this writing, though Van Dam should still be no worse than fourth in points, 18 points back of Borden. Rice has unofficially passed Cole for second and if Van Dam hasn‘t caught Cole for third he should be no more than a handful of points behind him. Borden is in the drivers seat, but still has one more points race to go on Saturday, September 6. Though he is the outside shot as far as the track title goes, Van Dam still has a very strong shot at third place and even second.Before the season championships at Grays Harbor Raceway, Van Dam will be back in touring action, though at the same track as the ASCS Northwest Region returns to Grays Harbor Raceway on Sunday, August 31. Van Dam has two top-ten finishes in that series, including a run from 17th to fourth at Elma in May. Currently 11th in the points, Henry has been as high as second. After Sunday’s race, the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series will visit Grays Harbor Raceway.Henry Van Dam, 26, is one of the up and coming sprint car racers in the Pacific Northwest and one of the most popular. 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 several times and has also run with the ASCS Northwest Region this season.- - -Henry Van Dam’s sponsorsVan Dam Dairy
Shark Racing Engines
Corliss Resources
Shareway Industries
Rich Van Dam Dairy
GMS Metal Works
Speedmart Inc.
Jack Dilley Logging
D & L Equipment Repair
Enumclaw Suzuki
Char’s Barber Shop
Enumclaw Express Lube
Foothills Auto supply
Stanely Patrick Striping
Pete Voss
Bob & Joann Schumway
Enumclaw Auto rebuild
Fire Down Graphics- - -Grays Harbor Raceway - Elma, WA: http://www.graysharborraceway.netASCS Northwest Region: http://www.ascsnorthwest.comAmerican Sprint Car Series: http://www.ascsracing.com
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