Van Dam finishes third in Elma standings
ALK Promotions, September 8
Henry Van Dam capped off a solid week at Grays Harbor Raceway on Saturday by finishing third in the season championship feature in 360 sprint cars and did well in the final points standings.
Driving the Van Dam Racing No. 33v Shark-powered Maxim sponsored by Van Dam Dairy, Corliss Resources, Rich Van Dam Dairy, Shareway Industries and GMS Metal Works, Van Dam came into the evening fourth in the 360 sprint car standings but was only 18 points behind leader Glenn Borden Jr. At the end of the night, Van Dam would end up finishing a very respectable third in the standings and only ten points out behind Jay Cole, who beat Shawn Rice for the championship on a third tie-breaker.
Starting fourth in the 30-lap feature, Van Dam had to contend with a tight car but still held his own rather well. Van Dam was still running in the fourth position with the three guys ahead of him the in points all in front of him on the track. Borden was leading when his championship hopes broke along with his front suspension after contact with both Rice and Cole midway through the race. During his contact with Borden, Cole himself barely saved his car and kept going.
Van Dam managed to keep out of the melee that happened in front of him and with Borden’s damaged car rolling into the infield he inherited third place in the race and had for the moment moved into third in the standings. Van Dam was next challenged by Robby Vaughn for the third position on the track, but after Vaughn got around him Henry fought back to regain third and would finish there.
Cole and Rice finished with 1,696 points with Cole taking the tiebreaker. Van Dam finished only ten tallies behind with 1,686 points in a remarkably close race. The order changed, but like they were going into the season championships the top four ended up only 18 points apart. In his first season back from his neck injury in 2007, Van Dam had a good season at Grays Harbor Raceway and won two main events along the way (though some tied him, no one else won more), had several top-five finishes and for a time even led the points.
Henry had a good week at Grays Harbor Raceway. On Sunday he finished seventh in the ASCS Northwest Region race and Monday saw him take some bonus money for being one of the highest finishing drivers with 360ci motors in the World of Outlaws event, which saw him take the C-Main victory and keep several 410’s from transferring.
Next for Henry is four nights of ASCS Northwest Region action. On September 19 and 20 the series will hold the 2nd Annual Fred Brownfield Memorial Sprint Challenge at Grays Harbor Raceway. The next week, September 26 and 27, Central Washington State Fair Raceway will host the tour for its final weekend of racing this year. Henry has not raced at the Yakima clay oval in since 2006.
Henry Van Dam, 26, is one of the top 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.
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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 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
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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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