(Photo by Malcolm White Photography)
Inside Line Promotions – ALGER, Wash. (June 22, 2014) – Henry Van Dam’s attempt at his fifth consecutive top-five finish and ninth straight top 10 was thwarted by engine woes last Saturday at Skagit Speedway.
Van Dam, who had garnered three wins in his past four races, was sidelined by a souring engine while he was running fifth on Lap 8 of the main event.
“It just broke the cam, but I’m not sure we’re going to be able to fix it or not,” he said. “It’s up in the air.”
The event was a final tune-up for this weekend’s 43rd annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup, which runs this Thursday through Saturday at the 3/10-mile oval.
Despite going out last to qualify last Saturday, Van Dam timed in sixth quickest.
“I had to lift a little coming out of turn four because I got out of position and close to the wall,” he said. “I played it a little safe so it cost us some time.”
That started him on the outside of the front row of his heat race.
“In the heat race we were really good,” he said. “The polesitter got the jump and we were able to drive around him.”
Van Dam took the top spot entering turn one on the second lap and he cruised to the win. After missing the feature inversion by one spot, Van Dam started the main event on the inside of the third row.
“We made very few changes for the feature,” he said. “We were a little bit free, but I was biding my time.”
He maintained the fifth position through the first third of the race before the engine problem relegated him to a 14th-place result.
QUICK RESULTS –
June 21 – Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. – Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 1 (2); Feature: 14 (5).
SEASON STATS –
14 races, 3 wins, 5 top fives, 8 top 10s, 11 top 15s, 11 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Thursday through Saturday at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash., for the 43rd annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.HenryVanDam.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VanDamRacing
VIDEO –
Here is a link to a video by ARRacing of Van Dam winning the Summer Thunder Sprint Series event at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., on June 7: http://youtu.be/a2sBRaf5l1c
APPAREL –
Van Dam has t-shirts and sweatshirts available for sale at his race trailer.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Kovash Logging
Kovash Logging is a logging company based out of Enumclaw, Wash.
“Butch and Donna Kovash came on board a few years ago and have turned into two of my biggest supporters,” Van Dam said. “Not only have they helped with the financial side of it, but they are very nice people and very knowledgeable, and have been a huge asset to the team.”
Van Dam would also like to thank Johansen Excavating, Enumclaw Xpress Lube, Les Schwab Tire of Enumclaw, Clems Enumclaw Powersports, Factory Kahne, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, Van Dam Dairy, Village Green Resort, D&L Equipment Repair, Zender Equipment, Big Bob’s Flooring Outlet, Bob and Joan Shumway, Kellan and Kelsey Hall, Foothills Auto Supply, American Powder Coating, Pete Vos, Char’s Barber Shop, Wesmar Race Engines, SpeedMart, Van Dam Farms and Rich Van Dam Dairy for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Jun 22, 2014
- Article Date: 6/22/2014 by Inside Line Promotions