Inside Line Promotions - ALGER, Wash. (May 18, 2014) - After more than two months off since his busy season debut in Arizona, Nevada and California, Henry Van Dam returned to action last Saturday at Skagit Speedway.
Unfortunately, Van Dam started the night on the wrong note by qualifying 17[sup]th[/sup] quickest around the 3/10-mile oval.
"We were off in qualifying," he said. "We were just not up to par on our stuff so we worked on it."
The adjustments helped throughout the night as Van Dam advanced from sixth to a fifth-place finish in his heat race. He then started on the outside of the seventh row for the 25-lap main event.
"We got it rolling pretty good in the feature," he said. "We were up to seventh or eighth and got spun by somebody."
The spin near the midpoint of the race forced Van Dam to restart at the back of the field.
"The track was super, super dusty so it was hard to see anything," he said. "I just kept working. We made some moves and did alright. I think we had a decent car, just starting that far back on a track like that makes it really tough. It was hard to get any momentum built up. Without being able to see you had no idea if you were up against the cushion or the wall."
Van Dam rallied to record a seventh-place finish, which marked his first top 10 of the season.
"It was mediocre," he said. "Our aspirations are a lot higher than that. But just to get in and get warmed up for next weekend is never a bad thing."
Van Dam has a busy weekend scheduled, which begins on Friday at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore., for the ASCS Northwest Region season opener. He will then compete on Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore., with the ASCS Northwest Region before wrapping up the weekend on Sunday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash.
QUICK RESULTS -
May 17 - Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. - Qualifying: 17; Heat race: 5 (6); Feature: 7 (14).
SEASON STATS -
6 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 1 top 10, 3 top 15s, 3 top 20s
UP NEXT -
Friday at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore., and Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore., with the ASCS Northwest Region; and Sunday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash.
MEDIA LINKS -
Website: http://www.HenryVanDam.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VanDamRacing
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Enumclaw Xpress Lube
Located in Enumclaw, Wash., Enumclaw Xpress Lube offers a full range of vehicle oil and fluid services. It can also service air filter and wiper blades.
"Enumclaw Xpress Lube was my very first sponsor and have been with us ever since," Van Dam said. "They've been there for the good years and the bad years and have provided ample support."
Van Dam would also like to thank Kovash Logging, Johansen Excavating, Les Schwab Tire of Enumclaw, Enumclaw Xpress Lube, Van Dam Dairy, Village Green Resort, Big Bob's Flooring Outlet, Bob and Joan Shumway, Kellan and Kelsey Hall, Foothills Auto Supply, American Powder Coating, Pete Vos, Clems Enumclaw Powersports, Char's Barber Shop, Wesmar Race Engines, Factory Kahne, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, SpeedMart, Van Dam Farms and Rich Van Dam Dairy for their continued support.
Unfortunately, Van Dam started the night on the wrong note by qualifying 17[sup]th[/sup] quickest around the 3/10-mile oval.
"We were off in qualifying," he said. "We were just not up to par on our stuff so we worked on it."
The adjustments helped throughout the night as Van Dam advanced from sixth to a fifth-place finish in his heat race. He then started on the outside of the seventh row for the 25-lap main event.
"We got it rolling pretty good in the feature," he said. "We were up to seventh or eighth and got spun by somebody."
The spin near the midpoint of the race forced Van Dam to restart at the back of the field.
"The track was super, super dusty so it was hard to see anything," he said. "I just kept working. We made some moves and did alright. I think we had a decent car, just starting that far back on a track like that makes it really tough. It was hard to get any momentum built up. Without being able to see you had no idea if you were up against the cushion or the wall."
Van Dam rallied to record a seventh-place finish, which marked his first top 10 of the season.
"It was mediocre," he said. "Our aspirations are a lot higher than that. But just to get in and get warmed up for next weekend is never a bad thing."
Van Dam has a busy weekend scheduled, which begins on Friday at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore., for the ASCS Northwest Region season opener. He will then compete on Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore., with the ASCS Northwest Region before wrapping up the weekend on Sunday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash.
QUICK RESULTS -
May 17 - Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. - Qualifying: 17; Heat race: 5 (6); Feature: 7 (14).
SEASON STATS -
6 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 1 top 10, 3 top 15s, 3 top 20s
UP NEXT -
Friday at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore., and Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore., with the ASCS Northwest Region; and Sunday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash.
MEDIA LINKS -
Website: http://www.HenryVanDam.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VanDamRacing
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Enumclaw Xpress Lube
Located in Enumclaw, Wash., Enumclaw Xpress Lube offers a full range of vehicle oil and fluid services. It can also service air filter and wiper blades.
"Enumclaw Xpress Lube was my very first sponsor and have been with us ever since," Van Dam said. "They've been there for the good years and the bad years and have provided ample support."
Van Dam would also like to thank Kovash Logging, Johansen Excavating, Les Schwab Tire of Enumclaw, Enumclaw Xpress Lube, Van Dam Dairy, Village Green Resort, Big Bob's Flooring Outlet, Bob and Joan Shumway, Kellan and Kelsey Hall, Foothills Auto Supply, American Powder Coating, Pete Vos, Clems Enumclaw Powersports, Char's Barber Shop, Wesmar Race Engines, Factory Kahne, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, SpeedMart, Van Dam Farms and Rich Van Dam Dairy for their continued support.
