10/23/2017
Inside Line Promotions
Van Dam Takes Positive From Unusual Season of Racing
(Photo by Lisa Dynes Photography)
Inside Line Promotions – ENUMCLAW, Wash. (Oct. 23, 2017) – This year’s racing season was an unusual one for Henry Van Dam.
“It started out slow with weather and with our performance,” he said. “I felt like we made adjustments each week that got us better. By midseason we were one of the fastest cars to show up every week. We competed for wins, but we just ended up with a lot of top fives.”
After getting off to a slow start, Van Dam posted six straight top-five finishes during the middle of the summer. He finished the season with seven top fives in his final nine races, including four podium finishes.
“It seems like every season you narrow in on a setup that works,” he said. “For whatever reason, whether it’s a different driving style or different tracks, each year you have to search. It took us a little longer than we liked. Once we found it we were able to stay in our sweet spot.”
While he went winless for the first time since 2004, Van Dam netted a trio of runner-up results.
“We had a smaller quantity of races this year and a lot of those races were with a high quality of competition,” he said. “I think we only ran four local shows this year. Other than that it was series races. I’m disappointed we didn’t win any of those, but when you look at the bigger picture it’s a little clearer why we weren’t able to win.
“There is the knee-jerk reaction wondering why we didn’t because we hold ourselves to the expectation that we should be winning races. We were at the track less this year and had less time focused on racing. You have to refocus from your work life and family life to changing into race mode. That definitely plays a factor in how successful you will be.”
Van Dam finished sixth in the championship standings at his home track – Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash. – despite skipping a race. It marked his 10th consecutive season with a top-10 finish in the standings.
Van Dam was tied for the second most top fives – four in eight races – at the 3/8-mile oval.
“We were competitive,” he said. “The year was a bit different. The winners came off the front row about every night so it was hard to really make something happen on those shows. Overall, we were competitive each time we showed up. We had some quick times. At the end of the day the important part is to have fun and enjoy what you’re doing each weekend and I think we accomplished that.”
SEASON STATS –
16 races, 0 wins, 7 top fives, 12 top 10s, 14 top 15s, 16 top 20s
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.HenryVanDam.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VanDamRacing
APPAREL –
Van Dam has t-shirts available for sale at his race trailer and at Enumclaw Xpress Lube.
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, Highmark Concrete Contractors, Northwest Welding & Fabrication, Les Schwab Tire of Enumclaw, Clems Enumclaw Powersports, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, Van Dam Dairy, Village Green Resort, Factory Kahne, 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 by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
Article Credit: Inside Line Promotions
Submitted By: Shawn Miller
