Van Dam nipped at final flag Saturday night

There were good times and some not so good times for the Van Dam Racing Team Friday and Saturday at the ASCS Northwest season opener in Cottage Grove, Ore.

Driver Henry Van Dam put the 33v on the pole and finished second in the opening round to put him in the Top 8 for the feature. He drew a fourth-place starting position for the feature.

With a great track surface the racing was intense and Van Dam was up to second place at one point before sliding back to fourth and a caution came out. On the restart a car from behind drove up his left rear tire spinning him and causing the caution to come out again.

With a shredded left rear tire and bent shock, Van Dam was towed to the garage. The crew hustled to replace both, getting him back on the track to salvage an 11th place finish.

Saturday, starting seventh and finishing seventh in his heat race, put Van Dam in third for the B-main. After 12 quick laps he took the checkered flag, giving him a 16th place starting position in the A-main.

Van Dam moved his way up through the field, charging from 16th to a second-place finish.

With only a few laps remaining, he challenged race leader Roger Crockett, coming into turns 3 and 4 side by side. Crockett came out just far enough ahead for the win, but Van Dam carried home as runner-up and with the Travis Rutz Hard Charger of the Night Award.

Van Dam Racing returns to action Saturday at Grays Harbor Raceway. Fans can follow VDR on Facebook and Twitter by searching: Van Dam Racing

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