Flying Dutchman Off-Road TORC Race Report - Bark River

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    VANDEN HEUVEL TAKES ROUND 7 AT BARK RIVER

    

   Appleton, WI (July 14, 2009) ? After two impressive podium finishes  
already in the 2009 Traxxas TORC Series sponsored by AMSOIL, would a  
victory be far off? Well, the Flying Dutchman Off-Road Race Team  
answered that question with a win in Round 7.  The well-documented  
season of the currently independent PRO team keeps performing beyond  
expectations.

    

   The legendary Bark River Off-Road Raceway had a slightly different  
look for the first time in several years. Ricky Johnson applied his  
track design talents and had some of the jumps made taller, a new  
rhythm section and the hot pits were moved in front of the fans, a  
couple of the turns were banked and the land rush start was replaced  
with a rolling start. All in all, the majority of the competitors  
thought that the changes improved the quality of racing for the fans  
and competitors.

    

   SATURDAY ROUND 7

   What can you say?  Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr. and his #77 Flying  
Dutchman Maxxis Tire Auto Trans Design Independent Fab Chevy were on  
the pole for the start, immediately grabbed the lead, and held off all  
comers the entire nine lap event.  This was the first win for Maxxis  
Tires in the high horsepower, high profile, and best off-road racers  
in the world, PRO-2WD division.

    

   ?Wow, how about this new truck, it?s incredible. The changes to the  
track were ideal for our Maxxis Tires,? remarked Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr.  
?Having that cushion back by the Cemetery Turn, and the big berm at  
the finish line corner, really let?s these Maxxis tires eat. Earlier  
in the week I didn?t even know if I?d have an engine in time to run  
this weekend. We got the engine back from Wegner Automotive,  
Wednesday, installed it, loaded up the hauler, and arrived just in  
time for Friday?s practice.  Again without all the help from family  
and friends we wouldn?t be racing.?

    

   SUNDAY ROUND 8

   The first half of the race was almost a carbon copy of Round 7. The  
red #77 Chevy truck gets the holeshot, leads right up to the mandatory  
caution lap, when disaster struck. The left rear tire was flat and  
running on its inner liner. McGrath had made contact with the tire  
cutting the sidewall and breaking four of the beadlock bolts, so Mike  
radioed to his dad to bring it in for a tire change. This would  
relinquish the lead, but in theory, still had time to get back in line  
before going back to green flag racing. Unfortunately, the theory  
didn?t pan out. The flat left rear tire built up enough heat that  
everything expanded, making the tire change difficult and time  
consuming. When the field went back to racing, Dan was still about a  
half lap in back of the pack. Then to make matters more difficult, the  
transmission was stuck in third gear. When the checker flag waved, Dan  
Vanden Heuvel Sr. crossed the finish in eleventh place.

    

   ?We had another great run going,? noted Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr. ?We  
were pushed harder today that?s why we lost a tire. Once again we  
proved what a great chassis my son, Mike at Independent Off-Road,  
builds. This hot rod is very easy to work on. We can make wholesale  
changes as well fine tune this truck very quickly. Now we have some  
extra time to get this awesome truck ready for our second visit to  
Bark River.?

    

   The next PRO race is back at Bark River Off-Road Raceway on August 8 ?9.

    

   The Flying Dutchman Off-Road Race Team will also attend the TORC  
Sportsman event at the Oshkosh Speedzone, July 24-25, in Oshkosh,  
Wisconsin.

    

   Mike Vanden Heuvel will be behind the wheel of 2008 Championship  
winning PRO-2WD truck that is currently for sale.

    

   You can see all the exciting Bark River Round 8 PRO action this  
coming Sunday, July 19, at 11:30am on ESPN 2.

    

   Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr. and his team also thank the continued support  
from the following companies:

Maxxis Tires, ATD, AMSOIL, Mastercraft, HJC Helmets, Independent  
Off-Road, MSD Ignition, Autometer, Catco, Loctite, AirGas, Jaz  
Products, Miller Electric, and Phil?s Inc.

Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr. and the Flying Dutchman Off-Road Race Team still  
have marketing opportunities available for the rest of the 2009 TORC  
season.
 
 

   For more information about Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr. and the Flying  
Dutchman Off-Road Race Team, visit: www.flyingdutchmanoffroad.com[1]  
or email: flydtmn77@aol.com[2]

    

   - Mike Reusche, race report ? www.mt-graphics.com[3] 

   - Jeff Nemechek, photos ? www.jnlphoto.com[4]

    

    

    

    

                             

Links:
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[1] http://www.flyingdutchmanoffroad.com/
[2] mailto:flydtmn77@aol.com
[3] http://www.mt-graphics.com/
[4] http://www.jnlphoto.com/