Flying Dutchman TORC Race Report - Las Vegas

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   VANDEN HEUVEL TAKES PODIUM IN FINAL ROUND

   /FIFTH PLACE IN TORC PRO-2WD CHAMPIONSHIP/

    

   Dan Vanden Heuvel and his Flying Dutchman Team continued his  
incredible season with a third place podium finish in the final round  
of the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL. The performance at the  
Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway allowed the #77 Maxxis Tire  
Chevy to move up in standings, to finish the year in fifth place.

    

   The .8-mile track was a typical Ricky Johnson designed short track,  
with a series of jumps down the backstretch, an infield tabletop jump  
and rhythm section, as well as high-speed sections. The great track  
design was expected, but the dusty conditions that occurred on Friday  
night, were not.

    

   FRIDAY ? ROUND 15

   Dan Vanden Heuvel lined up his #77 Maxxis Tire Chevy on the pole  
position. The fastest independent racer on the TORC tour put all his  
Wegner Engine power to his Maxxis Tires and held a solid second place  
after the first lap. The Maxxis Tires really handled the adverse track  
conditions very well. The arid hard desert ground would dry out almost  
immediately, no matter how much water was applied. In the meantime,  
the moisture would create a very slippery track in the clay portions.  
Regardless, Dan applied pressure to the championship leaders,  
finishing just behind Todd Leduc in fifth place.

    

   Overnight, the TORC track worked around the clock to prepare the  
track like a farm field with a continuous combination of discing and  
watering. When the racing began Saturday night, all the work was  
successful as spectators and drivers enjoyed a great night of racing.

    

   SATURDAY ? ROUND 16

   The final round of PRO-2WD racing heard many competitors use the  
term ?checkers or wreckers? to describe the pace of the race. The  
bright red #77 Chevy had the final pole position of the year and with  
the damp track conditions, it was a definite advantage to Dan. The  
fourteen-lap event saw several position changes for the Maxxis Chevy,  
while never running below fifth place.

    

   With three laps to go, Dan found himself in a great struggle with  
Todd Leduc. Every time Leduc would get close, Dan would find a way to  
pull away. As MacCachern and Johnson battled for the win and the  
championship, Dan and Todd Leduc dueled it out for the last spot on  
the podium. When the Flying Dutchman came out of the final turn  
heading for the checkered flag, Leduc made one last charge. Dan Vanden  
Heuvel and the Maxxis Tires used every bit of power the Wegner engine  
could muster and managed to come across the line in third place.

    

   The podium spot also allowed Dan to move up to fifth place in the  
final PRO-2WD Championship standings.

    

   ?Wow, this truck is just incredible,? exclaimed Dan Vanden Heuvel.  
?Tonight I gave everything I had to get on the podium. Maxxis Tires is  
the reason we?re on the Box. We ran all year on a shoestring budget  
and we accomplished the impossible. My son, Mikey, my all volunteer  
crew, and everyone that helped us out along the way, deserve a huge  
amount thanks.?

    

   For the year, the Flying Dutchman Off-Road team had eight top-5  
finishes, including one win, one runner-up finish, and two third place  
finishes in sixteen rounds of racing.

    

   In the coming week Dan and Mike will take the team transporter to  
the Las Vegas Convention Center as the red #77 will be on display for  
Maxxis Tires at the annual Specialty Equipment Manufacturers  
Association convention. Over 100,000 industry attendees will attend  
the three day event.

    

   You can watch all the final round of TORC racing, including the  
PRO-2WD race, Sunday, November 8, at 1:30pm eastern on ABC Sports.

    

    

    

    

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

    

   Maxxis Tires

   Independent Off-Road

   Catco

   Miller Electric

   AirGas

   ATD

   Mastercraft

   HJC Helmets

   Loctite

    

   AMSOIL

   MSD Ignition

   Autometer

   Jaz Products

   Phil?s Inc.

    

    

   Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr. and the Flying Dutchman Off-Road Race Team  
still have marketing opportunities available for the 2010 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/