Flying Dutchman Off-Road Racing - Rockstar Cup

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   FLYING DUTCHMAN OVERCOMES ADVERSITY TO MAKE THE SHOW

ENDS CUP RACE EARLY AVOIDING SERIOUS CONTACT

    

   Lake Elsinore, CA (December 21, 2009) - After Mother Nature caused  
the inaugural Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Rockstar Challenge to be  
delayed for a week, Dan Vanden Heuvel and his Maxxis Tire Racing Plus  
Chevy Unlimited 2 was looking to bring some holiday cheer back to  
Appleton, Wisconsin. The Flying Dutchman looked to have the speed,  
early on, to make a serious challenge for the win, only to have a  
mishap on the track end his day early.

    

   The Saturday only event actually started on Friday with practice  
and qualifying. The morning practice saw the red #77 turn in some  
competitive lap times while preparing for the afternoon qualifying  
session. When Dan roared into the ten minute qualifying session, the  
team figured a top eight qualifying time, and an automatic spot in the  
Saturday Main Event was well within reach. Then on lap three of the  
session, the Flying Dutchman pulled off the track as the engine lost  
much of its power. The couple of laps that the Maxxis Chevy completed  
weren?t quick enough to make the starting grid; therefore, the only  
way into the Saturday showdown was through the Last Chance Qualifier  
on Saturday morning.

    

   Instead of burning the midnight oil with an engine swap, Dan and  
the team prepped the backup truck for the next morning?s Last Chance  
Qualifier (LCQ). The Flying Dutchman team had the truck ready before  
the sun went down behind the mountains.

    

   The next morning, the LCQ went according to plan. The Maxxis Tire  
Racing Plus Chevy easily won the Unlimited 2 LCQ and secured a  
starting spot in the fifth row of the Rockstar Challenge Cup.

    

   The final event of year saw twenty-six of the fastest Unlimited 2  
and Unlimited 4 race trucks line up at the Lake Elsinore Motorsports  
Complex, looking to capture the inaugural Rockstar Challenge Cup. The  
two truck classes were on the track together and were each racing for  
their own class big payout of $30,000. While the overall winner would  
get the big prize, the three foot tall Rockstar Cup.

    

   The beginning of the race saw the red #77 starting on the inside of  
row five. When the green flag fell, Dan was quickly gaining positions  
on the track. Then on lap two, Dan made a sudden move to avoid  
crashing with a rolling Greg Adler; while another competitor made  
contact with the Maxxis Chevy, avoiding the same wreck, and severely  
bent the right side tie rod, rendering the truck unable to turn. The  
remaining laps had Dan sitting with his truck watching the rest of the  
race unfold.

    

   Afterwards, Dan had summed up his weekend; ?We came to Elsinore  
looking to finish the year on a high note. Friday our Wegner power  
plant, after running twenty rounds of racing, ultimately gave up.  
Wegner builds the best motors on the planet, but we were really  
running on borrowed time. Fortunately, our backup truck was ready with  
another Wegner power plant. We went out this morning and won the LCQ,  
and our confidence was really at an all-time high. During the Cup race  
we really had our truck hooked up. I thought I came through the Adler  
wreck in good shape, but another competitor got into me while avoiding  
the same crash; it was nobody?s fault, it was just racing. You know I  
look back on this year and I didn?t know if I would make it until the  
end of the TORC series, but we added the final weekend and the  
Rockstar Cup of the Lucas Oil series as well. This year has been one  
heck of a ride, and with the right marketing partner, I can keep the  
ride going in 2010.?

    

   The Flying Dutchman Off-Road Racing would like to thank the  
following companies for their support during the rounds of racing in  
the Lucas Oil Off-Road Race Series.

   Racing Plus

   Independent Off-Road

   Catco

   Miller Electric

   AirGas

   Maxxis Tires

   ATD

   Mastercraft

   HJC Helmets

   Loctite

   AMSOIL

   Autometer

   Jaz Products

   Phil?s Inc.

   MSD Ignition

   Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr. and the Flying Dutchman Off-Road Race Team  
are actively searching for marketing partners for the upcoming 2010  
short-course off-road race season.

   For more information about Dan Vanden Heuvel Sr. and the Flying  
Dutchman Off-Road Race Team, visit: www.flyingdutchmanoffroad.com[1]  
or email: f[2]lydtmn77@aol.com[3]

   - Mike Reusche, race report ? www.mt-graphics.com[4]   

    

    

    

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