PETERSEN MEDIA: After teaming up earlier this year, Cory Eliason and the Van Dyke Motorsports team took some early lumps but are quickly becoming one of the hottest teams in Northern California as nearly swept the Civil War Series events during the Memorial Day Weekend, and came oh so close to backing it up with a win at the Silver Dollar Speedway this past Friday night.
“I really have to thank Harley Van Dyke and his team for this opportunity he has given me in 2016,” Cory Eliason said. “We were fast instantly but had some rough luck lead to some DNF’s in our first few races, but we have been really strong the last couple of nights out.”
Over the Memorial Day weekend, Eliason and the Van Dyke team were a forced to be reckoned with during both nights of action with the Civil War Series. On Saturday May 28th, Eliason would find himself on the pole for the Mel Hall Memorial aboard the Lucas Oil backed No. 5h machine, and quickly jumped out to the early lead.
Setting a torrid pace at the Marysville Raceway, Eliason looked to be well on his way to his first Civil War Series win, but a flat right-rear tire on the 20th lap would see Eliason forced to the back of the pack.
One night later the team returned to action as they followed the series up to the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, CA. Winning his heat race as well as the Dash, the Kingsburg, CA driver again found himself on the pole for the 30- lap feature event.
On this night, Eliason would not be denied. Fending off the challenges of Jonathan Allard and Andy Forsberg, the 2015 Keller Auto Speedway track champion would lead all 30-laps to score his first ever Civil War Series win, and his first win with Van Dyke Motorsports.
Over the past weekend, the team traveled to the Silver Dollar Speedway to take part in the track’s weekly program on Friday night and take on the King of the West Series on Saturday night.
Friday night would see Eliason time in fourth fastest, and grid the field from the fourth row for the 25-lap feature event. On a racy Silver Dollar Speedway, Eliason was able to work his way into the top-three as he, Jonathan Allard, and Sean Becker all fought for the top spot.
On the 19th lap, Eliason would get by Becker in lapped traffic and begin to open up a sizeable lead. Coming to take the white flag, a lapped car would push Eliason up the track and Becker would steal the lead getting into turn one, and Eliason would be relegated to a second place finish.
Back in action on Saturday night, Eliason would fight a tight racecar in qualifying time trials and would end up 20th fastest. Starting seventh in his heat, Eliason would work his way up to finish in the fifth spot, which lined him up 19th in the 35-lap feature event.
Continuing to flex his muscles in the Van Dyke Motorsports entry, Eliason was able to carve his way through the field and get inside the Top-10, only to get collected in a pile up on a restart and be forced to take a trip to the work area.
From the tail end of the field, Eliason continued to show speed and patience as he was able to salvage an eventful night with an 11th place finish.
“Harley and Fez have been working really hard, and we have a really good car right now,” he added. “It is fun to drive, and we are really in the mix night in and night out right now.”
The Van Dyke Motorsports team would like to thank Lucas Oil, NAAKE Suspension, Maxim Chassis, and Moyle Racing Engines for their support during the year.
2016 BY THE NUMBERS: Starts- 9, Wins-1, Top-5’s-2, Top-10’s-2
ON TAP: The Van Dyke Motorsports team will in action on Friday night at the Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford, CA.
STAY CONNECTED: Stay updated with Cory Eliason by following him on Twitter @Cory_Eliason.
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