Steven Ham – AA/FC Driver

Good Guys 7-24-15 541In the sport of drag racing there are drivers from various countries and continents around the world. Over the past three weeks I had the privilege of being around one of these International drag racers.

Steven Ham hails from Brisbane in the Queensland area of Australia. Taking a break from his and his father’s heavy equipment repair business, they decided to come racing in the northwest. First stop was at Woodburn Dragstrip in Oregon for the first step in the car purchased last year from John Evanchuk up in Canada.

NWN 8-7-15 007

This connection to the Evanchuk’s was a huge eye opener to a local friend and shows how the drag racing community is a worldwide thing. Climbing into a new machine was quite different, but quite the same as the one he drives at his local dragstrip Willowbank Australia. The success racing around his country puts him right up there with the alcohol driver’s here in the U.S.

Swift Tool ET Series #9 7-25-15 403

With a plan to test as much as possible before the Northwest Nationals in a few weeks there is a lot to do in the fine tuning that fits the driver to the machine let alone the tuning to make it run in a competitive manner. With the initial testing in the log books they headed north to Pacific Raceways for more testing and fine tuning. The wide open area of around the track, and the nearby oxygen given by the trees surrounding the racetrack was perfect for tuning.

Swift Tool ET Series #9 7-25-15 407NWN 8-7-15 148

With Friday and Saturday events scheduled at the track it became the perfect time to set up for the National’s. Track prep by the Pacific drag crew can prep a track close to what is done by the National’s drag crew so you can get a pretty close base line to work off of. Having no data to work from I say they were right in the ballpark for qualifying in the alcohol field.
With all the testing possible and still a week away from the National’s it was break time. As an avid fisherman the sight of all the rivers, lakes and open water in the Pacific Northwest had his attention.

They mostly do reef fishing at home, so the thought of giving it a go was on the plate. Heading north towards Canada the sights of the mountains and the scenery had their cameras and smart phones catching it all. In Canada to visit friends and take in the sights around there became the perfect time off and vacation needed to gear up for what was ahead of them, and all along the way they were taking in the chance to eat food not found at home. You here it a lot about the “Steak on the Barbie” his favorite, but the chance to eat Italian and Mexican food quite the experience and something that they will seek out at home.

NWN 8-7-15 140

Back in Seattle and all that is necessary for a National event got the crew back in racing mood and the checklists of to do items. This group has Dan Case on the motor with Greg Layton in the gears and Deiter Herman in between on the clutch all leading to James Rowland the tuner. Three attempts at qualifying though brought out the bugs in that list of a thousand ways to lose a race and in the end an electrical issue ended their chance to make the field. The RD Williams/Noonan Race Engineering sponsored car gave it a “go” and fell just short. Not discouraged buy this the team will head back home to re-group and attempt to make the Las Vegas and Pomona later this year and give it another go.

Swift Tool ET Series #9 7-25-15 413

It was a pleasure meeting Steven and his crew and look forward to the next chance to see him, good luck to the future and happy racing to you, Thank You.