Big Rich sits down with ORMHOF inductee Dan VandenHeuvel—aka the Flying Dutchman—for a life-in-off-road masterclass spanning 40+ years of racing, building, promoting, and giving back.
Listen in for these highlights:
- First Crandon experience and the DIY beginnings
- The legendary first race
- Evolution of safety and tech
- The rise and reshuffling of Midwest short course: SODA, CORR, World Series, TORC, and Lucas Oil
- Promoting events in Oshkosh and Antigo, and the hard realities of venues, neighbors, and budgets
- The power of volunteers and community glue at tracks like Crandon
- and MORE!!
If you enjoy stories of grit, ingenuity, and heart, this one’s a keeper.
TRANSCRIPT
[00:01:11.940] – Big Rich Klein
On today’s episode of Conversations with Big Rich, I have none other than the Flying Dutchman. That’s right, Dan Van der Heuvel. Dan Van Den Heuvel. Okay, help me out, Dan. I can say it I’m not reading it.
[00:01:31.460] – Dan VandenHeuvel
Yeah, it’s VanDen Heuvel. Okay. It’s a try spelling it in kindergarten.
[00:01:38.360] – Big Rich Klein
Heck, I was having a hard time spelling it yesterday. So anyway, Dan, it’s so good to have you on the podcast. I’m really looking forward to this one. We first met a few, oh, back in 17 or 18, when we were both working at or putting on races out at Crandon. And I just wanted to say that you were a pleasure to work with that weekend. And it was good to see you again at Ormhoff. So we’ll get into all of that. So thank you for coming on board.
[00:02:13.060] – Dan VandenHeuvel
Absolutely.
[00:02:14.520] – Big Rich Klein
So the first question I ask everybody, and it’s the easiest for me to ask, and typically the easiest for everybody to answer, is where were you born and raised?
[00:02:24.520] – Dan VandenHeuvel
Right, where I still live in Appleton, Wisconsin.
[00:02:27.660] – Big Rich Klein
Wow, okay. And has it grown much from when you were originally, what you remember?
[00:02:39.160] – Dan VandenHeuvel
Oh, absolutely. We’re so big, we have an interstate going through, which back in the day in the ’70s was just a two-lane highway coming north from Milwaukee. And now it’s a four-lane interstate. Not quite like California, 8 and 10 lanes, but we got an actual interstate. But for me going north, so from me to Crandon, which is only 100 miles away, it’s still two-lane, podunk roads.
[00:03:19.120] – Big Rich Klein
That’s okay, though. Absolutely. That’s what makes it what it is. Not everything has to change.
[00:03:23.840] – Dan VandenHeuvel
You’re right.
[00:03:25.360] – Big Rich Klein
So let’s talk about those early years. Did you Did you grow up on a farm? I know that’s a fairly heavy farming area in Wisconsin.
[00:03:36.080] – Dan VandenHeuvel
Yep, there’s quite a few farms. I didn’t. I grew up in the city. Okay. Hating life because you’re in the city.
[00:03:44.040] – Big Rich Klein
Right.
[00:03:44.820] – Dan VandenHeuvel
And my dad passed away when I was 13, so I had to get a job. My first job was on a farm.
[00:03:53.700] – Big Rich Klein
Okay.
[00:03:54.820] – Dan VandenHeuvel
And I was never so happy to leave that because those guys know how to work. Man, that is unbelievable work. And I did that for a summer and never wanted to work. I mean, there’s working hard and there’s farming. Farmers, they’re the hardest working people on Earth. READ MORE
