Track favorite Mike Van Houten Jr. still having fun

Mike Van Houten Jr. is convinced that no one has more fun than he does at Riverhead Raceway.

It's hard to argue.

Van Houten, 38, is a fan favorite at the track and he is especially adored by kids because he hands out his own personalized "V-Ride candy bars." Before he goes to the track, Van Houten said he stops by a store and picks up a few bags of small chocolate bars. He then rewraps them with designs made by his girlfriend. He said he hands out about 50-200 bars with the personalized wrappers.

"I love every minute of what I'm doing at Riverhead," Van Houten said. "The things I do, like the candy bars, are all out of my own pocket, but I just love making the kids happy and I'm enjoying it all and having fun."

Van Houten, who lives in Riverhead, got his nickname, "V-Ride" 20 years ago when he put the name in the front of his window of an old Buick that he said he "pimped out."

"People would tell me that the car looked pretty gangster, that it was a G-ride," Van Houten said. "Because of my last name, I used the letter 'V' instead. Now, 20 years later, people call me V-Ride who don't even know my real name."

Van Houten has been a mainstay at Riverhead for many years, but is only in his second year in the legends division.

Like many drivers, Van Houten comes from a racing family. Van Houten said his dad, former driver Mike Van Houten Sr., has been his biggest supporter. His brother Brad is second in the legends championship standings heading into Saturday's action.

Van Houten attributes his passion to his roots. Since he spent so many years working with the crew instead of as a driver, Van Houten said he has a greater perspective on how fun racing can be every week. It's not something, he said, he ever wants to take for granted.

Said Van Houten, "I tell everyone at the track that I think I'm having the most fun out of anyone there."