Latest News | Read Our Blog

Female Off-Road Race Team Zen Pro Racing Looks Forward to Continuing Their Winning Streak

Jul 12, 2013

ZenPro Racing competes in a variety of off-road racing series.

In early 2009, Mo Martinez, and Chuck Neugebauer embarked upon a film production focusing on a girls racing team competing in the SCORE-International events. "We were absorbed by the competitive spirit associated with off-road racing and morphed into one of the most successful female off-road racing teams to date," recalled Zen Pro Racing team owner, Mo Martinez.

Zen Pro Racing is an all female off-road racing team that has experienced an impressive amount of success.

"Soon after filming and documenting the race-team in San Felipe, Mexico, we decided to regroup and search for the finest female racers in the nation, providing them with corporate sponsorship incentives. In turn, we would provide the racer with media exposure and strategically provide our sponsors the same in form of signage at all of the race events attended."

In turn, team Zen Pro Racing (ZPR) came to fruition, a team comprised of all female racers. The team has continued to grow, and in fact, sports 21 members in all. Although there are other off-road race teams consisting exclusively of females, Martinez considers their crew as more structured and organized.

Zen Pro Racing wasted no time in proving the team would become a force to be reckoned with. Competing in the SandFest week, at North Bend, Oregon, they walked away with seven titles in just one week. ZPR dominated the events for the next three consecutive seasons, thus earning them the honor of being declared the "Best of the West" against the other females teams in the competition.

Zen Pro Racing has earned titles in many of the most renowned off-road racing series and is looking forward to continuing their winning streak.

Although most teams would be more than satisfied to excel in one series, Zen Pro Racing is revered for their skills and riding abilities in many. In fact, the team's riders have earned several championships. They have walked away with 8 titles in the past few years. including the X Games, WORCS, Quad X, AMA District 38, Dirt Series, Dade Series MX, RMX and Lucas Oil Series. The team has earned championships in a plethora of other series as well.

Having consistently been well-represented throughout the community of female off-road racing, the team obviously has a knack for recruiting some of the best competitors in the business. When asked the characteristics of a good rider, Martinez said, "We feel strength, combined with endurance, are the key traits to a good racer; That combined with strategic and mental awareness."

Looking back, Martinez suggested that, sisters, Shannon Crouch and Chelsea McShane are the "two most profound racers" who have been with Zen Pro Racing for the longest period. According to the the owner, both team members played a significant role in their early success, with seven podium wins at SandFest 2009 between them.

Referring to the newest member of the team, Martinez mentioned Clearwater, Florida native, Sara Sandusky. The rider jumped aboard early on in 2012 and closed the season with a series win.

Although some of the riders have obviously been members of the team for longer periods than others, Martinez ensured that no particular rider is considered as the leader. "Although our girls are proficient in many aspects as team members, we share one thing in common - to do our very best," the team owner explained. "We do not structure our team in forms of a hierarchy system. We do not believe it is important to assign a team leader amongst our racers."

Zen Pro Racing's stat's are a testimony to each and every team member's riding skills. However, Martinez is also savvy to the fact that one of the greatest keys to success is well-tuned and dependable equipment.

" To get the holeshot is a definite advantage in all of the series. Us signing on with Barnett Performance clutch kits has given us that extra edge. Utilizing their race clutches has helped us along the way to numerous victories.

"Maintenance of our vehicles is very critical and goes hand-in-hand with safety factors as well," Martinez continued. "We recognize the importance of the right maintenance plan, the right equipment , detailed preparation, and most of all, safety for everyone involved in the sport. "

With proper maintenance in mind, the team is a strong advocate of using the best filtration systems on the market. Striving to ensure the internal components of their engines remain contaminant free, Zen Pro Racing recently turned to K&N products to help fight the rigors of off-road racing.

"We currently use an assortment of K&N air filters and are looking to equip our vehicles with their oil filters in the very near future," stated Martinez. " In the pursuit of perfection, we found that K&N products have improved our machines' performance ten-fold. After researching numerous possible replacements, we decided to give K&N products a go and have not been disappointed. Stellar performance products which are pertinent to our system's integrity on our race machines.

"We feel, especially with their air filters, it has provided and increase in mass air flow, thus increasing our machines' ability to breath easier and simultaneously providing a quicker throttle response throughout the power-band range of our machines.

With an impressive crew of excellent drivers and quality products on board, Zen Pro Racing is looking forward to what lies ahead in the future. When asked what fans can expect throughout the remainder of the 2013 season, Mo Martinez said, "For the past few years of the making and fielding of outstanding team racers, ZPR has truly been a formidable presence in off-road racing and a dominating force in the world of desert racing. We look forward to sweeping several of the nationals and international series."

Related K&N News Articles about female off-road racing: Off-Road Racing's Brooke Kawell Racing Readies for 2013 LOORRS Modified Kart Championship Bid; Brooke Kawell Currently Sits 8th in Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Modified Kart Points; Fourteen-Year-Old Modified Kart Off-Road Racer Brooke Kawell Anticipates Success in 2013; Off-Road Racer Corry Weller Makes LOORRS History in 2011 as First Female to Win a Championship

PRODUCT SEARCH

WHERE TO BUY

K&N's Madison Whitten Ready to Compete in Jr Dragster, Jr Comp and Wicked 330 in 2013

Jul 12, 2013

This season Madison Whitten also races the Wicked 330 Jr. Dragster owned by Keoki Desa.

Being 16-years-old and having a head full of dreams is typical, and generally the more colorful the imaginings, the faster they fade with the years as they get updated by more practical matters. However, you can bet dollars to donuts that Jr. Dragster driver Madison Whitten's dream won't grow faint anytime soon.

Madison Whitten with Division 7 director Mike Rice and her Bracket Jr. Dragster.

"One day I'll make my dreams come true and until that day I'll say over and over again that I'm going to drive Top Fuel," Whitten declares. That's where my heart is set and I wouldn't want to do anything else, that is my priority in life and it will never change. I'm trying to race what I can, as much as I can, whenever and wherever I can."

Whitten has already spent half her life working towards making that dream a reality. When she was eight her dad, Doug, who works in the race shop at K&N, took her to Pomona to see the best top fuel racers in the country run and on the spot she told him - "that's what I want to do." Wanting and dreaming are one thing, having the dedication, work ethic and talent, is an entirely different matter and Whitten has consistently proven she has plenty of all the above.

In April of 2010 Whitten began her race career, and even though it wasn't a full race season, she still managed to win five times. The following year in her first full season of racing, Whitten won the 2011 Fontana Dragway Track Championship for 13 to14 year-olds. And last year, she successfully defended her division 7 championship and added yet another.

Bud Fizone's Jr. Comp is the third dragster Madison Whitten is racing this year.

"Last year we caught more than we could ask for," Whitten says. "Going head-to-head with some of the best Jr. racers around, we won the Barona track championship, which came down to the last race battling it out with Brandon Seraphine. He has been racing for 10 years so I have learned a lot from racing him. It seems like no matter what race or track we're at, somehow we meet up with him first round or in the finals. He has the drive to race just as well as I do, and I can't wait to hopefully compete with him in big cars as well."

Understandably Whitten was eager to get 2013 underway, as this season she accelerates her learning curve further by competing in three different dragsters. "Including my Bracket Jr. Dragster, Jr. Comp and Wicked 330," she adds. "I was lucky enough to have been recognized for my passion for racing and chosen to drive for two other people, Keoki Desa and Bud Fizone."

"The year started out great with all three cars and we were going rounds at every race. I was runner-up at the first two 330 races along with driving my bracket car as well. There were a few races where I ran two cars and I got worn out through the day running between both cars. My dad and I both realized that I needed to get in shape and start going to the gym. We got a personal trainer and I trained hard before the first two divisional races in Sacramento."

The training proved successful, Whitten is clearly physically and mentally tougher, although racing on Saturday in Sacramento didn't go as planned, with all three cars experiencing problems. Whitten was excused in the first round in all three classes, but then Sunday was entirely different story.

"We proved that we can come back from hard losses. I won the race in my bracket car racing past champions, lost in the semis in Jr. Comp because of a minus .004 red, and I lost first round in 330 because the car was still having issues. The following race in Irwindale we clenched another two wins on Saturday, as I was good on the tree, and my dad had the car running right where it needed to be. I couldn't begin to tell you how close the majority of the rounds I've won and lost have been, but those races are the ones that help shape me for the next level in racing, and that's the way I like it. To be a competitive racer you can't let stress or pressures get to you, and that's one of the main things I try to avoid."

"I sincerely want to thank everyone who supports me and believes that I can make my way to the top. Top Fuel is more than a few years away but I get closer every weekend that I race and that's all that matters at this point. I'll soon be licensing for the quarter-mile and driving a front engine dragster in the NE3 class at ANRA races, and hopefully running other track races in another car. There's no telling what the future holds, but I'm working towards my dream, and I understand that I still have plenty more to work on."

Murray Motorsports Manage Mechanical Malfunctions to Finish 3rd at 2013 Best in the Desert Mint 400

Jul 11, 2013

Murray Racing missed 2nd place in the Best in the Desert Mint 400 by a heartbreaking two seconds.

The Great American Race - that's the designation rightfully bestowed on the Mint 400. Created by Norm Johnson in 1967, as a public relations event promoting the Mint Hotel's annual deer hunt, it almost instantly grew into a legitimate desert race, and today continues to hold the title as arguably the gnarliest, most spectacularly demanding off-road race in North America. For many finishing is victory enough, for others like the Murray brothers, Jason and Derek, expectations are set higher. 2013 was the second time in the history of the famous Mint 400 Off-road Desert classic that UTV's were invited to be a part of this prestigious event, and the brothers were looking for a repeat performance of their history making first run at the Mint.

The K&N backed Murray brothers are racing Best in the Desert with full factory support from BRP Can-Am this year.

"We finished 2012 in 1st place," reported Jason. "This year we finished in 3rd, but we had the lead for the first quarter of the race, and then we had some CV issues with the new car, which dropped us down to 7th. We then got back up to 2nd and then had a steering issue. We fell to 3rd and lost 2nd by just two seconds this year. We were pretty bummed by that."

Murray Racing began in 2009 when the brothers began fabricating their first full build UTV to enter into the Best in the Desert class 1900 race series. They figured they were on to something when they finished in 3rd place in their very first desert race in the BITD series. Since then, Murray Motorsports has expanded with multiple cars competing in several different race series, including Best in the Desert, SCORE, WORCS, King of the Hammers and Robby Gordon Stadium Series. Fans can expect a much larger presence from the K&N supported Murray brothers all during the 2013 season.

"We got into desert racing as a hobby, and have found some good success over the past few years," Jason understates. "Up until this year we finished in 23 consecutive BITD and SCORE races, that's pretty impressive."

Murray Motorsports has in fact finished in the top-3 overall in Best in the Desert for the last three years in a row, and they currently sit 2nd overall. Their high level of consistency did not go unnoticed, as the team is proud to have raised the bar in UTV racing, by earning the full factory support of BRP Can-Am for the 2013 season. Earlier this year the brothers also announced that they'll be opening a new race shop which will offer full service fabrication and will produce top of the line Can Am Mavericks.

Clearly last season was "awesome" for Murray Motorsports, and the brothers remain absolutely focused on collecting more wins and top finishes this year. "We currently just finished the Baja 500, where we were running in the lead for the first 360 miles, and then rolled the car a few times to take us out. We had a 40 minute lead on 2nd place at the time. Up next is the Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno in August, and in WORCS we have the Taft race. And later this year we have the SCORE Baja 1000, which is the biggest race of the year."

Related K&N News Articles about the Mint 400 and Best in the Desert racing: Randy Merritt and Mongo Racing Finish Best in the Desert Mint 400 in Debut of New Ford Truck; Macrae Glass Gets Class 8 Win at the 2011 Best in the Desert Mint 400; Jefferies Racing Built K&N Filters Buggy Strong in Best in the Desert's Mint 400 Desert Off Road Race; K&N's Dr. Macrae Glass Grabs Class 8 Win at Best in the Desert's Silver State 300; Las Vegas to Reno Best in the Desert Off Road Race Win for K&N Supported Team

PRODUCT SEARCH

WHERE TO BUY

K&N Releases Blackhawk Induction™ Air Intakes for Muscle Cars, SUVs and Trucks

Jul 10, 2013

K&N Blackhawk Induction™ Air Intake Systems

K&N has just launched a new air intake line for select muscle cars, SUVs and trucks. K&N Blackhawk Induction™ Systems not only look impressive under the hood, but they are designed to reduce restriction and improve air flow while providing outstanding filtration to protect your engine. Each K&N Blackhawk Induction™ air intake design has undergone rigorous testing and the resulting power and torque gains have been impressive.

K&N Blackhawk Induction™ Air Intake System for 2010-2013 Chevy Camaro 6.2L

K&N Blackhawk Induction™ Air Intake System 71-4519
for 2010-2015 Chevy Camaro 6.2L

Blackhawk Induction™ air intake systems are designed and manufactured in Riverside, California with lightweight aluminum tubing that is cut and shaped to precise specifications. The aluminum tube surface is carefully hand worked to remove any rough edges or metal burs then a K&N^® engraved metal plate is welded in place. Blackhawk Induction™ intake tubes are powder coated with a durable flat black finish. Blackhawk Induction™ air intakes also come with a Black Dryflow^® Synthetic Washable Air Filter with thick low restriction filter media which protects the engine without the need of oil.

K&N Blackhawk Induction™ Air Intake System installed on Chevy Camaro 6.2L

K&N Blackhawk Induction™ Air Intake System 71-4519
installed on Chevy Camaro 6.2L

Blackhawk Induction™ air intakes are easy to install using common tools and they come with all the hardware necessary for installation. In most cases they are installed using existing factory mounting points. Installation on most vehicles can be completed in 90 minutes or less. Additionally, the Blackhawk Induction™ air intake system comes with K&N's Million Mile Limited Warranty^®.

Blackhawk Induction™ air intakes are not legal for highway use in California or other states adopting California emission standards. Visit KNFilters.com to see the up-to-date status of each air intake and vehicle application and to see a list of other CARB adoption states.

For more information on K&N Blackhawk Induction™ air intake systems watch the Blackhawk Induction™ Air Intake promotional video.

K&N Blackhawk Induction™ Air Intake System for select Chevy and GMC trucks

K&N Blackhawk Induction™ Air Intake System 71-3058
for select Chevy and GMC trucks

Blackhawk Induction™ air intakes currently available (more releases coming soon):
2011-2016 Dodge Challenger 6.4L - 71-2545
2011-2016 Ford F250, F350, F450 and F550 Super Duty 6.4L Diesel - 71-2582
2012-2016 Dodge Charger 6.4L - 71-2545
2012-2015 Chrysler 300 6.4L - 71-2545
2009-2017 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7L - 71-1561
2010-2012 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 6.7L Diesel - 71-1562
2008-2010 Ford F250, F350, F450 and F550 Super Duty 6.4L Diesel - 71-2576
2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L - 71-3058
2007-2008 Chevy Avalanche 5.3L and 6.0L - 71-3058
2007-2008 Chevy Silverado 1500 4.8L, 5.3L, 6.0L - 71-3058
2007-2008 Chevy Suburban 1500 5.3L, 6.0L - 71-3058
2007-2008 Chevy Tahoe 4.8L and 5.3L - 71-3058
2007-2008 GMC Sierra 1500 4.8L, 5.3L and 6.0L - 71-3058
2007-2008 GMC Sierra Denali and Denali XL 6.2L - 71-3058
2007-2008 GMC Yukon 4.3L and 5.3L - 71-3058
2007-2008 GMC Yukon XL 1500 5.3L and 6.0L, 6.2L - 71-3058
2007-2008 GMC Yukon Denali and Denali XL 6.2L - 71-3058
2003-2007 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 5.9L Diesel - 71-1532

Blackhawk Induction™ air intake for 2009-2013 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7L

Blackhawk Induction™ air intake for 2008-2010 Ford F250, F350, F450 and F550 Super Duty 6.4L Diesel

Blackhawk Induction™ air intake for 2011-2013 Ford F250, F350, F450 and F550 Super Duty 6.4L Diesel

Blackhawk Induction™ air intake for select Challenger 6.4L, Dodge Charger 6.4L, Chrysler 300 6.4L

Blackhawk Induction™ air intake for 2003-2007 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 5.9L Diesel

PRODUCT SEARCH

WHERE TO BUY

Roland Sands Design Builds BMW's 90th Anniversary Bike That Pays Homage to BMW R 90 S

Jul 9, 2013

Roland Sands' Project 90 focused on aesthetics as well as performance.

At the ripe young age of five, Roland Sands embarked upon his first modification - custom painting his Team Murray bicycle. With time, the youngster's passion for "tricking stuff out" continued to grow. In fact he recalled modifying RC cars, watercraft, dirt bikes, and just about every other device that was within his reach and powered by a motor.

"I was always surrounded by two wheels and custom bikes," he recalled. "So I guess I was a natural."

With time his skills and abilities continued to grow, and at the age of 16 he began designing bikes that were available for consumption. In 2005, the designer/ builder proudly opened Roland Sands Design; including the earlier stages of his career, Sands has been in the business for 22-years. Throughout the years as a designer, he has remained steadfast to his commitment - "making ideas a reality."

Roland Sands' convictions to follow his commitment recently came to the forefront, when he was commissioned by BMW Motorrad to participate in "Project 90." The purpose of the project was two-fold. It would commemorate the company's 90th anniversary, while paying homage to the BMW R 90 S, a bike that was introduced to the market 40-years ago.

The original R 90 s was one of the fastest production bikes of its time, with a top speed of nearly 200 km-per-hour. It was a "perfect combination of form and function in a motorcycle development process." This bike epitomized aerodynamics, and is still revered my many motorcycle enthusiasts today.

Roland Sands Design was recently commissioned to design a bike paying homage to the BMW R 90 S, a bike introduced to the public 40-years ago.

That in mind, it was clear that BMW Motorrad wanted to keep many of the characteristics of the bike intact, but while incorporating some of the most up-to-date and radical modifications. It was a tall order, but nothing that Sands and the BMW representatives couldn't handle.

When asked his thoughts about being involved in the project, Sands said, "It was a good opportunity to show BMW what we can do, both on the motorcycle design, and product front, I was stoked to do it. Ola Stengard (head of design at BMW) went through what we wanted to do as a team. And Sylvain, also with BMW, sketched the design. When I saw the rendering, I got really excited to do it. Normally I render everything, so it was actually a relief to have someone else's sketches to work off of."

Referring to several representatives of the company, Sands continued, "We really worked together on all of the ideas and agreed on nearly everything. So it felt like I had a lot of freedom, even though it was just an illusion, because we really all wanted the same thing out of the project.

"We'd been working on ideas for a long time, he recalled. "It was probably six-months from idea to start."

When the idea finally came to fruition though, the team was ready to get the project underway and completed. In fact, within four months from the time BMW started to render, the bike was up and running.

Roland Sands and representatives of BMW completed project 90 in only four months, producing a bike that "embodies the ideas of the original while pushing toward the future."

Of this time period, Roland Sands was allotted two months to complete the build. Those of us not in the business of designing and building might consider a couple of months as ample time to wrap up the project. But to the contrary, many late hours would be dedicated to meeting the deadline. In fact, Sands was faced with the chore of designing, engineering and machining 18 individual parts. That's not including hours of body work.

While paying attention to aesthetics Roland Sands and the BMW team were also aware that performance would prove of greatest importance. Knowing optimal performance and reliability depended a great deal upon proper maintenance, they knew it was essential to ensure the engine remained contaminant free. That in mind, Sands fabricated an air filter from K&N filter components. "Referring to K&N products, he said, "They're the best in filtration."

All though the deadline was pressing, the designer had no intentions of doing anything but producing an awesome product in the time allotted. In turn, one of the highlights of the entire project for Sands was "Riding the bike on the racetrack after thrashing on it until 5:00 a.m.."

With the project behind him, Roland Sands finally has time to look back and savor the entire process. When asked the toughest aspect of the project, he recalled, "Working with a team that was across the ocean. But that ended up also being the easy part, as Ola Stengard is such a good guy and easy to work with.

Although there were challenges lurking here and there, the finished product brought with it many rewards. "I really like how everything works together," ensured Sands. Its a solid clash of vintage and modern tech. The finished product was an aggressive, race-minded approach to a traditional cafe' racer. It embodies the ideas of the original, while pushing toward the future."