Latest News

Reigning K&N Horsepower Challenge Champ Greg Anderson Nails 75th Career NHRA Pro Stock Pole

Aug 11, 2011

NHRA Pro Stock Drag Racer Greg Anderson

For the second time this season, Greg Anderson drove his Summit Pontiac right to the top of the pack during the final stop of the "Western Swing" at the 24th annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals held at Pacific Raceways near Seattle, Washington. Out of the gate it wasn't Anderson, who first grabbed the top spot, but Rodger Brogdon and his 6.545 at 210.67 during Friday's first qualifying session. Brogdon's ET was also a new track record and only just the beginning of it being reset numerous times throughout all four qualifying sessions of Pro Stock.

Greg Anderson drove his Summit Pontiac right to the top of the pack during the final stop of the "Western Swing" at the 24th annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals

While Anderson made a very solid hit during the first session and set himself in the fourth spot, it was during the second round of qualifying where he and his team would begin to shine. As part of the final pair to make their run, Anderson jumped all the way to the top, bumping Mike Edwards to number two when he tied Edwards ET from just the pair before with his identical 6.514. But thanks to Anderson's faster 211.16 MPH he would grab the provisional pole after the wrap of Friday's on track action.

"It was not a perfect run," he confessed just after Friday's second session. "It wasn't off by a lot, but we were just a little bit too soft, even though it got the job done. We'll get more aggressive tomorrow to see if it will run a little faster - looking at the graph, it seems like it will, but we'll have to wait and see what happens. Of course, a lot will depend on the weather - if the clouds remain, it should be very fast."

"With only fifteen cars here, there's a little extra incentive for being No.1, as you'd have a bye in the first round," he continued. "That's a luxury we'd like to have, because it would allow us to try a few things we could do otherwise. For one night, I've got a leg up on doing that, but we'll have to see what happens in the morning. We run early enough in the morning that it is far from over, and we'll do what we can to hold on to that top spot."

When Saturday rolled around so did some unwanted precipitation from Mother Nature early in the day, but it wasn't enough to cause any professional sessions to be scratched. If anything, the air conditions played right into Anderson's hands and he took advantage to not only improve on his earlier ET and MPH, but also reset the Pro Stock track ET record again with his 6.536 during the third session.

During the final session later in the day, Anderson made a comfortable 6.546 run and thanks to his previous lap, held on to the pole for Sunday.

"Yesterday was a fantastic day for the Summit Racing team, and today was even better," said Anderson after qualifying wrapped up on Saturday. "The crew chiefs and all the guys on the crew are just doing a tremendous job right now. Our cars are becoming fun and easy to drive, and they're consistently fast - you couldn't ask for anything better than that."

"These are definitely our type of conditions," he added. "I seem to excel when it's cool out, so we're always excited to come out here and race, because we know we'll have a great chance of doing well."

The number one qualifier for Anderson has lots of bonuses, from gaining the maximum per event points for the 2012 K&N Horsepower Challenge and the $3,000 bonus check from K&N Engineering to a very uncommon first round bye for Sunday's Eliminations.

The Seattle event marked the first time since 1975 that the NHRA Pro Stock class had less than sixteen cars and Anderson pointed out that earning the extremely rare first round bye was "a huge, huge bonus."

"I haven't had a lot of number one qualifiers. I've had one in the last two years," he confessed. "To get it here, my guys did their jobs. I thank my lucky stars we came out on top. A lot of tough cars came within thousandths, but they didn't quite get 'er done." While Anderson may not have had a ton of poles lately, the feat at Seattle marked his outstanding 75th career Pro Stock number one and moved him to within just five points of 2012 K&N Horsepower Challenge leader Erica Enders.

After a crazy three races in a row for the NHRA Pro Stock teams, they will get one week to recoup before heading to the "Zoo" at Brainerd International Raceway for the 30th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota.

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

K&N Sponsored Michael Lewis Earns First Win and 6th at Spa Formula 3 Italia Event

Aug 11, 2011

The win at Spa-Francorchamps was Lewis' first for the PREMA Powerteam in the Formula 3 Italia Championship.

Michael Lewis loves his job. Which works out perfectly because he's really good at it. So, the question remains, does he keep resetting his high-water mark because of that deep affection, or does the bond intensify as a result of his continuing success on the racetrack?

Lewis leads a hard-charging Maxime Jousse during Round 7 of the Formula 3 Italia event at Spa-Francorchamps.

As with all loves, you only get one chance at the first time, and for Lewis that landmark memory will forever be associated with one of his favorite venues, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. Lewis, driving his K&N Eibach sponsored Prema PowerTeam Dallara, came to Spa-Francorchamps this past weekend and first qualified on the pole, and then, with up being the only place to go, Lewis capitalized on his P1 starting position by earning the Round 7 win on Saturday. Lewis led every lap of the race.

The victory marked Lewis' first Formula 3 Italia Championship Series win. In Round 8 on Sunday Lewis started in the eighth position because of the invert, he finished that round with a solid sixth place. Currently he now sits in second for the overall Championship Series, and he has the clear lead for the Rookie of the Year title.

Lewis celebrates his first F-3 Italia win on the podium with his mechanic Marco Sbabo.

You qualified on the pole Friday and then won on Saturday in less than favorable conditions (it rained); give us some insights on what sort of emotional ride the weekend was for you and your team?

"Honestly, I really enjoy racing at Spa and it is kind of a home track for me. In that sense, I am very familiar with the track. In testing I was very fast and Prema has been developing the car in the F3 Euroseries category, so we had a strong package for when we arrived at the race weekend. In every session I was having a lot of fun perfecting my line and trying to squeeze the most out of the car. The same applied for qually. I just went and drove the car, with the necessary driving and car improvements from practice, and that was it. For me, you must be positive and have fun in what you are doing, this is essential. Grabbing pole position was great! Also the win in the wet was nice!"

The K&N sponsored driver said he had a strong race package from the moment the team arrived at the racetrack.

Was there one definitive factor that made this weekend a huge success for you, or is it simply a matter of you continuing to feel more comfortable out there?

"Every time I drive I feel more comfortable and confident. Also, my engineer, driver-coach, and I, put together an excellent plan for each time I hit the track. I love to race, and I enjoy every moment I get to drive."

The Laguna Beach, California native declares that he loves to race, and clearly F-3 racing loves him right back.

If I counted correctly you have eight races left in this series, have you modified anything about your approach to the rest of the season, or are you still holding firm to your original race plan?

"Basically, every session I am on the track I try to squeeze everything out of the car. The result may vary. Sometimes we will be on the pole, or sometime we will be fourth. In any case, it is the same objective and nothing has changed; push to be first place and that's it."

Your schedule has you coming back home to race, will there be any celebrating with family and friends over this win, or will you hold the celebrating until the season is completed?

"Unfortunately, I must stay in Italy. It was a change in my original plan, and I will not be able to see my friends and family this month. My parents and I spoke via Skype immediately when I returned to my home in Italy, and they are very happy. Although I will not be able to see my family and friends in person, I am continually in contact with everyone."

As a point of interest, how do you keep yourself fit to be able to race at the top of your game each week, do you have fitness program or a trainer?

"Basically I train all day and every day. My job is to drive well, and to drive well I must be physically fit, and to be physically fit I must train. So in a sense, my job is to train. My driver-coach will often train with me, and we will do a lot of cardio and also weights at the gym. You must be overall very fit, but one's shoulders, neck, and legs muscles must be worked on a bit more."

"What's nice is my gym is very close to where I live, and since I have been going there so much, all of the trainers and people know me very well. It's nice to catch up with other people and work out as well."

Lewis' next F-3 Italia Championship race will be Rounds 9 and 10 at the Adria Circuit, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy on September 3 and 4.

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Lafayette, Indiana Drag Racer Brian Browell and Browell Racing

Aug 11, 2011

Brian Browell started drag racing in Canada helping on the crew of a couple different people with econo dragsters when he was 16. Fast forward to 1981, when he bought his first racecar. It was a straight Chevy six-cylinder dragster from Rich Koerner in Southern California. Through that car, Brian was able to meet Russ Flagle of Indy Cylinder head. Brian learned a lot from Russ including that he needed to surround himself with good people. Russ was also able to provide Brian with a lead to a meeting of Jim Headrick from Race Engine Design in Rossville Georgia.

Drag Racer Brian Browell of Lafayette, Indiana

Winthin the next year Brian turned the driving reigns over and put Cotton Perry in the car. With Cotton behind the wheel they won the POP HOT ROD meet in Martin, Michigan. The next year, 1985, They won the Springnationals in Columbus, Ohio, then two weeks later The Molson Grandnational in Montreal and finished 9th in the final points standings. At the end of 1986 Cotton and Brian parted ways and Brian moved to Lafayette, Indiana, and started driving again on a limited basis. He switched to the chevy V6 and won some points meets along the way. In 1999 Brian won the Southern Nationals in Atlanta, which was the first of three wins in a row. After having finished in top 10 six times in the past eleven years, 2010 brought Browell Racing their first divisional season points championship.

His good friend Larry Winter first introduced Brian to K&N Performance Filters. Browell says "K&N products are American made so quality isn't an issue. I only use products I can trust in my racecars" Brian also gets help from Family & Friends "My wife Debbie is my only help at the track and she is the one who maintains clutch resurfacing between runs also we get a lot of help from the guys at Bill " Grumpy " Jenkins shop they make sure we have the best motors possible."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Kody and Tanner Swanson finish 1st & 3rd in USAC Silver Crown at Lucas Oil Raceway

Aug 9, 2011

With Tanner Swanson's third place finish in the JD Byrider 100 at Lucas Oil Raceway he is now in a tie for the points lead in the Silver Crown Championship series. Photo By: Chris Pedersen, Race Photo 1.

Your world creeps in slow motion; you're riding the perfect juxtaposition of balance between the controlled stillness in your mind and chaos that is racing. And in a blinding flash, those two oxymoronic worlds collide on top each other as you go flying ass over teakettle. Racing requires that you unvaryingly push your limits and constantly redefine them as determined by your particular reality, so by definition, there will be mishaps. One of the most difficult things to do in racing is getting back up to speed after a crash; apparently Kody Swanson didn't get that memo.

Kody Swanson paced the field for the final 80 laps after passing from sixth to the lead. The win was just his second career victory in the USAC Silver Crown series. Photo By: Chris Pedersen, Race Photo 1.

Last weekend the K&N sponsored Swanson brothers, Kody and Tanner, restored order in a big way in the USAC Silver Crown series. After missing the first three races due to injuries suffered at the end of May, at Tri-State Speedway in Indiana, Kody returned to the USAC Silver Crown series and Victory Lane on the same night. Tanner joined his older brother on the podium with a solid third place finish, which puts him in a tie for the championship points lead. Back in May when we last spoke with the brothers they had just finished sweeping at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, and now, that circle is complete. Clearly the support of his family and team played a huge part in getting Kody back on track, yet there is every reason to believe that Tanner generated the most healing influence. We've discovered from past stories that the two brothers don't so much push each other - they inspire each other.

With Kody's and Tanner's first and third place finish, Team 6R Racing now holds sole possession of the all-time USAC Sillver Crown wins. Photo By: Chris Pedersen, Race Photo 1.

Tell us a little of what has been going on with you during your down time, how are you feeling, and how did you deal with any negative thoughts that may have tried to creep into your thinking?
"I'm feeling good. As far as returning to racing, the toughest part was that I couldn't really do anything for seven weeks. Two pelvis fractures, two skull fractures and broken collarbone don't really leave you any options for physical therapy until they're healed. Now, I go to the gym and go running with Tanner. I haven't really had too many negative thoughts. Obviously an incident like that changes your perspective, but that's been all. I'm still focused on meeting my goals, this was just a speed-bump in the process, and it's not going to keep me out of the seat."

Tanner, what was going on with you while Kody was recuperating, clearly you kept your focus as you're in a tie for the points lead?
Honestly it wasn't very hard for me to keep focus. Even though Kody had been seriously injured, that is always one of the possibilities that's expected when we signed up for the job to be professional racecar drivers. To an extent during Kody's rehabilitation it was kind of nice, he provided me with an extra set of eyes while track conditions were changing, and was supportive of me as I had to keep up with the busy racing schedule through June and July. Now I am glad to have him back as a teammate in the Team 6R camp because Kody's insight from the driver's seat plays a key role into the success that my No. 23 team has had. I am glad that the chapter of his recovery is over and we can try our best to get back into our winning ways."

. This past weekend Kody and his crew notched their first ever career USAC dirt sprint car victories. (MMRacingPhotos.com) Photo By: Chris Pedersen, Race Photo 1.

Kody, as we mentioned one of the toughest things in racing is to come back after a hard crash and trust yourself to run hard, how do you explain winning in your return race?
"I was actually able to come back in a very limited capacity in early July, but this was the event that I marked on my calendar for my return to full-time status. It was a Silver Crown-Midget double-header, and the event that I wanted to be able to be back by, to do my job for Team 6R Racing and Wilke-PAK Motorsports. I am very fortunate to drive for two great teams, both supported by Toyota and K&N Filters, and that we had the opportunity to do a little testing prior to the event. This allowed me some extra laps to get reacquainted with the car, and better prepare myself for the race. I was very focused on doing well. I have already had to sit out and watch some big events that I really wanted to be a part of, and I wanted to do my best to make up for that.

This question is for both of you, how was it to be back on a podium together again?
"For me, it was a great way to cap off any questions about my recovery. The Silver Crown series has the longest races of any series we race, so to be able to win one of those, after running in the Midget series just before, really means a lot to me."

"For Tanner, I think it was really special to have me back in the race as a teammate, more than just a spectator. I think for both of us to end up on the podium, shows that maybe we haven't even missed a beat, and that we can be stronger together than apart. It was really great to do that for everyone involved with Team 6R Racing, and to show that we can compete with the best."

What are your adjusted goals for the rest of the season?
Tanner and I are both really close in the USAC Pavement Sprint car standings. He is currently two points out of the lead, and I'm just 15 points back. With five races to go, there is a real chance for us to both do well in that series standings. For Tanner, obviously the Silver Crown Championship is within reach, and that would be a major goal. For me, I want to make sure I make the most of each race, especially in the National Midget and Silver Crown series. Being that I was unable to contend for either Championship, I want to win as many races as I can."

K&N Race News Update:
This past weekend Kody won his first ever career USAC dirt sprint car race in Chico, California, by topping a 29 car field in the "Wayne Sue Classic" for the USAC Western Classic Sprint Cars at Chico's Silver Dollar Speedway. Kody took the No. 69 Alan Kaiser Construction mount to victory in only his second ever USAC dirt sprint car start.

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Sheldon Gecker Adds to 2011 Top Dragster Wins with NHRA Sonoma National Event Victory

Aug 9, 2011

Sheldon Gecker wins Top Dragster at 24th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway

Surprise, Arizona resident and longtime K&N racer Sheldon Gecker has been more accustomed to index class racing over the last couple of decades, but seems to be finding a new home in the Top Dragster class with his 2010 Tom Yancer dragster. Gecker grabbed his second major win of the season during the 24th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, his first coming during an IHRA Nitro Jam earlier this season.

NHRA Top Dragster Driver Sheldon Gecker at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California

Gecker started off the season with a 565 stuffed between the frame rails of his Top Dragster, but for this event he made some changes. "We had some parts laying around for a 632, so that is what was in there for this race," he said. "We were just up there [Infineon Raceway] last week for the divisional and got runner-up. I was a little disappointed in the final, we put ourselves in the wrong lane and there was a sun issue there."

"When we thought about the national event, we thought we may be in trouble and not be able to qualify," he confessed. "So we got to work on the car, moved some things around, made some gear ratio changes in the transmission and pulled the wing off. We even changed the type of fuel. It seems like about two-thousand things and we were hoping it would work out during the first lap [qualifying session] and it didn't, but it did during the second. We had to get rid of some tire shake and we did by moving some timing and things like that. Steve Williams even brought us out one of the new K&N 2nd Generation dragster scoops to put on the car and that helped quite a bit. Adding that along with everything we did, helped us pick up some ET."

"This whole Top Dragster thing is kinda new to us," he added. "I mean we haven't had to qualify for anything we have run since the seventies."

Things worked out well for Gecker in qualifying and as the ladder would have it, placed him in a first round match up with Tony Jardino, who went red and gave Gecker a virtual first round time run. "I was a little surprised to see him do that," Gecker said of Jardino's .024 red. "He was Division Champion last year and is a good driver. There were a lot of strange redlights across all the classes I noticed."

"Then I ran Art Hoover in the second round and he was just the opposite side of the spectrum, he was really green," he continued. Hoover may or may not have been trying not to go red after his perfect reaction time in round one, but nevertheless his .063 light to Gecker's .001 wasn't going to win him any rounds here. Gecker took the stripe by eighteen feet all while still managing to scrub nearly fourteen MPH and knocking plenty off his ET.

Gecker would meet up with Mere Silva in round three. "We have met up with her three times already this season," he explained. "She seems to be the most consistent of everybody that I have run this year as far as what she's going to run the in reaction time department and she's always very near the number more so that the rest of the competition everywhere we have been."

Years of experience paid off for Gecker as he cashed in on his .017 starting line advantage and pushed Silva into the worse side of the double breakout.

For the semifinals, Gecker once again had the better reaction time and for this round it was a bunch. "I never got a chance to talk to him [Randy Pressel] after that round. I don't know what happened to him. He had been really good on the tree in the previous rounds," he said. "That was a gift round right there, which you gotta have one of those about every race you expect to win. But I don't understand what happened with his light, he was like .280 or something."

That would send Gecker to his second Top Dragster final for a second week in a row at the Sonoma, California facility and where he fell short during the divisional race, he was looking to take care of finished business.

The race between Gecker and fellow K&N racer Mike Henderson was nearly a heads up final round and although both driver's went red, Gecker's one hundredth of a second quicker dial-in meant, technically, that Henderson had the first chance to do the deed. "It was pretty exciting," Gecker said of his Top Dragster win compared to other classes he has raced and won in. "And you know, one of the nice things about it is that it's a five round race to win, not a 'two-hundred' round race. The other side of the scenario is that you don't have to get up at 'five in the morning' to warm your car up to go drive it down a cold track. There are advantages to running the Top Dragster class."

"We had some confidence going into this race after our runner-up at Fallon [NHRA Div] and the runner-up last week," he continued. "It was pretty neat since I've never won one of these [NHRA National in Top Dragster] before. And just to add a little bit in on Henderson, we thought he was going to be the toughest competitor there. Luckily, we qualified close enough to him that it put us on opposite sides of the ladder and we didn't have to run him until the final."

"I gotta say some special thanks to the guys at K&N," he noted. "They keep working on all this stuff, making their products better all the time. They really have a handle on their filter area and had like four or five guys out there [Sonoma Event] testing different filters. We just can't believe all that K&N does to stay on top of their R&D like they do."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Previous Page 1 ... 544 545 546 547 548 ... 1063 Next Page