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Jacob Elrod Makes Smart Move at Grand Bend and Wins ET Clash During IHRA Nitro Jam Nationals

Jul 26, 2011

The Elrod team's 9.90 Corvette Roadster showing off its new K&N Composite Scoop with Jacob behind the wheel at Grand Bend.

Sometimes plans don't go according to the way they were first laid out and for Lima, Ohio's Jacob [Jake] Elrod the chain of events that took place during the IHRA Nitro Jam Nationals in Grand Bend, Ontario Canada, weren't necessarily a bad thing.

Jacob taking his turn earlier this season in the team's Top Dragster at Indy.

Elrod, along with his brother Tony, father Dave and their good family friend, Pat Forster of Pennsylvania, make up the Elrod Racing team that is comprised of a strong stable of five cars, which they each share the driving duties from one event to the next.

For this particular event, Jake started off behind the wheel of the team's Super Rod [9.90 Index] Corvette Roadster and while things didn't go well for him in that car when he made an early first round exit, there were other exciting things in store for him.

"Dad was running his car in Top Dragster and it was having some sort of ignition problems that we really didn't get figured out until just before first round," Jake explained. "During first round, dad knew it was fixed and it was just a little dark down at the finish line. He knew he couldn't keep it to the floor or he would breakout, but just ended up giving her the stripe back. So after he didn't get past first round, I asked him about getting into the bracket race, which was $5,000 to win. You know by that time it was late at night and he said we would talk about it in the morning."

"The next morning, I was sitting there eating my Lucky Charms," he chuckled. "Pat [Forster] walks up and asks if dad was going to get into the bracket race, which I didn't think at that point he was. So we thought maybe he would let me run the car in it. We went ahead and got the car out, got it ready and waited for the call for the No Box class. When they called that class, I went in, woke dad up and asked him if he was going to get in the Box race, he said no, I'm not running it, it's too hot."

Elrod asked if it was OK to go ahead and run the car himself, "since the car was already all set to go, it was hard for him to say no."

It pays to have lots of information on hand to study, like the Elrod's have available due to the switching of driver's from race to race. Jake had not made a pass in the team's Top Dragster car, but was able to come up with a dial fairly easy. "I did like a weight calculation, the difference between him and I, plus I had an idea of what he was hitting the tree at and I know generally about how much quicker I normally am," he noted. "So, I sort of had an idea of where to start on everything. I actually padded the box just a little bit, because I didn't want to go red first round. I ended up getting paired with a ten second car first round, he ended up being later on the tree than I was, so that round win actually became like a time run for me."

Where Elrod didn't have his usual success in the index class, he more than made up for it in the bracket race, making his way through five rounds of competition to find himself in his first final of the weekend, the Box final and paired up with the racer who suggested they enter the bracket race in the first place.

"I had to run Bill Riddle in the final round of Box," Elrod pointed out. "Saturday night, he had actually come to us and made the suggestion that we get into the bracket race. So he was the one who talked us into running the race and then we had to face each other in the final. We were actually pitted right next to each other, too."

Where Elrod was .006 green on the tree, Riddle was that much on the wrong side and the redlight win sent Elrod to the money round, where he would meet up with the No Box Champ, Will Steckly.

"I didn't know who he was, but apparently he's won the Summit Super Series like twice," he confessed. "It worked out, I was .029 on the tree and he was .043. So I just did my normal thing. I didn't really think he would have some 'double-oh' package as a No Box car, but if he did God bless him. I just wasn't going to go up there and try to set up to go red or anything."

Elrod easily chased down Steckly for the over ET Clash victory, taking home $5000 along with a decent handful of contingency awards. Not bad for a race that he never planned on competing in when he rolled into Grand Bend Motorplex just two days earlier.

Elrod Racing is proud to join K&N in 2011 and utilize numerous K&N products on each of their racing entries. "All of our cars use the K&N Wrench-Off filters," said Jake. "It's really nice, because we have a couple of different oil pans between the cars and there is a size for everything. Of course we use the K&N air filters on all five cars, which I just love. There are just so many things that could get sucked up in there and you don't have to worry about that when you are protected by K&N. Plus we have the K&N composite scoops and the 2nd Generation ones for the dragsters look so nice, we didn't even paint them. We just cleared them because the carbon fiber just looks way too cool to cover up with anything."

Jacob's victory adds to several other NHRA and IHRA accomplishments already racked up during this year. Look for a whole lot more from the Elrod Racing Team, as they are only just beginning the second half of their 2011 season.

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Luis Martinez Jr. Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at Portland International Raceway

Jul 26, 2011

Luis Martinez Jr. comes in for a victory at the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Portland International Raceway

Luis Martinez Jr. won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Portland International Raceway in Oregon using patience and staying calm when those around him experienced blown motors and lost control of their cars on Sunday.

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Racer Luis Martinez Jr.

Martinez won the pole, the second of his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West career, and led the first three laps, but fell back as the Bi-Mart Salute to the Troops 125 unfolded around the 1.967-mile road course.

"At the beginning of the race, we thought we really had something," Martinez said of his No. 6 King Taco/Sunrise Ford/Lucas Oil Ford. "Sometime about halfway it kind of went backwards for us. We ended up in the back."

Greg Pursley, the leader in the K&N Pro Series West standings, passed Martinez for the lead on lap 4 and held it until lap 20. Martinez was able to take back the lead on lap 21, but held it for only a lap.

Luis Martinez Jr. wins the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Portland International Raceway in Oregon

Brandon Davis passed Martinez for the lead on lap 23 before Pursley jumped back out front on lap 27. Pursley was pulling away when his motor blew on lap 46 and he had to withdraw.

With Pursley out of the race, Michael Self and Andrew Ranger took turns leading. But Ranger's motor blew and Self spun out in the oil. But drivers fell out of contention after the crash.

Martinez worked his way back to the front and was racing Davis for the lead when Davis spun off the track.

"We couldn't really recover that fast," he said. "Little by little, we started making our way back up."

The next challenger for Martinez was David Mayhew. He passed Martinez on the last turn of the last lap of the race, but Mayhew overdrove the turn and went off the track. Martinez took advantage and rallied past Mayhew to the finish line.

Martinez, the 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, won for the first time in 23 career NASCAR K&N Pro Series West starts and admitted after the race he thought his engine wasn't going to make it to the end of the race.

"We thought the motor was about to blow up," he said. "So I kind of drove it real easy and that helped us out when Mayhew overdrove it. That helped us get by him."

Eric Holmes followed Martinez in second place, followed by Derek Thorn in third.

"We gambled and I wasn't sure if it was the right thing or not, but it kinda paid off at the end there, all the stuff that was going on," said Holmes. "It was a little crazy there at the end. Too bad for David, he made a great pass there around the 6 car (Martinez) and I thought he had the win there, just overdrove the last turn. It was pretty wild the last couple laps. It was fun. Everybody ran pretty clean with each other."

Pursley led a race-high 37 laps, but finished in 26th place after blowing his motor. He has a 233-point lead over Moses Smith in the K&N Pro Series West standings. Martinez is third, 306 points behind Pursley.

Thorn was making his first K&N Pro Series West start for the Sunrise Ford team owned by Bob Bruncati.

"Third place here at the end was quite the feat," Thorn said. "My downfalls led to some positive things. We just kinda hung on there at the end. They kinda gave it to us. Pursley blew up. The 35 (Ranger) blew up. The 10 (Davis) went off the track. It was just kind of attrition. That's what everybody's been telling me: Bring it home in one piece and you'll be in the top five. That was the case and I can't thank these guys enough. It's cool for this team to come home one and three."

The Bi-Mart Salute to the Troops 125 will be broadcast on Speed on Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. ET.

The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race is the Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Colorado National Speedway on Aug. 6.

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's Dominic and Giovanni Scelzi and New Pace Chassis a Winning Combination

Jul 26, 2011

Both Dominic and Giovanni have nothing but high praise for their new cars. Dominic feels can lead races now driving at less than his usual 120-percent.

The last time Gary Scelzi Motorsports raced at Plaza Park Raceway in Visalia, California, Giovanni "Hot Sauce" Scelzi ran his new Pace chassis. This is Giovanni's rookie season in the Restricted 600 Class, and older brother, Dominic's second year in the same class. By every indication both boys really love their new cars.

NHRA legend Gary Scelzi says heâ€™s very happy and confident with his decision to switch to the new Pace Chassis.

Giovanni kicked it off by setting the fast time. He started fourth in his heat race, finishing third, then won the trophy dash, and led all 30-laps of the Outlaw Nationals. "It was Giovanni first win in the restricted class, and to our amazement he even showed some emotion and got excited, even jumping up and down," commented Gary, Giovanni's dad and arguably one of the most dominant NHRA Top Fuel drag racers of all time.

Dominic showed his continuing appreciation for his new car as well, starting fourth in his heat race and finishing second, also winning his trophy dash, and leading the main until a broken rod took him out of contention.

Gary says Giovanni only appears shy when the helmet comes off, on the track that all changes.

"We have always run PMP chassis out of Fresno, but recently a chassis builder from Visalia, called Pace Chassis, built a new car that is really good on dry, slick race tracks," explains Gary. "No matter what we did to our PMP chassis we could not get them to handle on dry, slick race tracks. So, we switched to Pace Chassis a month ago. So far the chassis switch has paid off big!"

Dominic currently leads both Restricted 600 Classes at Visalia and Lemoore race tracks, and with a real shot at winning both championships.

"Giovanni is not very excitable, but he was very happy to win," Gary said, "Giovanni is very shy until he puts his helmet on. But, he did say that the new car turns itself, and he can it put anywhere on the race track that he wants."

"Dominic's review of his new car was that it handles like a Ferrari. He said that with his old car, he had to drive it a 120-percent to keep up with the pack, and with the new car, he can lead the race driving at 80-percent. Which tells me that I made the right chose with the chassis change. We have also put on Factory Kahne shocks, which I feel are an unfair advantage, just like the K&N products we use," says Gary jokingly.

At this point in the 2011 season Dominic is just a few points out of the lead at both the Visalia and Lemoore race tracks, and he has a realistic shot at both championships. Giovanni is in second place at one track (only few points behind the leader), and in fourth at the other. He too has a chance at winning the championship, and as a rookie in the Restricted 600 Class.

"Tomorrow morning we are leaving for Pismo Beach for a family vacation, and no racing," Gary adds "And dad's going to love it!"

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.

Success Continues to Follow Jonathon Payne and Team Major Payne Pulling

Jul 26, 2011

Jonathon Payne and the Major Payne Pulling Team

After experiencing their share of success early in the season, Jonathon Payne, and Team Major Payne Pulling had no intentions of kicking back and coasting through the month of July. That said, on the ninth day of the month, they pulled into Clay City, Indiana prepared to compete against eight other trucks in a Lucas Oil Pro Pulling event at Goshen Park.

Jonathon Payne pulled the sled more than four feet farther than the second place competitor

When the dust had settled, Jonathon Payne, and Team Major Payne Pulling had logged another victory. In fact, Payne pulled the sled in excess of four feet farther than the second place competitor. "I felt I could do well after looking at the track," recalled Payne. When asked of the victory was rewarding, the driver continued, "It made me feel that all of the hard work and preparation had paid off."

With this win under his belt, Jonathon Payne and Team Major Payne loaded up and headed about sixty miles down the road to Terre Haute, Indiana, where they would embark upon another Lucas Oil Pro Pulling competition at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds on the following night.

Jonathon Payne at Lucas Oil Pro Pulling event at Goshen Park in Clay City, Indiana

As one might suspect, a win on the previous night was a confidence booster for the team, but Payne was also aware that he had a challenge ahead of him. "I had confidence in myself and my Major Payne Ford truck, but was not over confident" explained Jonathon. "It is hard to have two wins in a row in such a competitive class." Although earning two consecutive wins was going to prove a chore, the driver pulled it off, as the distance he drug the sled on that particular night exceeded the second place driver by three feet.

"The traction was so different," he explained, while comparing his two most recent venues. "Some tracks are loose, some are hard, some get worse and some get better as the night goes on. When the sun sets, the moisture in the ground comes up, changing the conditions."

Already with two victories under their belt in July and the second half of the month still to come, Team Major Payne Rolled into Owensboro, Kentucky to compete in the Battle of The Bluegrass Pulling Series. Although a win didn't come on this particular night, Jonathon Payne had managed to earn a third place spot. Five nights later, the team headed the Kentuckaina Truck Pullers Association event held in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Granted, two victories and a third place spot in a seven day period is nothing to shake a stick at, but evidently Jonathon and his crew were focused on even bigger and better things, as the driver had earned yet another victory at the night's end.

If someone was to question Jonathon Payne's driving abilities and will to win, I suppose one could simply say that the proof is in the pudding.

When asked if he anticipated success throughout the remainder of the season, he said, "It will be hard to keep up this pace, but I think I will do well. So far, I think I have five wins, four third places and one eighth." When asked if there were any upcoming events of which he looked forward to, Payne said, "Brandenburg, Kentucky. I have won it for the past two years, and would like to win it again. There are usually twenty trucks there, all Chevys (excluding Jonathon Payne's Ford), and it will be hard."

When asked about future plans, Jonathon Payne explained that he is looking for a major sponsor, so he can move to the modified four wheel drive class. Regardless of the class in which he races, Jonathon Payne is aware that preventative maintenance of his vehicle will prove of great importance.

"I've been using K&N filters for ten years," explained Payne. "I use them in my work vehicle, tow vehicle and my Yamaha Rhino. I've had good luck with them and they're the way to go. K&N has been a great sponsor to work with, and I am proud to have their name on my truck."

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.

Curt Michael Walks Away From Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania Victorious

Jul 26, 2011

Winged Sprint Car Racer Curt Michael

Curt Michael recently lined up against fellow sprint car drivers at the Lincoln Speedway, in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania to compete in the 360 class of the United Racing Company (URC) event. Thus far, the driver and his team had been performing well throughout the season, and in turn were situated second in the URC points. That said, a win would prove advantageous for Michael, as he had hopes of moving closer to the number one spot.

Curt Michael at Lincoln Speedway, in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania

Michael was no stranger to this particular venue, as the driver experienced his first career 410 sprint car win and has previously earned multiple victories in the 360 class there as well. "Lincoln is one of my favorite tracks," explained Michael. As a result, the driver began this race with confidence on his side.

Starting 5th in his heat, Curt Michael took the lead in lap five.

Pulling away from the second place car, the driver was not challenged throughout the race and upon completing 10 laps was the victor. Starting second in the feature, Michael bolted out and took an early lead. As he had done in his heat, Michael continued to hold the lead throughout the remainder of the 25 lap race and after gaining a substantial lead, was deemed the winner of the race at the waving of the checkered flag.

Referring to the feature win, Curt Michael said, "We were never challenged, we just had to take our time dealing with lapped traffic." When asked the key to his recent success, he continued, "My crew chief and brother, Sean Michael, made the right decisions with the car. After starting second, it was very important that we got the lead on the first lap. We were confident prior to the race, "shared the driver. "I like Lincoln Speedway a lot and knew we had a good car."

Of course, Curt Michael and his team were elated with their recent victory, but the team was also aware that there are several more challenges to come before the season's end. In fact, they are looking forward to about 15 more races in the 360 class and five more 410 races. When asked the key to continued success, Michael said, "We need to keep doing what we are doing as a team, and I think some more wins will come to us."

That said, Michael finds his team of great importance. "They play a major part in my success," he shared. "Without my car owner, Bill Gallagher, my crew chief (Sean Michael), I would not be able to put such a good car on the track. I can't win races if the car does not finish, and Sean does a great job maintaining the car, he explained."

"The car has been great all year," he ensured, "but we've had some unexpected motor problems that we're doing a good job fighting through."

Referring to keeping the car running properly, he continued, "It all starts at the shop. If you bring a car to the races well-maintained, it makes it easier for everyone to do their job on race night."

That said, Curt Michael understands the importance of using the best filters on the market. "I've been proudly using K&N Filters for many years. We use the Carbon Fiber Air Box, and K&N air filter oil. We also use the air filter cleaner. I'm proud to be associated with such a great company and great products," explained Michael. "They have helped me win many of my record 7 United Racing Company Championships."

In closing, Curt Michael said, "I want to thank everyone associated with our team, and the fans, who make it possible for us to have races to run. I look forward to meeting everyone at the races."

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.

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