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This Ford F450 Could Be the Most Custom Vehicle Ever to Appear in the K&N Calendar

2016 Ford F450 Super Duty Chassis equipped with a 6.7L Powerstroke V8 Turbo Diesel

The F-450 looks great in front of a rugged rock background

It starts with a 2016 Ford F-450 Super Duty chassis equipped with the powerful 6.7L Powerstroke V8 Turbo Diesel. But that’s just the beginning. This F-450 is definitely not your average pickup.

Here at K&N we like to approach the calendar with the most eye-catching vehicles in mind. In past calendar shoots, K&N has featured a 1967 Pontiac Bonneville, 599 and 498 Italia Ferraris, a 1951 Ford Shoebox, and even a 1932 Ford Roadster pickup, just to name a few. When we saw the custom Ford F-450 that US Specialty Vehicles had to offer, we knew this was a definite candidate.

US Specialty Vehicles is located in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and produces custom vehicles of the utmost quality. Their vehicles integrate traditional SUV aesthetics with proprietary designs and technological innovations creating truly exceptional products for their customers. USSV’s claim to fame is “creating awe-inspiring vehicles for those who want to stand out from the crowd. A perfect meeting of heavy-duty, rugged exterior and lush, luxurious interior.”

2016 Ford F450 Super Duty Interior

The interior of the USSV Rhino GX is leather wrapped with dark wood and silver accents

So on to their trademark “Rhino GX”! This “truck” has been upgraded with a dual-layer cold steel & roll cage, steel body panels and composite fenders/bumpers, and includes heavy duty running boards as well. These features are important for taking this behemoth off road and ensuring that the driver and passengers remain safe through their journey.

Some of the interior features include designer premium leather seats, power front windows, locks and power telescoping side mirrors. It comes with a Securilock passive anti-theft system to keep the thieves at bay and even 2nd row independent 8-way power seats! One of our favorites is the leather wrapped dash and steering, along with the doors that accompany storage and accent lights. The interior is leather wrapped with dark wood and silver accents. It also consists of a suede headliner, carpet with custom front and middle row USSV floor mats and coated stainless entry steps w/ USSV brand emblems reminding you of where this quality comes from. The navigation system is an App-Tronics Smart Nav 5 Navigation System which also features a backup camera with ultrasonic parking radar.

Rear Quarter of 2016 Ford F450 Superduty

Hundreds of hours went into customizing this F450 to make it the ultimate in luxury and performance

Now we know, as auto enthusiasts you are looking for the engine, drivetrain and suspension features. Well here they come. As stated earlier, it’s equipped with a 6.7L Powerstroke V8 turbo diesel, but also comes in a 6.8L V10 gas engine, if that’s what gets your pistons roaring. It has a 5-speed automatic transmission and of course is four-wheel drive. The F-450 features power assist steering, and has two front solid twin-coil monobeams w/1.38” shock absorbers. It has a back smart hydraulic suspension system, carried by 20x10-inch aluminum custom wheels wrapped in 38-inch Toyo Open Country M/T tires with a heavy duty spare tire carrier to ensure a trip home from the trail.

2016 Ford F450 Super Duty with models hanging off the side

The F-450 was shot and used in the 2017 K&N Calendar featuring Ashley Wilke and Karol Priscilla

Some of the safety and security features include advanced multi-stage front airbags, front side curtain airbags and front seat side airbags as well. High intensity light bars are mounted to the front and side roof of the Rhino GX, for a remarkable night time look and added off-road functionality. The front sway bar has been upgraded, while the smart hydraulic suspension roll over protection algorithm maximizes driving safety. Remember, when you’re pushing your off-road vehicle to the limit, any safety measure could change the means of your return.

We mentioned the power, safety, and technical knick knacks, but what about luxury? This F-450 has it too. It comes with premium leather luxury power seats with heat control and foot rests, to keep you kicked back and comfortable while enjoying the beautiful view outside the custom applied sunroof USSV has fabricated. Or if that’s not your style put the partition up if want watch some football on the 40” TV while chatting with the driver on the intercom system. What doesn’t this SUV have?

2016 Ford F450 Super Duty Side View

The entire length of the USSV Rhino GX is 225” without the spare tire.

If all these features aren’t enough to get your blood flowing, then maybe the exotic wood/leather/chrome trim and center console with armrest controls will spark your interest. This “truck” even comes with a KVH TRAC Vision A9 satellite receiver!

When we were approached to have this vehicle in the K&N calendar, our excitement could hardly be contained. US Specialty Vehicles claims “the USSV Rhino GX is simply the SUV above all SUVs”. And after seeing and shooting it in person, we agree wholeheartedly. To order your 2017 K&N Calendar and see more of the USSV Rhino GX, visit our calendar page. You can choose from a standard wall calendar or our huge shop calendar that is essentially just 12 full size posters with dates at the bottom. But whichever one you choose, you will fully enjoy the vehicles within.

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Fast & Consistent is Carl Renezeder's 2016 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Season

K&N-sponsored Carl Renezeder driving his truck in the LOORS 2016 season

Calm and focused helps Carl Renezeder to perform his best when out in his Pro2 or Pro4

The 2016 season was a strong and consistent year for Carl Renezeder in the Lucas Oil and K&N Filters #17 trucks. Racing in both the Pro 4 and Pro 2 categories takes twice the amount of work for the team, as well as performing two completely different driving techniques. Carl and his team were ready for any challenges that came their way in the 2016 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series season.

K&N-sponsored Carl Renezeder driving at the Utah Motorsports Complex in Tooele, Utah

Carl Renezeder showing the fans his flight skills at Utah Motorsports Complex

Starting off the season in his Pro 4, Carl finished in first place twice and also second place twice in the first four races. Carl was able to take the championship points lead after the first weekend of racing. Carl kept up the strong finishes all year long and was able to finish on the podium 11 out of 15 races. He would hold onto the lead all season long, all the way up to the final lap of the final race where Carl finished second in the race and ended up with a tie for first in the championship points with another K&N Filters driver, Kyle LeDuc. When Carl was asked about how he felt his season went he said, ”Overall we had a great season, we succeeded in putting the trucks on the podium 16 times! The season ended with a lot of excitement, with a tie for the Pro-4 Championship Points in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, making for some exciting racing and a lot of fun for fan participation. In Pro 2 we ended up 3rd place in points.”

LOORS driver Carl Renezeder driving at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California

Carl Renezeder Racing for San Bernardino Strong at Glen Helen Raceway

In the Pro 2 Carl also had a strong season with a win and several podiums. Every race you could count on Carl being towards the front, battling non-stop with every lap of the race. While doing so he put on a great show for all the fans to watch at the races or on TV. After the races you could walk by his pit and see all the fans huddling around him and his truck, telling him how much they enjoyed watching him drive.

Carl Renezeder celebrating another win on top of the podium after a Lucas Oil Off Road Series Race

Carl Renezeder celebrating another win on top of the podium

There is not really any down time in racing, even though it’s called an off season; it’s just time to get ready for next year’s race season. Looking forward to the off season, Carl said, “We try to learn from every race, and use that knowledge to continue to make the trucks faster and better. I have the best team who, together with my sponsors, are constantly refining the trucks to give us the winning edge. Since we finished the year out like we did, we know we were on the right track with the trucks so we will be working on perfecting the trucks so we can win more races next year. My sponsors, fans, family and my team motivate me to keep winning, and I couldn't do what I do without them.”

Carl is also looking forward to the off season to spend some extra time with his family and enjoy the little down time. So keep your eye on Carl and his team to come out focused and prepared for the 2017 season, and looking to start out strong and continue that all the way through the season.

Carl Renezeder racing at the Wild West Motorsports Park in Sparks, Nevada

Carl Renezeder sliding into turn 1 at Wild West Motorsports Park in Sparks, Nevada

Carl Renezeder racing in a LOORS race during the 2016 season

Carl Renezeder roosting his competition during a 2016 LOORS race

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Ray Cook Ends 2016 on a High Note with Victory in 'Hangover' 40-Lap Feature

K&N driver Ray Cook capped 2016 with a win in the 40-lap "Hangover" race New Year'

Ray Cook took the lead of the 'Hangover' on Lap 15 then cruised to the win at 411 Motor Speedway

K&N-sponsored driver Ray Cook capped his 2016 season with a win in the December 31st “Hangover” Super Late Model race on 411 Motor Speedway’s 3/8-mile oval in Seymour, Tennessee. The win, the “Tarheel Tiger’s” third of 2016, required a gutsy performance to beat Donald McIntosh, who had lately been on a hot streak.

Cook’s second spot in his group’s qualifying put him second in the outside row, fourth overall for the 40-lap main event. After jumping to third on the start, Cook went backward again to fourth while trying to take second. After a bit of work, he found a clear path to the leader, McIntosh, who had sprinted away with the others behind fighting for second.

“By about lap 7 or 8, the leader had about a straightaway lead,” Cook said. “The car had been flawless all day and I knew I just had to be patient.”

Veteran racer Ray Cook knows how to ring in the New Year, picking up a $4,000 win in the Hangover.

Ray Cook's win gave him a $4,000 payday, a pretty nice way to ring in the New Year

Foot by foot, Cook reeled in McIntosh until he overtook the race leader on lap 15 with an outside move. The veteran oval driver, Cook, held onto first place for the remaining 25 laps, including a late-race restart after McIntosh’s car retired to bring out a caution. The win was good for $4,000 payday, not a bad way to ring in the New Year.

“It’s huge,” Cook said. “You’re only as good as your last race. Since we won’t race until January 28, it gives us a nice period to enjoy the win.”

The win came with his Capital Race Cars Super Late Model chassis and using and older, though obviously still strong, 427-based V8 from South Carolina’s Kenny Lamb Racing Engines. That engine breathes through a K&N air cleaner on the carburetor and also uses K&N oil filers on the dry sump system.

Ray has been a K&N driver for more than 20 years. “We’ve been using K&N my whole career,” he said. “We’ve had great success with them and never had a single issue with any of their parts.”

"The car had been flawless all day," said Ray Cook of his Hangover-winning Super Late Mode

Ray Cook has run K&N products in his cars for his whole career

The Hangover win is especially sweet for Cook after he ran a relatively abbreviated schedule in 2016. He cut back from his usual 65 to 70 annual races to only run 30 in 2016 while also promoting three series (Schaeffer’s Southern National Series, Schaeffer’s Spring Nationals, and Schaeffer’s Southern Nationsl Bonus Series) and races at Tri-County Racetrack in his hometown of Brasstown, North Carolina.

He expects a similar schedule in 2017, though he’s looking forward to his first race of the year, the Cabin Fever 40 at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia. Cook won that race in 2009 and finished a strong third last year, so he looks to carry his Hangover victory into a great start to 2017.

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Retired Police Detective Bill Scharing's Modified 2010 Dodge Challenger

2010 Dodge Challenger 3/4 front with K&N Air Filter

“When I first saw the Challenger driving down the road, I said WOW that thing is beautiful!”

Bill Scharing is no stranger to speed. As a detective, a car chase was a regular thing. In fact, one of his more memorable pursuits ended up with a street racer jumping a hill and getting airborne after being chased for 3 miles!

What helped him keep up with suspects for years and years? Mopar Muscle. This definitely influenced Bill’s preference on the ‘ol Ford, Chevy, or Dodge question. He’s a Mopar Man, all the way. He was most likely swayed by the team of powerful Mopar-powered cruisers he was exposed to early in his career. “Sometimes we would have multiple suspects lined up out on the street and we’d call for backup. You could hear the sound of their 340ci Belvedere’s four-barrel carb sucking in massive amounts of air a mile away, and that was a comforting feeling.

2010 Orange Dodge Challenger with 4.7L twin-screw Kenne Bell supercharger

The 4.7L twin-screw Kenne Bell supercharger has a rear-facing intake, opposite of most setups.

Bill has since retired from the police force and resides in sunny Orange County, CA. After his initial retirement, he decided to get back into the car scene and had his mind set on one car, and one car alone; the Dodge Challenger. Bill says “I didn’t want to clunk around the freeway in a 1932 Ford. When I first saw the Challenger driving down the road, I said WOW that thing is beautiful!” Love at first sight, perhaps?

He acted on that “love” and ordered a 2011 Dodge Challenger with a 392ci Hemi and 6-Speed manual transmission right away. “Right after break in,” he says, “l started racing it at the drag strip.” After some time, his tolerance for speed had increased, and the car just didn’t seem fast enough. He investigated the option of installing a tuner on his Challenger, however Chrysler had locked the computer and nobody had cracked it 2011 yet. So what does he do? Buy a 2010 Challenger, obviously!

2011 Dodge Challenger with a 392 Hemi

Bill’s Challenger makes well over 1,200HP to the crank.

He decided to keep the 2011 and use it for a parts-chaser. “I wanted to run 200mph in the standing mile” He says. “I planned on taking it to track events, and use it as a daily driver as well.” He took the 2010 Challenger to Spankin’ Time Performance, in San Bernardino, California to get that project started.

First on the mod list was an NHRA-legal roll bar (safety first!), followed by a BES Racing Engine 436ci Gen III Hemi to power this beast. It gets better...he then outfitted his Hemi with a 4.7L Kenne Bell twin-screw supercharger capable of producing 1,600 horsepower.

Bill definitely spares no expense when it comes to engine building, and he doesn’t cheap out on the smaller but equally important parts either. When deciding on a filter Bill went with K&N’s RU-3100, a massive 6” flange universal cone-filter to fit the large oval shaped throttle body on his Kenne Bell supercharger. He had a cutout made in his cowl hood to direct fresh cool air into his intake, and that was that! Bill was able to get this part by using our universal cone-filter search lookup.

2010 Orange Dodge Challenger with 2011 Blue Dodge Challenger

In Bill's garage is not only one, but two Challengers parked right next to each

So what about drivetrain? Bill’s Challenger is equipped with a Paramount Performance built NAG1 five-speed automatic transmission, utilizing his stock 3.05:1 ratio differential. This setup translates power from his supercharged Hemi to the wheels with ease. He also has Crower Cams camshaft, a water-meth injection system for his fuel, Kooks headers followed by a “Zoomers” exhaust and MSD coil packs. Quite the performance package, right?

Once bill had all he needed to quench his speed-fix, he headed to the dyno room. Turns out, his 2010 Dodge Challenger puts out a stunning 1,018 horsepower to the wheels and 856 lb-ft torque on the chassis dyno. Interestingly enough, Bill runs E85 fuel in his car even at 20 psi. He has precisely metered squirts of methanol injection at the ready in case ambient conditions call for additional octane.

2010 Orange Dodge Challenger with Cowl Hood

The cowl hood on Bill’s 2010 Challenger provides maximum airflow to his Kenne Bell supercharger

Some days Bill likes to head to the local track meets or car shows. He’s been to the Auto-Enthusiast show in Anaheim, California, where he received a trophy for the best modern muscle car. He’s also gotten trophies for best interior as well. We met up with Bill at the O’reilly Auto Parts’ Street Machine and Muscle Car Nationals last year in Pomona, California. When we spotted that Orange, race-striped, blown Challenger we had to stop in our tracks to take a look. Bill ended up inviting us to come visit at his home to do a photoshoot of this beastly Mopar Machine. When we got there, we saw that he had not only one, but two Challengers parked right next to each other looking almost like a married couple.

At the dragstrip Bill’s Challenger ran a 9.76 at 144mph making it the first Challenger to run 9s in the quarter-mile that’s also driven to and from events without a trailer. This car has been called the “Hellcat Killer” by some and amazingly enough, this car was around a few years before Chrysler revealed their factory 707HP “fastest production car”. Could it be possible that an engineer from Mopar saw him do a few runs at the track one time and became full of inspiration? We’d like to think so!

Either way, Bill Scharing could be called a visionary, trendsetter, rebel with a cause or even just your everyday car-lover. It’s safe to say, Bill has definitely showed how his Detective work and Law Enforcement career influenced his passion for speed and support for the Chrysler/Dodge/Mopar brands. If a type of car helped you put away several criminals throughout your career, you just might be partial to that specific brand as well.

Kenne Bell supercharger on 2010 Dodge Challenger with K&N air filter

Bill Scharing's Hemi-powered Challenger features a 4.7L twin-screw Kenne Bell supercharger

Roll bar in a 2011 Dodge Challenger

Bill’s Challenger has an NHRA-legal roll bar to keep him safe while testing the power of his 1000HP

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Best in the Desert Racer Mitch Guthrie Jr. Dominates the Parker 250

Mitch Guthrie Jr. after winning the Parker 250

As night fell on the Parker 250, Mitch Guthrie Jr. stood alone as number 1

Mitch Guthrie Jr. sure knows how to start a UTV racing season. Mitch is a rising star in the UTV world, and the 20-year-old prodigy is proof that talent doesn’t fall far from the tree. He is the son of multiple-time champion desert racer and rock crawler, Mitch Guthrie Sr. In the Best in the Desert (BITD) series opener in Parker, Arizona, Junior did the family name proud. The Parker 250 was staged in January on a challenging 80-mile course in the western Arizona desert alongside the Colorado River. Okay, enough of our rambling, let’s ride along as Mitch tells us how the race went down in his own words.

“With the dust just settling from the 2016 season, and with just one month (off), it was game on for the first race of the 2017 season, the Parker 250. A lot of hard work went into stripping down the car to the chassis and fully rebuilding it within less than a month, and going testing to make sure everything was perfect. We were excited for a fresh season, new sponsors, and what would be our 2nd season racing BITD.

Mitch Guthrie Jr. on a berm

Mitch Guthrie Jr. roosted his way to a convincing win in Parker

“We rolled into tech and contingency Friday morning in beautiful Parker, Arizona, with two cars; one bone stock 2017 RZR for the new GMZ UTV Winter Nationals short-course race as well as our BITD desert car. Walking through tech and contingency there were many new teams, drivers, and cars. I knew we needed a solid showing on Saturday to show everyone we weren't messing around this season. We rolled back to camp, put the final touches on the cars, and got some rest for what would be a busy day of racing in the morning.

“We woke up to cloudy skies and perfect racing conditions to start off the new season. The first race of the day was the short-course race where I was looking to have some fun and possibly see some of the track. We had a land rush start with at least 20-plus cars all barreling into the first corner. I was able to come out of the first corner in second, and the race was on. Unfortunately, this didn't last too long, as a few miles in on a very fast section of the course, I lost control and went for a wild ride. Thankfully I was okay. We pulled the car back to the pits, and it was time to focus on the big desert race coming up.

Mitch Guthrie Jr. in the Arizona dust

Mitch Guthrie Jr.trusts K&N to protect his Polaris from the dust and dirt

“Starting the race side by side, I was tenth off the line, which I was fine with knowing there wouldn't be too much dust to deal with. I got a good start, and shortly after settled into a good pace. Not long after starting, we came across a couple of cars which had succumbed to mechanical issues early on. We kept pushing on, gaining on the leaders in front of us. Coming into midway pit, we got past a couple more cars and I knew we were settling into a great position. Past the first pits we were getting into a good groove and could see that we were gaining on the leaders just ahead of us. We got by one more car towards the end of lap one which put us second on course coming into the pits to finish out our first lap. We came into the main pits just behind the leader and thanks to my awesome crew, we were able to make the pass in the pits which made us the race leaders.

“Going into lap two it was game on. Knowing we had a stacked field chasing us down, it was time to hammer down. We pulled out of main pits and now that my co-driver Kurtis and I had the track down, we knew we could form a cushion between us and the rest of the pack. Without having to deal with dust, or many lappers, I focused on hitting our marks and getting a good gap. After a nearly flawless 80 mile lap we came into the pits once more to fuel up for our third and final lap. After fuel and a quick look-over we were out of the pits and on to the home stretch.

Mitch Guthrie Jr. in the BITD first round

Mitch Guthrie Jr. thanked his sponsors for their continued support

“Our crew notified us that we had a few minute lead once we left the pits, and I breathed a sigh of relief. After 60-plus cars had been on the course lap after lap, the track was getting brutal. Knowing we had a large gap, it was now time to keep the car together and bring it home. As we were nearing the end of the race, nighttime was setting in and it was nice to finally get to use our Baja Designs lights. Those last 20 miles were almost surreal and I was just focused on making sure I got that car to the finish line. After a long but nearly flawless race we crossed the line to start off the 2017 season with an overall win by more than 5 minutes!”

K&N congratulates Mitch Guthrie Jr. on his Parker 250 win. We are excited to continue to support the Guthrie Racing Team. Demanding conditions require the ultimate in engine protection. To find the right K&N filter for your UTV, ATV, or almost anything else with an engine, consult our online application search tool.

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